Module
Corpus Linguistics for TESOL
Module title | Corpus Linguistics for TESOL |
---|---|
Module code | EFPM293 |
Academic year | 2022/3 |
Credits | 15 |
Module staff | Dr Philip Durrant (Convenor) |
Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
Duration: Weeks | 10 |
Number students taking module (anticipated) | 10 |
---|
Description - summary of the module content
Module description
Corpus linguistics is one of the most widely-used and powerful research methods in applied linguistics. Corpus research has had a major impact on the ways we think about language and language learning, and all major modern dictionaries, grammars, and language textbooks are now informed by corpus work. This module introduces the basic principles and tools of corpus linguistics. It will give you hands-on experience of doing corpus research. It will also help you develop a critical understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of corpus linguistics and of how corpora are used in TESOL materials and classrooms.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The module aims to enable you to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to:
1) understand, evaluate and use corpus-informed language teaching techniques and resources;
2) carry out applied corpus linguistic work in an educational context; and
3) carry out small-scale corpus linguistic research projects.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate an understanding of the principles of corpus design and analysis;
- 2. demonstrate an understanding of the roles of corpus linguistics in applied linguistics and TESOL;
- 3. demonstrate an ability to critically evaluate corpus-informed pedagogical techniques and resources;
- 4. demonstrate an awareness of how to use corpus-linguistics tools for pedagogical purposes;
- 5. use corpus-linguistic tools to carry out small-scale research projects;
- 6. demonstrate an awareness of key linguistic features studied by corpus linguistics, including: frequency, collocation, collostruction, and semantic prosody;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. demonstrate an awareness of language variation;
- 8. demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of representativeness and balance in textual research;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 9. engage in independent study and group/pair work; and
- 10. use a computer to store and analyse written texts.
Syllabus plan
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
-
The nature and uses of corpus linguistics
-
Key findings and uses of corpus research
-
The principles and practice of building a corpus
-
The principles of corpus analysis
-
Tools for corpus analysis
-
Using publicly available corpus-based resources
-
Using corpora in teaching
Learning and teaching
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
---|---|---|
16 | 134 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
Category | Hours of study time | Description |
---|---|---|
Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 16 | 8 x 2-hour seminars |
Guided independent study | 24 | Directed reading: seminar preparation/review |
Guided independent study | 20 | Directed reading: further exploration of chosen topics |
Guided independent study | 10 | Formative assignment preparation |
Guided independent study | 80 | Summative assignment preparation |
Assessment
Formative assessment
Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
---|---|---|---|
Individual oral presentation describing planned corpus analysis for second summative assessment | 10 minute presentation + Q & A session | 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 | Oral feedback from peers and tutor |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
---|---|---|
100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
---|---|---|---|---|
Written review of a corpus-based pedagogical resource (e.g. dictionary, grammar, textbook, online tool, online corpus interface). This should 1) describe the resource; 2) describe the corpus and corpus analysis/tools it draws on; 3) evaluate the resource. | 30 | 750 words | 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 | Written feedback from tutor |
Written paper describing a corpus linguistic analysis of a chosen linguistic feature and reflection on how this analysis might inform language pedagogy. | 70 | 3000 words | 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 | Written feedback from tutor |
0 | ||||
0 | ||||
0 | ||||
0 |
Re-assessment
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
---|---|---|---|
Written review of a corpus-based pedagogical resource (e.g. dictionary, grammar, textbook, online tool, online corpus interface). This should 1) describe the resource; 2) describe the corpus and corpus analysis/tools it draws on; 3) evaluate the resource. | Written review of a corpus-based pedagogical resource (e.g. dictionary, grammar, textbook, online tool, online corpus interface). This should 1) describe the resource; 2) describe the corpus and corpus analysis/tools it draws on; 3) evaluate the resource. (750 words) | 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 | Following the programme specification, usually within six weeks. |
Written paper describing a corpus linguistic analysis of a chosen linguistic feature and reflection on how this analysis might inform language pedagogy. | Written paper describing a corpus linguistic analysis of a chosen linguistic feature and reflection on how this analysis might inform language pedagogy. (3000 words) | 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 | Following the programme specification, usually within six weeks |
Resources
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Flowerdew, L. (2011). Corpora and Language Education. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Hunston, S. (2002). Corpora in Applied Linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
McCarthy, M. (1998). Spoken language and applied linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge university press.
McEnery, T., & Hardie, A. (2012). Corpus linguistics: Method, Theory and Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
McEnery, T., & Wilson, A. (2001). Corpus linguistics: an introduction (Second ed.). Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
McEnery, T., Xiao, R., & Tono, Y. (2006). Corpus-based language studies: an advanced resource book. Abingdon: Routledge.
O'Keeffe, A., & McCarthy, M. (Eds.). (2010). The Routledge Handbook of Corpus Linguistics. Abingdon: Routledge.
O'Keeffe, A., McCarthy, M., & Carter, R. (2007). From corpus to classroom: language use and language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
A free MOOC on corpus linguistics: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/corpus-linguistics
Downloadable corpus analysis tools:
- https://www.laurenceanthony.net
- http://corpora.lancs.ac.uk/lancsbox/help.php
- https://www.linguisticanalysistools.org
Online corpus interfaces:
- https://www.sketchengine.eu
- http://view.byu.edu
Lists of available corpora:
Online corpus-based tools and resources:
- http://www.lextutor.ca
- http://flax.nzdl.org/greenstone3/flax
- http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk
- http://bawequicklinks.coventry.domains/encyclopedia/
- https://grammar.collinsdictionary.com/grammar-pattern
- https://www.englishprofile.org/
Module has an active ELE page
Credit value | 15 |
---|---|
Module ECTS | 7.5 |
Module pre-requisites | None |
Module co-requisites | None |
NQF level (module) | 7 |
Available as distance learning? | No |
Origin date | 02/05/2014 |
Last revision date | 11/05/2021 |