Innovation in Language Learning
Enhancing English Proficiency, Research Skills, and Language Teaching: Integrating Corpus Linguistics Tools in Education
Hamest Tamrazyan, Ukrainian State Dragomanov University (Ukraine)
Abstract
Young individuals face significant demands and challenges in today's global labor market. They must excel in their respective fields and possess a strong command of English as a lingua franca and proficiency in information technologies. This paper explores integrating corpus linguistics tools into the research activities of 3rd-year students majoring in English philology to enhance their English proficiency, research abilities, critical thinking, and computational skills.
Numerous scholars have explored the practical applications of corpus linguistics in language education. Corpus-based methods bridge the gap between theoretical linguistics and language teaching, offering an evidence-based approach to instruction. They have been particularly effective in enhancing vocabulary, collocation skills, and academic writing proficiency.
This paper illustrates the practical benefits of incorporating corpus linguistics tools into students' research projects. Examples include English grammar analysis, discourse analysis, collocation analysis, sociolinguistic research, and the study of online communication. Using corpus-based research, students can analyze language use in context, develop computational skills, and enhance critical thinking.
In addition to these insights, the paper presents a real-world case study of implementing corpus linguistics tools over the past five years in teaching English as a foreign language at the Faculty of Foreign Philology and the teacher training courses at the Ukrainian State Dragoman University.
Over these five years, the university has progressively integrated corpus linguistics tools into its language teaching programs. In the first year, 30% of students, primarily 3rd-year students, enthusiastically embraced these tools for their autumn term papers. These students received an introductory course in corpus linguistics and familiarized themselves with LanxBox. The following year, when students were required to choose topics for their graduation papers in September, 10% of them opted for topics related to corpus linguistics or utilizing corpus linguistics tools for their research. Notably, these papers received some of the highest marks that year.
This trend has continued to grow, with an increasing number of students enthusiastically embracing corpus linguistics tools each year. Their eagerness to learn and delve into corpus linguistics has been remarkable, leading to students' involvement in a project compiling an English-Ukrainian corpus.
Corpus linguistics tools offer numerous advantages in language education, as evidenced by the case study. These tools provide access to authentic language data, fostering natural language acquisition. Moreover, they can be tailored to individual learners, increasing engagement and motivation. As corpus linguistics tools become more accessible, their integration into language education should be promoted, and teachers should be adequately trained. Future research should explore their efficacy in listening and speaking skills and their application in various educational contexts. Ultimately, corpus linguistics tools hold great potential in preparing students for the demands of the 21st-century labor market while enhancing language teaching and learning practices.
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Keywords |
corpus linguistics, language education, language teaching, corpus-based instructions, corpus-based research work.
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References |
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