Transcript Using Corpora in the Classroom
Learners First:
Explicit Language Instruction in EAP Writing Courses
Gena Bennett
http://genabennett.googlepages.com
Learners First
In making decisions about grammar in the L2 writing classroom, Byrd and Reid (1998) advocate beginning with learners rather than structures.
Ferris (2008) cautions against expecting error free writing.
Error analysis helps to prioritize language instruction.
Computer-Aided Error Analysis (CEA)
CEA is the use of computers to analyse learner errors in a learner corpus.
Areas for CEA in L2 Writing Instruction Grammar, Lexis, Pragmatics, Discourse
Tools
Error tagging code Learner essays Collaborators for reliability (ideally!) Concordancing program Classroom Materials
Symbol
vt vf wo sva art cs lc - # ~ pa / c o po
Error Tagging Code
Error
Verb tense Verb form Word order Subject Verb Agreement Article Comma splice Lowercase Join words space Transpose Agreement Delete Comma Word omitted possessive
Explanation
Incorrect verb tense Verb incorrectly formed Incorrect or awkward word order Subject and verb do not agree in number Incorrect or missing article Comma inserted unnecessarily Use a lower case letter Put words together (class room) Add a space or remove extra space Transpose elements Pronoun/antecedent agreement Delete word Needs a comma inserted A word has been omitted from the sentence Possessive error
Error Tagging Code
General Codes Verbs Noun endings Articles Word Choice Sentence Structure Mechanics
Learner Essays (& Collaborators)
What was harsh _vt amazing about her is her perseverance. One day her mum told her to not attend Central High because it was a _nonid decision they will _vt all regret, but she _pa said she had to go. Many teenage girls should _wc have given up at that time _c but Melba was more perseverant than ever when she said that.
Concordancing Program
MonoConc, WordSmith Tools, TEXTStat Search for error codes Compile concordance lines
Classroom Materials
Consciousness Raising/Noticing activities Traditional grammar activities Communicative activities
Concordance Lines
Melba suffered for all black people and people who sacrifice their life for others are great warriors.
Melba was determined to fight for integration and determination is one of the characteristics of a warrior.
She had to give up almost all her hobbies for her new life and she was not supported by her circle.
Melba reacted with non violence and this is an unbelievable thing.
Melba suffered not only for her benefit but also for the rights of all black people.
She did not like to let the segregationist do their thing but she knew not responding to them was the best thing.
Melba fought not only so she could attend a good school but also so all black people could attend a good school.
PPP Authentic Practice
Conclusion
“…Learner corpora give us access not only to errors but to learners’ total interlanguage” (Granger, 1998, p. 6).
Instructors may be aware of their students’ difficulties, but the only way to uncover error in context and become more aware of general performance is through CEA.
CEA discloses pedagogical need and can lead to increased autonomy.
References
Dagneaux, E., et al (1998). “Computer-aided error analysis”. System 26, p. 163-174.
Byrd, P., & Reid, J. (1998). Grammar in the composition classroom: Essays on teaching ESL for college-bound students. Boston: Heinle & Heinle.
Granger, S. (1998). Learner English on computer. London: Longman Publishers.
Granger, S. (1999). “Use of tenses by advanced EFL learners: evidence from an error-tagged computer corpus.” In Out of corpora: Studies in honour of Stig Johannson. Eds. H. Hasselgard & S. Oksefjell. Amsterdam: Rodopi, p. 191-202.
References
Granger, S. (2002). “A bird’s-eye view of learner corpus research.” In Computer learner corpora, second language acquisition, and foreign language teaching. Eds. S. Granger, J. Hung, & S. Petch-Tyson. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing, p. 3-33. Granger, S. (2003a). “The international corpus of learner English: a new resource for foreign language learning and teaching and second language acquisition research”. TESOL Quarterly 37(3), p. 538-546.
Granger, S. (2003b). “Error tagged learner corpora and CALL: a promising synergy.” CALICO Journal 20(3), p. 465-480. Granger, S. (2004). “Computer learner corpus research: Current status and future prospects.” In Applied corpus linguistics: A multidimensional perspective. Eds. U. Connor & T.A. Upton. Amsterdam: Rodopi, p. 123-145.
References
Hinkel, E. (2002). Second language writer's text: Linguistic and rhetorical features. Mahwah, NJ, US: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.
Learners First:
Explicit Language Instruction in EAP Writing Courses
Gena Bennett