Corpus Linguistics, Data-Driven Learning, and the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)

Corpus linguistics (CL) is primarily a methodological approach in the study of language structure, patterns, and use (Biber, Reppen, & Friginal, 2010). For TEFL, specifically, the use of corpora has become quite popular over the years in quantitatively analyzing the linguistic characteristics of written and spoken academic discourse, leading to the development of more authentic teaching materials, dictionaries, and textbooks (Friginal, 2018; Tribble, 2015; Römer, 2020). Corpora are datasets of “systematically collected, naturally occurring categories of texts” (p. 20) (Friginal & Hardy, 2014). That is, corpora are “bodies” of authentic written or spoken language-in-use, which are stored, analyzed, and could be utilized in TEFL classrooms for a variety of purposes by teachers and learners themselves. This presentation focuses on applied corpus linguistics and its many relevant, creative, and engaging applications to EFL teaching and learning for teachers and practitioners. Specifically, the critical role of the “English teacher as a corpus-based teacher and researcher” is emphasized to show effective strategies (i.e., what works) in the classroom and beyond.