I'll just look that up in the concordancer: integrating corpus consultation into the language learning environment

Abstract

Corpus consultation is gaining in prominence as a language learning tool. This approach to language analysis has made its way into the language classroom where its presence ranges from the presentation of printed concordance data with accompanying tasks to the direct use of concordancing software by learners themselves to carry out analyses of self-selected language features. Activities of the latter kind place concordancers fairly and squarely alongside dictionaries and grammar books as significant tools in the language learner's kit. Recent studies have indicated that research is needed to provide support for the integration of corpus consultation into the language learning environment. Here, the response of second year undergraduate EAL students was examined to a course assignment that required them to investigate language features characteristic of a range of genres using a popular concordancing software program, Wordsmith Tools. Results showed that students generally had a positive response to corpus consultation and were able to identify benefits clearly, particularly in the areas of vocabulary acquisition and increased awareness of syntactic patterns. Most of the students indicated they are likely to use concordancers in the future and this interest is strongest amongst those students who have clear goals for their language learning. Course assignments produced by the students demonstrated an increased awareness of lexico-grammatical usage, particularly with regard to vocabulary use, phrases and colligational patterns. A number of obstacles to greater uptake of concordancing are identified and suggestions are made to overcome those obstacles.