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Article published In: Language, Context and Text
Vol. 4:1 (2022) ► pp.2–25

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Lessons learnt applying a systemic functional model to teaching and learning in school contexts over the last thirty years

A personal account

 | Lexis Education, Australia
 | Lexis Education, Australia
Published online: 6 April 2022
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https://doi.org/10.1075/langct.21013.dar
Abstract
In this paper we look back at our work over the last thirty years as education consultants in a range of educational contexts in which we sought to promote an explicit, language-based approach to teaching and learning. We trace our pathway from the earliest days of meeting systemic functional theory and its potential application in education to recent times where we now are able to offer a suite of professional development programmes designed to build the capacity of teachers and students to understand how language works to make meaning. We reflect on the many challenges of re-contextualising such an elaborate model of language in educational contexts: challenges that embrace the pedagogical, the political and the logistical among others. The intent is to highlight the affordances we have seen while working closely with teachers over the years in the hope that others will be inspired to continue the work.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.The developmental phase
    • 2.1What was learnt from the early days?
      • 2.1.1Need for a meaningful theoretical framework that could be drawn on in schooling contexts
      • 2.1.2Maintaining high challenge and high support
      • 2.1.3Development of the first iteration of the Language and Literacy Course: Classoom applications of functional grammar
  • 3.Extending the scope of the work: Implementing a train-the-trainer model
    • 3.1A rationale for the train-the-trainer model
    • 3.2Growing interest outside the state of South Australia
    • 3.3Language and learning development continuum
    • 3.4The influence of functional language models of curricula in other Australian states
    • 3.5The importance of teacher action research
    • 3.6Evolving beyond the Australian context
      • 3.6.1An effect of government departments monetising their intellectual property
      • 3.6.2Increasing social capital within schools
      • 3.6.3The comprehensive content
      • 3.6.4Advantages of a modular structure
      • 3.6.5Internal and external evaluation and tertiary accreditation
    • 3.7What has driven renewal of content?
      • 3.7.1Addressing multisemioticity
      • 3.7.2Addressing the range of students
      • 3.7.3New contexts for delivering courses
  • 4.Move to whole school approaches
    • 4.1The changing face of the Australian curriculum
    • 4.2How is the work being sustained?
      • 4.2.1Whole school approaches supported by post-course support
      • 4.2.2Need for research to build up more data on success
  • 5.Summary
  • Notes
  • References
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