Page 38 - EL108 Learrning Module

2. Speech act theory
Effective communication is not simply perceived as a function of

linguistic accuracy or acceptable grammar to convey literal and intended
meaning. Communication must be appropriate for the context, i.e. speakers

must have both ‘linguistic competence’ and ‘communicative competence’.

Both have had a considerable impact on L2 syllabus design, teaching and

testing, and are credited for shifting the emphasis of language classrooms from a
formal grammatical focus to a communication-based one.

CHALLENGES IN GRAMMAR ASSESSMENT
CHALLENGE ONE

Defining grammatical ability At the moment of assessing grammatical
form and meaning in communicative

language testing, it is relevant to provide

teachers and learners with a more complete
assessment, taking into account the

grammatical ability of the test takers than
just providing information about the form or

the meaning.

Theoretical challenges about the It is concerned to language educators who
definition of grammatical knowledge need to make comprehensible distinctions

between the form and meaning
components of grammatical knowledge in

terms of the test purpose in order to
integrate these distinctions in construct

definition.

Teaching and Assessment of Grammar 26