The Functional Approach to Syntactic Structures in Teaching Romanian as a Foreign Language

Abstract

Objectives: The study aims to analyze the role of the functional approach to syntactic structures in teaching Romanian as a foreign language and to argue for the systematic reintegration of grammar into current communicative methodologies as an essential tool for developing communicative competence. Previous Research: The paper is grounded in the principles of functional grammar and in research on communicative-oriented foreign language pedagogy, adopting a critical stance toward approaches that minimize the explicit role of the grammatical component in the acquisition process. Approach: The approach is theoretical and applied, based on the functional analysis of syntactic structures and on the design of a teaching manual organized around frequent syntactic patterns of spoken language, integrated into authentic communicative contexts. Results: The results highlight the effectiveness of a didactic progression from minimal utterances to micro-discourse structures, facilitating the gradual acquisition of syntax and reducing cross-linguistic interference. Implications: The study provides useful methodological guidelines for researchers and authors of teaching materials in the field of Romanian as a foreign language. Value: The original contribution lies in the reconceptualization of syntax as the core of language acquisition, through the systematic correlation of form, meaning, and communicative intention.