Systemic Functional Linguistics in English Language Teaching in Hispanic Latin America: A Reginal Literature Review (2010-2024)
Universidad de Panama
Autor: Marisol Ortega González de Álvarez
Núcleo: Enseñanza de las Lenguas Extranjeras y Dialectos Autóctonos en la Educación Superior
Why This Review?
Motivation:
Although Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) has influenced language and literacy education worldwide, its development within Hispanic Latin America remains fragmented and underdocumented.
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Research Question and Objectives
How has Systemic Functional Linguistics been applied to English Language Teaching across Hispanic Latin America between 2010 and 2024?
Objectives
•Identify regional trends
•Examine thematic developments
•Analyze methodological approaches
•Identify research gaps
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What Is Systemic Functional Linguistics?
Halliday's Systemic Functional Linguistics views language as a resource for making meaning.
•Three Metafunctions
•Educational Value
•Supports literacy development
•Enhances writing instruction
•Improves discourse awareness
•Supports critical language analysis
Metafunction | Function |
Ideational | Representing experience and ideas |
Interpersonal | Building relationships and evaluation |
Textual | Organizing messages coherently |
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Why Does SFL Matter for ELT?
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Methodology
Methodology
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Study Selection Process (PRISMA 2020)
Key Outcome
112 records identified → 31 studies included
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Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
Included
• Published 2010-2024
• Hispanic Latin America
• Explicit use of SFL
• ELT, literacy, assessment, multimodality, or teacher education
• Open-access publications
Excluded
❌ Not SFL-focused
❌ Not ELT-related
❌ Outside the region
❌ Outside the date range
❌ Incomplete or inaccessible reports
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Regional Distribution of Research
Included Studies by Country
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Main Research Themes
Key Finding:
Appraisal and Interpersonal Meaning emerged as the most recurrent research strand, followed by Genre Pedagogy and Academic Literacy.
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Major Contributions of SFL Research
Educational Applications
•Genre-based writing instruction
•Academic literacy development
•Teacher education
•Assessment and feedback
•Multimodal communication
•Digital learning environments
Overall Trend
•SFL has evolved beyond literacy instruction toward broader applications in educational and digital contexts.
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Methodological Trends
Types of Research:
•Conceptual and theoretical studies
•Qualitative investigations
•Classroom interventions
•Discourse analyses
•Mixed-methods studies
Observation: Empirical studies are present in the literature but are often small-scale and context-specific.
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Implications for ELT
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Conclusion
Key Findings
•31 studies reviewed
•Chile and Colombia dominate regional production
• Appraisal and interpersonal meaning represent the most prominent strand
•Genre pedagogy remains the most established pedagogical application
•Emerging work focuses on multimodality and digital learning
Final Message
•SFL continues to provide a powerful framework for understanding language, literacy, and meaning-making in English Language Teaching across Hispanic Latin America.
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Marisol Ortega González de Álvarez
soldealva@gmail.com
marisol.dealvarez@up.ac.pa
Universidad de Panama
Thank you!