Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Transforming Normative Discourses of Schooling: Critical Systemic Functional Linguistics Praxis

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Bilingual Learners and Social Equity

Part of the book series: Educational Linguistics ((EDUL,volume 33))

Abstract

One of Halliday’s original purposes in developing Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) was to address and redress equity questions such as how and why certain groups of people are discriminated against because of their language use. This chapter provides an overview of SFL theory and why and how it has been used in recent years in the United States and elsewhere to support the academic, linguistic and cultural repertoires of multilingual and multicultural students and teachers. It further outlines key concepts drawn on by the mostly U.S. contributors throughout this volume, highlighting the similarities and differences of contributors’ approaches to critical SFL. Finally, it provides an overview of each of the three sections in the volume: (1) Reflection Literacy and Critical Language Awareness; (2) Register Variation and Equity; and (3) Multimodal Designing as they relate to SFL.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Informed by Garcia et al. (2008) we use the term emergent bilinguals (EBs) to highlight how students acquiring English through school or other social contexts are in the process of becoming bilingual, a fact that is eliminated by use of deficit terms such as English learners.

  2. 2.

    Multilingual learner is a term used in this book to include a range of populations: heritage learners, second language learners, code switchers among various dialects etc.

References

  • Achugar, M., & Carpenter, B. D. (2012). Developing disciplinary literacy in a multilingual history classroom. Linguistics and Education, 23(3), 262–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Achugar, M., Schleppegrell, M. O., & Oteiza, T. (2007). Engaging teachers in language analysis: A functional linguistics approach to reflective literacy. English Teaching: Practice and Critique, 6(2), 8–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aguirre-Muñoz, Z., Park, J., Amabisca, A., & Boscardin, C. (2008). Developing teacher capacity for serving ELLs’ writing instructional needs: A case for systemic functional linguistics. Bilingual Research Journal, 31(1/2), 295–323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ajayi, L. (2011). Video “reading” and multimodality: A study of ESL/literacy Pupils’ interpretation of “Cinderella” from their socio-historical perspective. Urban Review: Issues and Ideas in Public Education, 44(1), 60–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allexsaht-Snider, M., Buxton, C., & Harman, R. (2013). Research and praxis on challenging anti-immigration discourses in school and community contexts. Norteamérica, 8(2), 191–217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Avalos, M. A., Medina, E., & Secada, W. (2015). Planning for instruction: Increasing multilingual learners’ access to algebraic word problems and visual graphics. In A. Bright, H. Hansen-Thomas, & L. C. de Oliveira (Eds.), The common core state standards in mathematics and English language learners: High school (pp. 5–28). Alexandria: TESOL Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brisk, M. (2012). Young bilingual writers’ control of grammatical person in different genres. The Elementary School Journal, 112(3), 445–468.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brisk, M. (2014). Engaging students in academic literacies: Genre-based pedagogy for k-5 classrooms. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brisk, M., & DeRosa, M. (2014). Young writers’ attempts at making meaning through complex sentence structures while writing a variety of genres. In L. De Oliveira & J. Iddings (Eds.), Genre pedagogy across the curriculum: Theory and application in classrooms and contexts (pp. 8–24). Sheffield: Equinox.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brisk, M., & Zisselberger, M. (2011). We’ve let them in on a secret: Using SFL theory to improve the teaching of writing to bilingual learners. In T. Lucas (Ed.), Preparing all teachers to teach English language learners (pp. 111–126). Mahwah: Erlbaum/Taylor & Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butler, C. (1985). Systemic linguistics: Theory and applications. London: Batsford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Byrnes, H. (2006). Advanced language learning: The contribution of Halliday and Vygotsky. London: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Canagarajah, S. (2011). Code meshing in academic writing: Identifying teachable strategies of translanguaging. The Modern Language Journal, 3, 401–417.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christie, F. (2007). Ongoing dialogue: Functional linguistic and Bernsteinian sociological perspectives on education. In F. Christie & J. R. Martin (Eds.), Language, knowledge and pedagogy (pp. 3–13). London: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christie, F., & Unsworth, L. (2000). Developing socially responsible language research. In L. Unsworth (Ed.), Researching language in schools and communities (pp. 1–26). London/Washington, DC: Cassell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colombi, M. C. (2009). A systemic functional approach to teaching Spanish for heritage speakers in the United States. Linguistics and Education, 20, 39–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crandall, J. A., Jaramillo, A., Olsen, L., & Peyton, J. K. (2001). Diverse teaching strategies for immigrant children. In R. W. Cole (Ed.), More strategies for educating everybody’s children (pp. 33–71). Alexandria: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daniello, F. (2014). Elementary grade teachers using systemic functional linguistics to inform genre-based writing instruction. In L. De Oliveira & J. Iddings (Eds.), Genre pedagogy across the curriculum: Theory and application in classrooms and contexts. Sheffield: Equinox.

    Google Scholar 

  • Darling-Hammond, L. (2006). Powerful teacher education: Lessons from exemplary programs. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Oliveira, L. C. (2011). Knowing and writing school history: The language of students’ expository writing and teachers’ expectations. Charlotte: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Oliveira, L., & Schleppegrell, M. (2015). Focus on grammar and meaning. Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Djonov, E. N. (2007). Website hierarchy and the interaction between content organization, webpage and navigation design: A systemic functional hypermedia discourse analysis perspective. Information Design Journal, 15(2), 144–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eggins, S. (2004). An introduction to systemic functional linguistics. London: Pinter.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fang, Z. (2012). Language correlates of disciplinary literacy. Topics in Language Disorders, 32(1), 19–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fang, Z. (2013). Learning to teach against the institutional grain: A professional development model for teacher empowerment. In X. Zhu & K. Zeichner (Eds.), Preparing teachers for the 21st century (pp. 237–250). London: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Fang, Z., & Schleppegrell, M. (2008). Reading in secondary content areas: A language-based pedagogy. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fenwick, L., Humphrey, S., Quinn, M., & Endicott, M. (2014). Developing deep understanding about language in undergraduate pre-service teacher education programs. The Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 39, 1–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Firth, R. (Ed.). (1957). Man and culture: An evaluation of the work of Bronislav Malinowski. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garcia, O. (2009). Bilingualism and translanguaging. In Bilingual education in the 21st century: A global perspective. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garcia, K., & Falchi (2008) From English language learners to emergent bilinguals. Equity matters: Research Review No. 1. Teachers College, Columbia University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gebhard, M., Harman, R., & Seger, W. (2007). Unpacking academic literacy for ELLs in the context of high-stakes school reform: The potential of systemic functional linguistics. Language Arts, 85(5), 419–430.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gebhard, M., Willett, J., Jimenez, J., & Piedra, A. (2011). Systemic functional linguistics, teachers’ professional development, and ELLs’ academic literacy practices. In T. Lucas (Ed.), Preparing all teachers to teach English language learners (pp. 91–110). Mahwah: Erlbaum/Taylor & Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gebhard, M., Chen, I., Graham, H., & Gunawan, W. (2013). Teaching to mean, writing to mean: SFL, L2 literacy, and teacher education. Journal of Second Language Writing, 22(2), 107–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gutiérrez, K. D. (2008). Developing a sociocritical literacy in the third space. Reading Research Quarterly, 43(2), 148–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halliday, M. A. K. (1976). Learning how to mean: Explorations in the development of language. London: Edward Arnold.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halliday, M. (1978). Language as social semiotic: The social interpretation of language and meaning. London: Edward Arnold.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halliday, M. (1996). Literacy and linguistics: A functional perspective. In R. Hasan & G. Williams (Eds.), Literacy in society (pp. 339–376). London: Longman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halliday, M. (2002). On grammar and grammatics. In J. Webster (Ed.), On grammar: Volume 1: The collected works of M.A.K. Halliday (pp. 384–417). London: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halliday, M., & Hasan, R. (1989). Language, context, and text: Aspects of language in a social-semiotician perspective (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halliday, M., & Matthiesen, C. (2004). An introduction to functional grammar. London: Arnold.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halliday, M., Mcintosh, A., & Strevens, P. (1964). The linguistic sciences and language teaching. London: Longmans.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamann, E., & Harklau, L. (2010). Education in the new Latino diaspora. In E. Murillo (Ed.), Handbook of Latinos and education: Research, theory, and practice (pp. 157–169). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harman, R. (2013). Literary intertextuality in genre-based pedagogies: Building lexical cohesion in fifth-grade L2 writing. Journal of Second Language Writing, 22(2), 125–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harman, R. & Khote, N. (2017). Critical SFL Praxis with bilingual youth: Disciplinary instruction in a third space. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies 2, 1–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15427587.2017.1318663

  • Harman, R., & Simmons, A. (2014). Critical systemic functional linguistics and literary narratives in subject English: Promoting language awareness and social action among K-12 students. In L. C. de Oliveira & J. G. Iddings (Eds.), Genre studies and language in education (pp. 75–91). Sheffield: Equinox Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hasan, R. (1996). Literacy, everyday talk and society. In R. Hasan & G. Williams (Eds.), Literacy in society (pp. 377–424). Harlow: Addison Wesley Longman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hasan, R. (2011). Language and education: Learning and teaching in society. London: Equinox.

    Google Scholar 

  • Humphrey, S. (2010). Modelling social affiliation and genre in the civic domain. In A. Mahboob & N. Knight (Eds.), Appliable linguistics (pp. 76–91). London: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Humphrey, S., Martin, J., Dreyfus, S., & Mahboob, A. (2010). A 3×3 toolkit for academic writing. In A. Mahboob & N. Knight (Eds.), Directions in appliable linguistics. London: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hymes, D. (1974). Foundations of sociolinguistics: An ethnographic approach. Philadelphia: U of Pennsylvania Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jewitt, C. (2008). Multimodality and literacy in school classrooms. Review of Research in Education, 32(1), 241–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jewitt, C., & Kress, G. (2003). Introduction. In C. Jewitt & G. Kress (Eds.), Multimodal literacy (pp. 1–18). New York: Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jewitt, C., Bezemer, J., & O’Halloran, K. L. (2016). Introducing multimodality. London/New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanno, Y., & Harklau, L. (Eds.). (2012). Linguistic minority students go to college: Preparation, access, and persistence. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kress, G. (2003). Literacy in the new media age. New York: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Lam, W. S. E., & Warriner, D. S. (2012). Transnationalism and literacy: Investigating the mobility of people, languages, texts, and practices. Reading Research Quarterly, 47(2), 191–215.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, O., & Buxton, C. A. (2013). Teacher professional development to improve science and literacy achievement of English language learners. Theory into Practice, 52(2), 110–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lukin, A., Moore, A. R., Herke, M., Wegener, R., & Wu, C. (2011). Halliday’s model of register revisited and explored. Linguistics and the Human Sciences, 4, 187–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Macken-Horarik, M. (1996). Literacy and learning across the curriculum: Towards a model of register from secondary school teachers. In R. Hasan & G. Williams (Eds.), Literacy in society (pp. 232–278). London: Longman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Macken-Horarik, M., Love, K., & Unsworth, L. (2011). A grammatics ‘good enough’ for school English in the 21st century: Four challenges in realizing the potential. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 34, 9–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, J. (2014). Evolving systemic functional linguistics: Beyond the clause. Functional Linguistics, 1(3), 1–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/2196-419X-1-3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, J., & Rose, D. (2003). Working with discourse: Meaning beyond the clause. London: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, J., & Rose, D. (2005). Designing literacy pedagogy: Scaffolding asymmetries. In R. Hasan, C. Matthiesen, & J. Webster (Eds.), Continuing discourse on language (pp. 251–280). London: Equinox.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, J. R., & White, P. R. R. (2005). The language of evaluation: Appraisal in English. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, J., & Rose, D. (2008). Genre relations: Mapping culture. Oakville: Equinox Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, J., Christie, F., & Rothery, J. (1987) Social processes in education: A reply to Sawyer and Watson (and others) In I. Reid (Ed.), The place of genre in learning: Current debates, (pp. 58–82). Center for studies in literary education: Deakin University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matthiesen, C. (in press). Multilingual studies in systemic functional linguistics. In A. Baklouti (Ed.), Perspectives on systemic functional linguistics. New York: Routledge Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matthiessen, C., Kazuhiro, T., & Wu, C. (2008). Multilingual studies as a multi-dimensional space of interconnected language studies. In J. Webster (Ed.), Meaning in context (pp. 146–221). London/New York: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moll, L. C. (2001). The diversity of schooling: A cultural-historical approach. In M. Reyes & Halcon (Eds.), The best for our children: Critical perspectives on literacy for Latino students. New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Molle, D., Sato, E., Boals, T., & Hedgspeth, C. A. (Eds.). (2015). Multilingual learners and academic literacies: Sociocultural contexts of literacy development in adolescents. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, B., & Ramanathan, V. (2005). Critical literacies and language education: Global and local perspectives. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 25, 151–169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myhill, D., Lines, H., & Watson, A. (2011). Making meaning with grammar: A repertoire of possibilities. English in Australia, 47(2), 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • New London Group. (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. Harvard Educational Review, 66(1), 60–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Halloran, K. (Ed.). (2004). Multimodal discourse analysis: Systemic functional perspectives. London/New York: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Halloran, K. L. (2007). Mathematical and scientific forms of knowledge: A systemic functional multimodal grammatical approach. In F. Christie & J. Martin (Eds.), Language, knowledge and pedagogy, functional linguistic and sociological perspectives (pp. 205–236). London/New York: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Halloran, C. (2014). Supporting ELLs’ argumentative writing development. Written Communication, 31, 304–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paris, D. (2012). Culturally sustaining pedagogy: A needed change in stance, terminology, and practice. Educational Researcher, 41(3), 93–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paugh, P., & Moran, M. (2013). Growing language awareness in the classroom garden. Language Arts, 90(4), 253–267.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pennycook, A. (2001). Critical applied linguistics: A critical introduction. Mahwah: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Potts, D., & Moran, M. J. (2013). Mediating multilingual children’s language resources. Language and Education, 27(5), 451–468.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramirez, J. A. (2014). Genre-based principles in a content-based English as a second language classroom. In L. de Oliveira & J. Iddings (Eds.), Genre pedagogy across the curriculum: Theory and application in classrooms and contexts (pp. 55–74). Sheffield: Equinox.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ravitch, D. (2013). Why I cannot stand the common core standards. Found 27 May 2014 at URL: http://dianeravitch.net/2013/02/26/why-i-cannot-support-the-common-core-standards/

  • Rose, D., & Martin, J. (2012). Learning to write, reading to learn: Genre, knowledge and pedagogy in the Sydney school. South Yorkshire: Equinox.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rothery, J., & Stenglin, M. (1994). Spine-chilling stories: A unit of work for junior secondary English. Sydney: Metropolitan East Disadvantaged Schools Program.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowling, J. K. (1997). Harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone. London: Bloomsbury.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schleppegrell, M. (2002). Challenges of the science register for ESL students: Errors and meaning making. In M. J. Schleppegrell & M. C. Colombi (Eds.), Developing advanced literacy in first and second languages: Meaning with power (pp. 119–142). Lawrence Erlbaum: Mahwah.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schleppegrell, M. (2004). The language of schooling: A functional linguistics perspective. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schleppegrell, M. J. (2006). The challenges of academic language in school subjects. Retrieved Jan 2008, from http://www.umich.edu/~govrel/adoles_lit/ schleppegrell.pdf.

  • Schleppegrell, M. J. (2012). Academic language in teaching and learning: Introduction to the special issue. The Elementary School Journal, 112(3), 409–418.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schleppegrell, M. (2013). The role of meta-language in supporting academic language development. Language Learning, 63(1), 153–170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schleppegrell, M. (2014). Language and education: Learning and teaching in society. Ruqaiya Hasan. (Book Review) Linguistics and the Human Sciences, 10(2), 195–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schleppegrell, M. J., & Colombi, M. C. (2002). Developing advanced literacy in first and second languages: Meaning with power (pp. 1–20). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schleppegrell, M., & Go, A. L. (2007). Analyzing the writing of English learners: A functional approach. Language Arts, 84(6), 529–538.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schulze, J. (2011). Writing to persuade: A systemic functional view. GIST Educational Research and Teaching Journal, 5, 127–157.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shin, D., & Cimasko, T. (2008). Multimodal design and second language composition: New tools, traditional norms. Computers and Composition, 25(4), 373–458.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shin, D., Gebhard, M., & Seger, W. (2010). Weblogs and academic literacy development: Expanding audience and linguistic repertoires. In S. Rilling & M. Dantas-Whitney (Eds.), Authenticity in the classroom and beyond (pp. 99–111). Alexandria: TESOL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, G. (2004). Introducing functional grammar (2nd ed.). London: Edward Arnold.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, G. (2000). Children’s literature, children and uses of language description. In L. Unsworth (Ed.), Researching language in schools and communities. London: Cassell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zygouris-Coe, V. I. (2012). Disciplinary literacy and the common core state standards. Topics in Language Disorders, 32(1), 35–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Language and Literacy Department, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA

    Ruth Harman

Authors
  1. Ruth Harman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ruth Harman .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Language and Literacy Department, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA

    Ruth Harman

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Harman, R. (2018). Transforming Normative Discourses of Schooling: Critical Systemic Functional Linguistics Praxis. In: Harman, R. (eds) Bilingual Learners and Social Equity. Educational Linguistics, vol 33. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60953-9_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60953-9_1

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-60951-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-60953-9

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation