SUMMARY #21

DEASTIKA BAYUNING SUDJASMARA

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TEXT-BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING

A text is any stretch of spoken or written language that is meaningful in a social
context. It is meaningful because it fulfills a social purpose and represents a
unified whole. Although we write it down, it looks as though it is made of words
and sentences. It is really made of meanings.
Different text-types with consistent pattern and certain social purposes are called
genre. Genre can be defined as culturally specific texts with particular patterns
that fulfill different social purposes. In social context, there are three variables in
a text:

Field It refers to what is going on. It is about who does what to whom and

under what circumstances.

Tenor It refers to the relationship between people in a social situation.
Mode It refers to the channel of communication.

Actually, text and context are interrelated. The variables of social context will
determine the way the text is constructed. Thus, both text and context influence
each other.
A TEXT-BASED TEACHING METHODOLOGY: THE TEXT-BASED WORKING
CYCLE
There are some principles and issues which become basis for a text-based
teaching methodology:

Language learning is concerned with how to work with texts in social contexts
The goal of language learning is to acquire skills and knowledge to respond to

and compose texts for social context

In the process of learning language, learners learn language, learn through

language and learn about language.

Language learning is a social process between teacher and students, in which
meanings are constructed, responded to, interpreted, negotiated and created

in texts.
Scaffolding is teachers talk during the process of teaching and learning. It is a
must that the teacher uses English, such as when calling for the roll, greeting,
leave taking, appreciating, rewarding, etc. These will give the students
motivation to do so and to practice English in the class. Teacher is a model for
them. It is important to support and guide students through interaction until

finally they can do the tasks independently.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is a space to growth for students in their
social environment. It means that their language acquisition will develop better

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if they are supported by their social life, such as family, society and school. To
gain the level of independent performance, adults must help the students to
develop their language.
Practically, there are four stages of a text-based teaching methodology which
linked each other to form a cycle.
Stage 1 Understanding Context of text
The teacher facilitates the students (1) to understand the roles and relationships
of the text composer and its audience, (2) to understand the language features
(words, grammar, tone) of the text, and (3) to know the mode of language
(spoken or written language) and different kinds of relationship (personal, formal,
intimate, cautious, distant)
Stage 2 Understanding Text
The teacher facilitates the students (1) to understand the presentation texts in
context, sorting, matching, sequencing and labeling exercises and activities on
cohesive devices, such as conjunction, lexical items, references, grammatical
features: verb tenses, articles, adverbs, word choices and word combination, (2)
to understand the level of expression, such as the use of spoken and written
language, tone, intonation, gestures, attitude, emotion, politeness formula, (3) to
share their ideas about text aspects in a collaborative and supportive processes,
and (4) to interact with the text, the teacher and others
Stage 3 - Constructing Text
The teacher facilitates the students (1) to work with group/pair-group or whole
class, (2) to share the idea on language features, vocabulary, and a particular
structure of text in group by discussing them with more competent peer, (3) to
promote oral activities among students guided by the teacher, and (4) to start
constructing the text-type and the teacher gradually reduces the contribution to
the text.
Stage 4 Applying Text
The

teacher

facilitates

the

students

(1)

to

apply

the

knowledge

and

understanding of constructing text by themselves, (2) to consult with teacher if it

is needed, and (3) to do some revision of the text.
DESIGNING A COURSE IN THE TEXT-BASED APPROACH
There are several steps in designing a course in the text-based approach:

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Identifying the learners needs and goals.

Course Planning
Organizing Course Content
Topics as Items of Course Content
Learning Outcomes as Items of Course Content

ASSESSMENT IN THE TEXT-BASED APPROACH

Assessment is an important component of the course, the objective of which is to
find out whether students have achieved the learning outcomes set out in the
course objectives. Assessment must be based on learning outcome and the result
is gather and analyzed. It serves as a basis to make an appropriate revision and
planning of teaching and learning experience in a course. In the text-based
working cycle, assessment is on-going. On-going assessment is administered to
get an evidence of students performance and progress. It also enables the
teacher to plan teaching and learning experiences and revise a unit of work to
facilitate more appropriate learning for students, lead them towards achieving
the intended outcomes. It is carried out in every stage. It can be formal or
informal assessment. In constructing text and applying text, assessment at
various stages of the text-based working cycle is known as summative
assessment, the objective of which is to certify specific level of achievement.
Beside on-going assessment, there is also criterion-referenced assessment. It is a
type of assessment in which student performance in each of the learning
outcomes is assessed against certain explicit standards called assessment
criteria. Any assessment of leaning outcome should be made in reference to
three variables:
Assessment

Criteria

it

provides

evidence

of

students

achievement,

skills/competencies in course outcomes.

Assessment Conditions it is a description of circumstances or modes in which an
assessment is done.
Assessment Tasks it mentions activities to be used in an assessment, such as
going on holiday, booking at travel agent.
Prior to assessment, assessment criteria, assessment conditions and assessment
tasks need to be discuss explicitly with students to make sure that they are well
aware of the requirements of an assessment, how their performance is assessed
and how their achievement is judged and recorded. The assessment need to be
reliable and valid. Reliable means there is consistency in the teachers judgment
of students achievement. While valid means the assessment should be based on

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the content, skills and knowledge that have been specified. It should assess what
it sets out in the course.