Developing corpus-based resources for language learning:

looking back in "hope"

Pascual Pérez-ParedesEnglish Studies, U. Murcia

www.perezparedes.es@perezparedes

The future of Corpus Linguistics will largely be determined by its practical applications.

Guy Aston (2011:8)Perspectives on Corpus Linguistics

More corpus and applied linguistics presentations like this on

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Developing corpus-based resources for language learning:

looking back in "hope"

1. Early steps2. Growing up3. Young adults4. Maturity

Developing corpus-based resources for language learning: looking back in "hope"

Corpus linguistics & language learning

1. Attested uses of language v. made-up, invented language

2. Combinatory nature of language v. isolated accounts of lexis and grammar

3. CL favours active learning and discovery

Corpus linguistics: L1 & L2 corpora

1. British National Corpus (BNC)

2. Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA)

3. MICUSP corpus of essays: micusp.elicorpora.info/

Developing corpus-based resources for language learning:

looking back in "hope”

Early steps

System aided compilation and open distribution of European

youth language

Ylva Berglund, Sabine Braun, Pascual Pérez-Paredes. Multimedia Corpora for Applied Linguistic Contexts. Birmingham Corpus Linguistics Conference, 27-30 July 2007, Birmingham, UK.

Pérez-Paredes, P. 2010. Corpus Linguistics and Language Education in Perspective: Appropriation and the Possibilities Scenario. In Corpus Linguistics in Language Teaching, pp: 53-73.

The challenges (1)

CORPUS DESIGNTraditional reference corpora (content, size, data format,transcription, annotation, query)

CORPUS EXPLOITATIONData-Driven Learning (focus on non-linear reading: concordances and co-texts)

• Corpora contain textual records of discourse; their interpretation requires (re-)contextualisation.

• Learners may have difficulties analysing corpus data; they require pedagogical mediation.

• Pedagogical corpus uses differ from linguistic description; this requires e.g. pedagogically motivated query options.

• Corpora need to be integrated with curricula; this requires e.g. complementarity of content and effective delivery.

Do not fully support pedagogical requirements.

The challenges (2)

CORPUS DESIGNTraditionally: representation in written format

CORPUS EXPLOITATIONWork with text-only data and e.g. conversational markup

• Spoken discourse is more dependent on shared physical contexts.• It is adjusted to aural and online perception (e.g. chunking)• and affected by limitations of processing capacity (false starts, repair).• It is marked by accents.• It is multimodal.

Again, this does not fully support pedagogical requirements.

Requirements• Format: multimedia to retain multimodal character of spoken

language• Content: complementary with curriculum topics, more

coherence than in traditional corpora• Pedagogically motivated transcription, annotation and

alignment (transcript-video)• Combination of query methods: text-based exploration and

application of corpus techniques• Pedagogical enrichment of corpora with complementary

resources (e.g. exercises, explanations)• Effective delivery of corpora and additional resources to

learners/teachers

Corpus creation (1)

ELISA• Professional English• Accounts of professional life• Different varieties

SACODEYL• 7 European languages• Youth language corpora• Two age groups

• Examples: ELISA and SACODEYL• Interview format• Video clips with transcript

• Communicatively relevant topics, e.g. in SACODEYL topics outlined in the Common European Framework

• Elicitation process: briefing informants and prompting them during the interview, ensuring naturally flowing discourse

Corpus creation (1)Topic Interview

questionsAge CEF Gramm.

functions

Holidays 1. Where did you spend your last holidays?

13-1516-18

A2 can describe past activities, personal experiences

Past tense

2. What are your plans for the next holidays?

13-15 B1 can describe dreams, hopes and ambitions

FutureConditonalModal verbs

Plans for the future

1. What are your plans for your career?

16-18 B1 can explain/give reasons for my plans, intentions and actions

Future

2. On what grounds do you decide?

16-18 B2 can speculate about causes, consequences, hypothetical situations

ConditionalModal verbs

Example of topics in SACODEYL

Corpus creation (2)

Markup

Pedagogic annotation

XML files

TEI-compliant corpora

Transcription

CONTINUUMRAW, ORTHOGRAPHIC TRANSCRIPTION – ANNOTATED CORPORA

Corpus creation (3)

Markup

Pedagogic annotation

XML files

TEI-compliant corpora

Transcription

SACODEYL

TRANSCRIPTOR

SACODEYL

ANNOTATOR

Corpus creation (3)SACODEYL

TRANSCRIPTOR

[METADATA]Title: La Unión Europea une a los

ciudadanosDate Recording:2006-11-05Date Transcription:2007-02-02Locale:I.E.S. Floridablanca,Murcia,

EspañaPrincipal Investigator: Pascual

Perez-ParedesResearcher:Pascual Perez-ParedesTranscriber: Encarnación Tornero

ValeroEditor:Autority: SACODEYL ProjectID:

Language:ESMediaFileName:ES02.aviParticipants: person:Chico name: role: Entrevistado sex: Hombre age: 16 description: person: E name: Andrés Mercader Rodríguez role: Entrevistador sex: Hombre age: 32 description:[/METADATA]

Corpus query

• Query options will support text- and corpus-based exploration and include e.g.– Easy access to entire interviews– A topic index supporting the analysis of similar sections

across interviews ("topic concordances")– Other indices based on the annotation categories– Ready-made data (e.g. frequency lists of each interview;

selective concordances) – A concordancer for extended/advanced search; adapted to

pedagogical requirements

Corpus delivery

• Effective delivery as a further prerequisite for integration into curriculum

• In SACODEYL, use of Moodle platform, giving access to:– Corpora (query interfaces)– Resources (exercises and activities)

Summary

• Method outlined is transferable to other pedagogical contexts, topics, languages

• Method helps to use corpora more efficiently in pedagogical contexts – from sporadically used resource to systematic exploitation

• Corpus creation complies with standards to facilitate reuse of corpora for other contexts (research)

Developing corpus-based resources for language learning:

looking back in "hope”

Growing up

http://webapps.ael.uni-tuebingen.de/backbone-search/faces/initialize.jsp

http://www.um.es/backbone

Developing corpus-based resources for language learning:

looking back in "hope”

Young adults

www.tellop.eu

TELL-OP is a Strategic Partnership that seeks to promote the take-up of innovative practices in European language learning (Data Driven Learning, DDL) by supporting personalised learning approaches that rely on the use of ICT & OER by bringing together the knowledge & expertise of European stakeholders in the fields of language education, corpus & applied linguistics, e-learning & knowledge engineering in order to promote cooperation & contribute to unleash the potential behind already available web 2.0 services to promote the personalized e-learning of languages in the contexts of higher & adult education, in particular, through mobile devices.

Developing corpus-based resources for language learning:

looking back in "hope”

Maturity

-Pedagogic potential of corpora in underexploited-Intuition is based on research-frameworks-Poor guidance-No AI and other misaffordances

Pascual Pérez-ParedesEnglish Studies, U. Murcia

www.perezparedes.es@perezparedes