Corpus linguistics is defined as the study of language relying on computer-assisted techniques to analyze large, principled databases of naturally occurring language. Because of the development of technology in the 21st century, this computer-assisted corpus linguistics begin to play a important role in pedagogy.
The most well-known use of corpus linguistics in the language classroom is concordance. It will help teachers to look at corpus instances of the searched words or phrases, observing patterns of use that they would not notice otherwise. And as Susan Conrad said in her paper, corpus linguistics made language professionals know that grammatical study needs to take place within the context of a register or by comparing registers. What’s more, the corpus-based research substantially improves the lists which are given by the traditional grammar books. That’s because the information is no longer based on the intuition or anecdotal evidence. These new lists will not omit important items. And in addition, frequency information can help teachers decide which items they should emphasize or what kind of activities are the most appropriate. Corpus linguistics can also make grammar teaching more focused on conditions of use. When teachers use the finding of corpus database, they don’t even have to approach a native speaker.
I never used a corpus database before, so I know nothing about the corpus linguistics. However, I think that with the corpus linguistics, I will know the typical language use patterns of Chinese, without doing the survey myself. And the frustrated situation for language teachers which is mentioned in Susan Conrad’s paper is that something that is grammatically acceptable but doesn’t sound right will be changed by corpus linguistics. That will be a great help.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Reading Prompt #8
Some kinds of technologies which are used for CMC are introduced in Levy’s book, like Email/SMS, chat, MOOs, conferencing and mailing lists/BBS. They are different from each other, but share some commons at the same time. They can be great helps for language learning.
For learners in the same class or the same time zone, synchronous forms of CAC are good choices. They can use text-based chat or videoconferencing and don’t even have to meet each other. For learners who cannot be online at the same time, they can use asynchronous forms of CMC to facilitate their language learning, such as emails. Researchers also find out that CMC does play a role in second language learning. CMC has a ability to provide learners with a forum through which to negotiate meaning. According to Skehan, “the negotiation of meaning that occurs through interactions is seen as an ideal mechanism through which learners can identify where their interlanguage is limited and needs to be further extended”.
Email is the most often used tool for me. Although I learned English in Chinese for 10 years, I didn’t really have chances to communicate with people in English, either spoken or written English. So when I started to write emails in English, I would spend an average time of 15 min on each email. I would write, think, rewrite, and rethink every sentence. But now, I spend much less time, I can say that this practice does improve my English. Then I want to talk something about chat. Last week, I had the chance to take a virtual class for ESL5013 and that was a disaster for me. Just like Lvey’s book says, in the chat or other synchronous environments, “other participants are not aware when one person starts to type a message and may continue with a topic, or else may change the direction of the discussion while a potential contributor to the discussion types his or her message”. My contribution to the discussion was often “out of step with what has gone before it”. I think my English is not good enough for chatting virtually with native speakers.
Dr. Sauro made a research about the two computer-mediated corrective feedbacks. According to her findings, both of these two types supported gains in target form knowledge in familiar contexts, but in immediate term or over time, neither of them was more effective than the other. And the metalinguistic group in the Time of Test Administration showed much more significant improvement than recast and control. Those help the teacher know what kind of feedbacks work best for their students. We know that feedback is important in language building because feedbacks can facilitate the occurrences of noticing and promote Le processing. With the appropriate feedbacks, learners will make their output work more effective in L2 acquisition than inappropriate or no feedback taken.
For learners in the same class or the same time zone, synchronous forms of CAC are good choices. They can use text-based chat or videoconferencing and don’t even have to meet each other. For learners who cannot be online at the same time, they can use asynchronous forms of CMC to facilitate their language learning, such as emails. Researchers also find out that CMC does play a role in second language learning. CMC has a ability to provide learners with a forum through which to negotiate meaning. According to Skehan, “the negotiation of meaning that occurs through interactions is seen as an ideal mechanism through which learners can identify where their interlanguage is limited and needs to be further extended”.
Email is the most often used tool for me. Although I learned English in Chinese for 10 years, I didn’t really have chances to communicate with people in English, either spoken or written English. So when I started to write emails in English, I would spend an average time of 15 min on each email. I would write, think, rewrite, and rethink every sentence. But now, I spend much less time, I can say that this practice does improve my English. Then I want to talk something about chat. Last week, I had the chance to take a virtual class for ESL5013 and that was a disaster for me. Just like Lvey’s book says, in the chat or other synchronous environments, “other participants are not aware when one person starts to type a message and may continue with a topic, or else may change the direction of the discussion while a potential contributor to the discussion types his or her message”. My contribution to the discussion was often “out of step with what has gone before it”. I think my English is not good enough for chatting virtually with native speakers.
Dr. Sauro made a research about the two computer-mediated corrective feedbacks. According to her findings, both of these two types supported gains in target form knowledge in familiar contexts, but in immediate term or over time, neither of them was more effective than the other. And the metalinguistic group in the Time of Test Administration showed much more significant improvement than recast and control. Those help the teacher know what kind of feedbacks work best for their students. We know that feedback is important in language building because feedbacks can facilitate the occurrences of noticing and promote Le processing. With the appropriate feedbacks, learners will make their output work more effective in L2 acquisition than inappropriate or no feedback taken.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Reading Prompt #7
According to Grgurović and Hegelhimer, subtitles and transcript are both very helpful to listening. But they also found that the subtitles are more frequently used than the transcript. That may because when one is doing listening practice, he or she tends to use help options which are more familiar to them in daily life, like subtitles. And higher lever learners are predisposed to subtitles which are written in the target language than those are written in the native language, while the lower level learners are the opposite. However, there are some failures of the participants to make use of the help options. The reasons may be degree of control or time pressure. If a participant cannot skip the help after comprehending the context or is forced to finish the task in a specified time, there’s no way he all she will be go through the subtitles or the transcript thoroughly. The authors point additionally that external factors such as motivation and attitudes towards the task could also be the reasons of the failures. Then turn to the SLA theory, we found that modified input would help to improve comprehension. Thus, the modification available in the form of subtitles and transcripts are important. The research in the paper shows that “All of the other groups that made use of input modifications demonstrated better learning gains overall”.
Among all the aspects the CALL book mentioned about practice, I most interested in pronunciation. Pronunciation is an important part of language learning. Unfortunately, because teach pronunciation require the language teachers have good pronunciation and in country like China, the rate between good language teachers and students is not reasonable, so it is impossible for teachers to give tutorial. That why apply CALL technology on pronunciation will be a great help for improving the students’ pronunciation and alleviate the teachers’ burden. For example, the students can have vivid learning experienced about producing specific sounds either in the shape of graphic annotations or through video and images, just like learning from the teachers. I want to teach Chinese in the future, so I hope the Chinese version of such technology will be widely used in Chinese learning.
Among all the aspects the CALL book mentioned about practice, I most interested in pronunciation. Pronunciation is an important part of language learning. Unfortunately, because teach pronunciation require the language teachers have good pronunciation and in country like China, the rate between good language teachers and students is not reasonable, so it is impossible for teachers to give tutorial. That why apply CALL technology on pronunciation will be a great help for improving the students’ pronunciation and alleviate the teachers’ burden. For example, the students can have vivid learning experienced about producing specific sounds either in the shape of graphic annotations or through video and images, just like learning from the teachers. I want to teach Chinese in the future, so I hope the Chinese version of such technology will be widely used in Chinese learning.
About Me
- Ling
- My name is Ling, I came from a small but beautiful city located in the east part of China. If anyone wants to tranvl in my hometown,just call me(*^__^*), and I'm still working on my English!