Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Introduction to Functional Grammar - The Video

So many people attempt to study Halliday (and Matthiessen's) Introduction to Functional Grammar - or IFG. There are at least 3 great books that guide people on how to study IFG (introductions to the Introduction): Thompson, Bloor & Bloor and Martin et al. But these are all books. That's like giving someone a map to find a map. So, here's a new way of doing it - the video. Anabelle Lukin has used the SFL Video group in Vimeo to post videos of her lectures on introducing IFG. This one, for example, introduces the concept of the functional grammar:



Here we have another example, this time introducing and explaining how the clause exchanges meanings between persons, enacting interpersonal meanings:



Here is a full list of the Vimeo videos in this series:

Chapters 1&2
An introduction to An Introduction to Functional Grammar

A map of language: basic concepts for the study of language

Five principles of constituency

Understanding the clause

Chapter 3
Clause as message PART 1

Clause as message PART 2

Chapters 4 & 10
Clause as exchange PART 1

Clause as exchange PART 2

Chapter 5
Clause as representation PART 1

Clause as representation PART 2

Chapter 6
Below the clause: groups and phrases

Chapter 7
Above the clause PART 1/2

Above the clause PART 2/2


By the way,don't forget to order your copy of the new version of IFG - Halliday's Introduction to Functional Grammar (HIFG??) - by Halliday & Matthiessen, now in its 4th edition.

And, finally, just for a laugh, here is one more video to help you learn Systemic Functional Grammar - the SFG Rap!! Take it away...

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Teaching, Learning and Researching Reading in EFL

I am very pleased to announce that TESOL Arabia has agreed to myself and Helen Emery editing a collection of papers on reading in EFL. (Helen is moving from Essex to Oman just after I move from UAE to Sheffield.) We both know a few people who can help us out, and we hope we can produce a very high standard collection of papers when the book is launched in March 2014 at TACON 20. I hope that together we can match the high standard achieved by Helen and Fiodhna for their young learners book.

Here is the CFP (and it is currently on the News page of the TESOL Arabia website):

If you or anyone you know can contribute, drop us a line.