Small Corpus Studies and ELT
Edited by Mohsen Ghadessy, Alex Henry and Robert L. Roseberry
Benjamins, 2001. xxiv, 420 pp.
Read this book FREEly by clicking on Browse before you buy at
http://www.benjamins.com/cgi-bin/t_bookview.cgi?bookid=SCL 5
Recent developments in this field of small corpus studies, largely brought about by the personal computer, have yielded remarkable insights into the nature and use of real language. This book presents work by a number of leading researchers in the field and covers a series of topics directly related to language teaching and language research. The ultimate aim of this book is to encourage the exploitation of small corpora by the ELT profession to make language learning more effective. In addition to descriptions of the basic corpus analysis tools, chapters in the collection cover syllabus and materials design, comparisons of different genres, descriptions of local and functional grammars, compilation and use of learner corpora, and making cross-linguistic comparisons. The message of this collection is that language use is purposeful and culture specific and that small corpus analysis is an effective method of linguistic investigation.
Table of contents
Preface
John McH. Sinclair vii
Introduction
Mohsen Ghadessy, Alex Henry and Robert L. Roseberry xvii
Section I: Corpus analysis: from large to small
1. Large corpora, small corpora, and the learning of “language”
Robert de Beaugrande 3
Section II: Tools for small corpus analysis
2. Using small corpora to investigate learner needs: Two vocabulary research tools
Paul Nation 31
3. Comparing corpora and identifying key words, collocations, and frequency distributions through the Word Smith Tools suite of computer programs
Mike Scott 47
Section III: Analysing and teaching language variation in genres through small corpora
4. Concordancing as a tool in course design
John Flowerdew 71
5. Using a small corpus to obtain data for teaching a genre
Alex Henry and Robert L. Roseberry 93
6. Small corpora and language variation: Reflexivity across genres
Marina Bondi 135
7. Investigating and teaching genres using the World Wide Web
Vincent B.Y. Ooi 175
Section IV: Small corpora and the investigation of English structure
8. Classroom use of a systemic functional small learner corpus
Peter H. Ragan 207
9. Specialised corpus, local and functional grammars
Geoff Barnbrook and John McH. Sinclair 237
Section V: Using parallel corpora as a source of classroom data
10. Collecting, aligning and analysing parallel corpora
Ann Lawson 279
11. Corpus, comparison, culture: Doing the same things differently in different cultures
Geoff Thompson 311
12. Small corpora and translation: Comparing thematic organization in two languages
Mohsen Ghadessy and Yanjie Gao 335
Section VI: Using learner corpora in ELT
13. The exploitation of small learner corpora in EAP materials design
Lynne Flowerdew 363
14. Small corpora and teaching writing
Christopher Tribble 381
Name index 409
Subject index 415
Edited by Mohsen Ghadessy, Alex Henry and Robert L. Roseberry
Benjamins, 2001. xxiv, 420 pp.
Read this book FREEly by clicking on Browse before you buy at
http://www.benjamins.com/cgi-bin/t_bookview.cgi?bookid=SCL 5
Recent developments in this field of small corpus studies, largely brought about by the personal computer, have yielded remarkable insights into the nature and use of real language. This book presents work by a number of leading researchers in the field and covers a series of topics directly related to language teaching and language research. The ultimate aim of this book is to encourage the exploitation of small corpora by the ELT profession to make language learning more effective. In addition to descriptions of the basic corpus analysis tools, chapters in the collection cover syllabus and materials design, comparisons of different genres, descriptions of local and functional grammars, compilation and use of learner corpora, and making cross-linguistic comparisons. The message of this collection is that language use is purposeful and culture specific and that small corpus analysis is an effective method of linguistic investigation.
Table of contents
Preface
John McH. Sinclair vii
Introduction
Mohsen Ghadessy, Alex Henry and Robert L. Roseberry xvii
Section I: Corpus analysis: from large to small
1. Large corpora, small corpora, and the learning of “language”
Robert de Beaugrande 3
Section II: Tools for small corpus analysis
2. Using small corpora to investigate learner needs: Two vocabulary research tools
Paul Nation 31
3. Comparing corpora and identifying key words, collocations, and frequency distributions through the Word Smith Tools suite of computer programs
Mike Scott 47
Section III: Analysing and teaching language variation in genres through small corpora
4. Concordancing as a tool in course design
John Flowerdew 71
5. Using a small corpus to obtain data for teaching a genre
Alex Henry and Robert L. Roseberry 93
6. Small corpora and language variation: Reflexivity across genres
Marina Bondi 135
7. Investigating and teaching genres using the World Wide Web
Vincent B.Y. Ooi 175
Section IV: Small corpora and the investigation of English structure
8. Classroom use of a systemic functional small learner corpus
Peter H. Ragan 207
9. Specialised corpus, local and functional grammars
Geoff Barnbrook and John McH. Sinclair 237
Section V: Using parallel corpora as a source of classroom data
10. Collecting, aligning and analysing parallel corpora
Ann Lawson 279
11. Corpus, comparison, culture: Doing the same things differently in different cultures
Geoff Thompson 311
12. Small corpora and translation: Comparing thematic organization in two languages
Mohsen Ghadessy and Yanjie Gao 335
Section VI: Using learner corpora in ELT
13. The exploitation of small learner corpora in EAP materials design
Lynne Flowerdew 363
14. Small corpora and teaching writing
Christopher Tribble 381
Name index 409
Subject index 415