Research Article
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EFL Instructors’ Corpus Literacy and Their Perceptions of Using Corpora to Teach L2 Vocabulary

Year 2023, Volume: 6 Issue: 2, 110 - 123, 16.12.2023
https://doi.org/10.35207/later.1284574

Abstract

Corpus literacy is "the ability to use the technology of corpus linguistics to investigate language and enhance the language development of students” (Heather & Helt, 2012, p.417). The recent literature focused primarily on the perceptions of students and teachers about corpus use in learning and teaching vocabulary or investigated corpus literacy alone, but EFL teachers' corpus literacy is not explored. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-method design to investigate the corpus literacy of EFL instructors and their perceptions of using corpora to teach second-language vocabulary. A total of 41 EFL instructors working in 17 different state universities in Turkiye participated in the study. Data were gathered through a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The results showed that the EFL instructors had low to medium levels of corpus literacy. In addition, there was no correlation between corpus literacy and the teaching experience of the participants. The results also showed that despite their familiarity with corpora, the instructors had never used one to teach vocabulary. Furthermore, the majority of the participants learned about corpora and corpus tools during their Ph.D. and MA studies in English language teaching and linguistics, mostly through coursework and publications.

References

  • Abdel Latif, M.M.M. (2020). Corpus literacy instruction in language teacher education: Investigating Arab EFL student teachers' immediate beliefs and long-term practices. ReCALL, 33(1), 34-48. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344020000129
  • Akayoglu, S., Satar, H. M., Dikilitas, K., Cirit, N. C., & Korkmazgil, S. (2020). Digital literacy practices of Turkish pre-service EFL teachers. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 36(1), 85–97. https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.4711
  • Aşık, A. (2015). The use of corpora in EFL classrooms: What do Turkish EFL teachers know and offer to promote pragmatic competence? The Asian EFL Journal, 17(4), 194-221.
  • Aşık, A. (2017). A sample corpus integration in language teacher education through coursebook evaluation. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 13(2), 728-740.
  • Barabadi, E. & Khajavi, Y. (2017). The effect of data-driven approach to teaching vocabulary on Iranian students' learning of English vocabulary. Cogent Education, 4(1), 1-13. doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2017.1283876
  • Belkhir, F. Z. (2013). A survey on teachers' awareness and attitudes on computer-corpus data: An assisted technology-based EFL vocabulary selection and instruction source. Procedia- Social and Behavioral Sciences, 103, 77-85.
  • Callies, M. (2019). Integrating corpus literacy into language teacher education. In Götz, Z. & Mukherjee, J. (Eds.), Learner Corpora and Language Teaching, (pp. 245 – 264). John Benjamins Publishing Company.
  • Conrad, S. (2000). Will corpus linguistics revolutionize grammar teaching in the 21st century? TESOL Quarterly, 34(3), 548 - 560.
  • Conrad, S. (2005). Corpus linguistics and L2 teaching. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning (pp. 393-409). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
  • Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • Çalışkan, G., & Kuru Gönen, S. İ. (2018). Training teachers on corpus-based language pedagogy:
  • Perceptions on vocabulary instruction. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 14(4), 190-210. Çalışkan, G. (2020). An investigation into EFL university instructors' perspectives on the use of corpora in language teaching. [Master's thesis, Anadolu University]. Ulusal Tez Merkezi. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
  • Çilak, E. (2017). The effects of using corpus-based materials in vocabulary instruction. [Master's thesis, Ufuk University]. Ulusal Tez Merkezi. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
  • Farhadi, S. & Öztürk, G. (2023). Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) level and needs of pre-service English as a foreign language (EFL) Teachers: Evidence from Turkey. Revista Educación, 47(1). http://doi.org/10.15517/revedu.v47i1.51920
  • Frankenberg-Garcia, A. (2012). Raising teachers' awareness of corpora. Language Teaching, 45, 475-489. doi:10.1017/S0261444810000480
  • Gonzalez-Martinez, A. & Gandon-Chapela, E. (2021). Boosting English vocabulary knowledge through corpus-aided word formation practice. RAEL, 20 (1), 49-70.
  • Heather, J. & Helt, M. (2012). Evaluating corpus literacy training for pre-service language teachers: Six case studies. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 20(4), 415- 440.
  • Hirata, Y. & Hirata, Y. (2019). Applying "Sketch Engine for language learning" in the Japanese English classroom. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 1, 233-248. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-019-09208-z
  • Kazaz, İ. (2015). Corpus-aided language pedagogy: The use of concordance lines in vocabulary instruction. [Master's thesis, Bilkent University]. Ulusal Tez Merkezi. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
  • Koçak, A. (2020). EFL students' perceptions of using COCA to develop their vocabulary. Journal of Language Research, 4(1), 12-26.
  • Lee, S. (2011). Challenges of using corpora in language teaching and learning. Linguistic Research, 28(1), 159–178.
  • Lewis, M. (1993). The lexical approach: The state of ELT and a way forward. Hove, UK: Language Teaching Publications.
  • Oţăt, D. (2016). Corpus linguistics outcomes and applications in the digital era. In Dejica, D., Hansen, G., Sandrini, P. & Para, I. (Eds.), Language in the Digital Era. Challenges and Perspectives, (pp. 37-47). De Gruyter Open Poland. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110472059-006
  • Poole, R. (2020): "Corpus can be tricky": Revisiting teacher attitudes towards corpus-aided language learning and teaching. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2020.1825095
  • Römer, U. (2011). Corpus research applications in second language teaching. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 31, 205-225.
  • Schmidt, R. (1990). The role of consciousness in second language learning. Applied Linguistics, 11 (2), 129–158.
  • Schmidt, R. (1993). Awareness and second language acquisition. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics 13, 206–226.
  • Schmitt, N. (2008). Review article: Instructed second language vocabulary learning. Language teaching research, 12(3), 329-363.
  • Sinha, T. S. (2021). EFL learners’ perception of and attitude to corpus as a vocabulary learning tool. The Reading Matrix: An International Online Journal, (21)2.
  • Solak, E. & Recep, Ç. (2014). Examining preservice EFL teachers' TPACK competencies in Turkey. Journal of Educators Online, (11)12.
  • Şimşek, T. (2020). Corpora in foreign language teacher education: Introducing a corpus literacy course to ELT pre-service teachers. [Doctoral dissertation, Çukurova University]. Ulusal Tez Merkezi. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
  • Teddlie, C., & Tashakkori, A. (2009). Foundations of mixed methods research: Integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches in the social and behavioral sciences. Sage, London.
  • Tosun, S. (2017). Data- driven language learning: The use of concordance lines in vocabulary learning. [Master's thesis, Çukurova University]. Ulusal Tez Merkezi. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
  • Vyatkina, N., & Boulton, A. (2017). Corpora in language learning and teaching. Language Learning & Technology, 21(3), 1–8.
  • Xodabande, I. & Nazari, M. (2022). Impacts of a corpus linguistics course on in-service EFL teachers' corpus literacy. Computer Assisted Language Learning Electronic Journal, 23(1), 318-346.
Year 2023, Volume: 6 Issue: 2, 110 - 123, 16.12.2023
https://doi.org/10.35207/later.1284574

Abstract

References

  • Abdel Latif, M.M.M. (2020). Corpus literacy instruction in language teacher education: Investigating Arab EFL student teachers' immediate beliefs and long-term practices. ReCALL, 33(1), 34-48. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344020000129
  • Akayoglu, S., Satar, H. M., Dikilitas, K., Cirit, N. C., & Korkmazgil, S. (2020). Digital literacy practices of Turkish pre-service EFL teachers. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 36(1), 85–97. https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.4711
  • Aşık, A. (2015). The use of corpora in EFL classrooms: What do Turkish EFL teachers know and offer to promote pragmatic competence? The Asian EFL Journal, 17(4), 194-221.
  • Aşık, A. (2017). A sample corpus integration in language teacher education through coursebook evaluation. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 13(2), 728-740.
  • Barabadi, E. & Khajavi, Y. (2017). The effect of data-driven approach to teaching vocabulary on Iranian students' learning of English vocabulary. Cogent Education, 4(1), 1-13. doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2017.1283876
  • Belkhir, F. Z. (2013). A survey on teachers' awareness and attitudes on computer-corpus data: An assisted technology-based EFL vocabulary selection and instruction source. Procedia- Social and Behavioral Sciences, 103, 77-85.
  • Callies, M. (2019). Integrating corpus literacy into language teacher education. In Götz, Z. & Mukherjee, J. (Eds.), Learner Corpora and Language Teaching, (pp. 245 – 264). John Benjamins Publishing Company.
  • Conrad, S. (2000). Will corpus linguistics revolutionize grammar teaching in the 21st century? TESOL Quarterly, 34(3), 548 - 560.
  • Conrad, S. (2005). Corpus linguistics and L2 teaching. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning (pp. 393-409). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
  • Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • Çalışkan, G., & Kuru Gönen, S. İ. (2018). Training teachers on corpus-based language pedagogy:
  • Perceptions on vocabulary instruction. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 14(4), 190-210. Çalışkan, G. (2020). An investigation into EFL university instructors' perspectives on the use of corpora in language teaching. [Master's thesis, Anadolu University]. Ulusal Tez Merkezi. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
  • Çilak, E. (2017). The effects of using corpus-based materials in vocabulary instruction. [Master's thesis, Ufuk University]. Ulusal Tez Merkezi. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
  • Farhadi, S. & Öztürk, G. (2023). Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) level and needs of pre-service English as a foreign language (EFL) Teachers: Evidence from Turkey. Revista Educación, 47(1). http://doi.org/10.15517/revedu.v47i1.51920
  • Frankenberg-Garcia, A. (2012). Raising teachers' awareness of corpora. Language Teaching, 45, 475-489. doi:10.1017/S0261444810000480
  • Gonzalez-Martinez, A. & Gandon-Chapela, E. (2021). Boosting English vocabulary knowledge through corpus-aided word formation practice. RAEL, 20 (1), 49-70.
  • Heather, J. & Helt, M. (2012). Evaluating corpus literacy training for pre-service language teachers: Six case studies. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 20(4), 415- 440.
  • Hirata, Y. & Hirata, Y. (2019). Applying "Sketch Engine for language learning" in the Japanese English classroom. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 1, 233-248. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-019-09208-z
  • Kazaz, İ. (2015). Corpus-aided language pedagogy: The use of concordance lines in vocabulary instruction. [Master's thesis, Bilkent University]. Ulusal Tez Merkezi. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
  • Koçak, A. (2020). EFL students' perceptions of using COCA to develop their vocabulary. Journal of Language Research, 4(1), 12-26.
  • Lee, S. (2011). Challenges of using corpora in language teaching and learning. Linguistic Research, 28(1), 159–178.
  • Lewis, M. (1993). The lexical approach: The state of ELT and a way forward. Hove, UK: Language Teaching Publications.
  • Oţăt, D. (2016). Corpus linguistics outcomes and applications in the digital era. In Dejica, D., Hansen, G., Sandrini, P. & Para, I. (Eds.), Language in the Digital Era. Challenges and Perspectives, (pp. 37-47). De Gruyter Open Poland. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110472059-006
  • Poole, R. (2020): "Corpus can be tricky": Revisiting teacher attitudes towards corpus-aided language learning and teaching. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2020.1825095
  • Römer, U. (2011). Corpus research applications in second language teaching. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 31, 205-225.
  • Schmidt, R. (1990). The role of consciousness in second language learning. Applied Linguistics, 11 (2), 129–158.
  • Schmidt, R. (1993). Awareness and second language acquisition. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics 13, 206–226.
  • Schmitt, N. (2008). Review article: Instructed second language vocabulary learning. Language teaching research, 12(3), 329-363.
  • Sinha, T. S. (2021). EFL learners’ perception of and attitude to corpus as a vocabulary learning tool. The Reading Matrix: An International Online Journal, (21)2.
  • Solak, E. & Recep, Ç. (2014). Examining preservice EFL teachers' TPACK competencies in Turkey. Journal of Educators Online, (11)12.
  • Şimşek, T. (2020). Corpora in foreign language teacher education: Introducing a corpus literacy course to ELT pre-service teachers. [Doctoral dissertation, Çukurova University]. Ulusal Tez Merkezi. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
  • Teddlie, C., & Tashakkori, A. (2009). Foundations of mixed methods research: Integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches in the social and behavioral sciences. Sage, London.
  • Tosun, S. (2017). Data- driven language learning: The use of concordance lines in vocabulary learning. [Master's thesis, Çukurova University]. Ulusal Tez Merkezi. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
  • Vyatkina, N., & Boulton, A. (2017). Corpora in language learning and teaching. Language Learning & Technology, 21(3), 1–8.
  • Xodabande, I. & Nazari, M. (2022). Impacts of a corpus linguistics course on in-service EFL teachers' corpus literacy. Computer Assisted Language Learning Electronic Journal, 23(1), 318-346.
There are 35 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Applied Linguistics and Educational Linguistics
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Fulya Eslek Onur 0000-0003-1790-8560

Sibel Tosun 0000-0003-0656-8601

Publication Date December 16, 2023
Acceptance Date July 5, 2023
Published in Issue Year 2023 Volume: 6 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Eslek Onur, F., & Tosun, S. (2023). EFL Instructors’ Corpus Literacy and Their Perceptions of Using Corpora to Teach L2 Vocabulary. Language Teaching and Educational Research, 6(2), 110-123. https://doi.org/10.35207/later.1284574