Investigating language corpora as a grammar development resource

Abstract

The digital era has brought new concepts and transformations into language development and has given rise to technology-based approaches to learner autonomy. It has shifted the focus from deductive to inductive learning, where the concept of ‘noticing’ (Schmidt, 1990) language forms is promoted. Literature suggests that this type of student-centered self-discovery of lexico-grammatical patterns can be greatly aided by corpus linguistics methods, specifically ‘Data-Driven Learning’ (DDL) (Johns, 1986; Braun, 2005; O’Keeffe et al, 2007). It reports on the valuable potential of DDL for developing learners’ multi-literacies and cognitive strategies, particularly raising their awareness of lexico-grammatical patterning (O’Keeffe and Farr, 2003). However, insights from corpus-based studies have not been widely applied in teaching practices (Reppen, 2022; Zareva, 2017). It has also been proposed that DDL enhances accurate representation of language, raises cultural understanding, provides learners with the freedom to explore and discover the language, and fosters learner autonomy, thus making them more effective language learners (Flowerdew, 2015).

This affordance led to the design of a longitudinal experimental study which aimed to provide useful skills and processes in the use of language corpora as a grammar development resource in the pre-intermediate EFL classroom in an Armenain context outside of higher education. The evaluation data included pre-, post-, progress-, delayed post-test data, and Learner Autonomy Profile (LAP) form, the statistical analysis of which revealed the beneficial impact of the computer-based inductive approach of DDL on the learners’ grammar competency, independent learning skills, as well as the contribution of cognitive strategies to proceduralization of knowledge. It also included semi-structured interview data, which uncovered the learners’ increased engagement in the learning process, the positive change in their attitudes towards their own learning, and the ways of demonstrating autonomous abilities in working with concordances. These data also brought to light some of the fears and challenges of using DDL, as well discussing its theoretical and pedagogical underpinnings aligned with psychological processes of learning.

The findings will serve all the participants of this hugely important ELT sector - researchers, language educators and learners. They will gain insights as to what is necessary to tap learners’ implicit long-term knowledge, to prepare them both psychologically and practically for independence so that they can be armed with confidence, interest in discovering the language, knowledge about their own learning, and understanding of how to make use of their learning styles and strategies.

Keywords: conventional/technology-enhanced EFL classroom, corpus linguistics, data-driven learning (DDL), inductive/deductive grammar learning, direct/indirect written feedback, explicit/implicit knowledge, language awareness, learner autonomy.