Integrative Theory of Canale and Swain

Reflection #3:

One way of developing the communicative competence of the students in learning the target language, English, Canale and Swain (1980) encouraged every language teacher to fuse structure/form with meaning. By doing so, every language learner would be trained to learn English in a holistic approach capitalizing these two essential components of language as a sign system relevant in expressing their ideas freely without hassles.

More pervasively, communicative competence which primarily concerns with the knowledge or capability of a person to appropriately coordinate the rules of language structure and the rules of language use, Munby (1978) substantiated such claim of Canale and Swain. According to him, linguistic competence is an essential part of communicative competence which could not be divorced from other elements of communicative competence. Shown in this context, if language teachers would only be cognizant on their immediate role in motivating students to put into use their knowledge in actual communication situations then effective language learning is not far from reality.
However, since language teachers are always bombarded with lots of responsibilities(no breathing space!), they tend to go back to the traditional way of teaching the English language. As a result, language teaching here becomes so ordinary that somehow would not challenge students to learn to love the subject. Teaching along this vein would not be able to foster effective changes on the part of the language learners.
As depicted above, there should be a paradigm shift to be done by all language teachers. The concept of openness is a viable ingredient in attaining such expected task. All language teachers then should have an open arm in embarking the theory of Canale and Swain for possible changes to occur in their teaching. These are the steps involved in embarking such theory: (1) language teachers introduce the functions of language( e.g. communicating information, using appropriate language, giving instructions/directions, appreciating descriptions, explaining a process, and drawing inferences and making logical conclusions); (2) to realize those language functions, language teachers introduce the notions of language(e.g. improving listening skills through attentive, marginal, critical, and appreciative listening, observing correct and complete sentence structure, observing correct S-V concordance, punctuating sentences correctly, giving instructions and directions, carrying out instructions in forms of commands and requests, using descriptive words that are appealing to the five senses, making an inquiry on how to organize the sequence of the steps in the process, asking questions after a given explanation, observing proper ways in coordinating and subordinating ideas, using inferences in forming intelligent opinions, making observations and gathering facts on what has been heard, read and observed, and by establishing sequence of events properly; (3) After accomplishing numbers 1 and 2, language teachers are now ready to teach grammar corresponding to the language functions and notions established at the very outset employing appropriate language activities. For instance, language teachers could introduce imperative sentences to their students utilizing the language functions and notions of giving instructions/directions.
Once those steps are systematically observed by all language teachers, learning the target language, English, among the learners would become easier and functional—since this is a life-long type of learning deemed necessary in doing and accomplishing future tasks. As deduced, integrative theory of Canale and Swain is very much functional in the teaching of grammar to students. -Dr. Jerry G. Roble