Using Corpus Analysis Software to Analyse Specialised Texts

Using Corpus Analysis Software to Analyse Specialised Texts

1. What is a corpus?

A corpus is a collection of texts, written or spoken, usually stored in a computer database. A corpus may be quite small, for example, containing only 50,000 words of text, or very large, containing many millions of words.

Ref: https://21centurytext.wordpress.com/home-2/special-section-window-to-corpus/what-is-corpus/

2. Sources of language corpora

·        Subscribe to a large corpus provider such as the British National Corpus (BNC)

- http://www.natcorp.ox.ac.uk/

·        Use web concordancing

- http://corpus.leeds.ac.uk/protected/query.html (general corpus; English)

- http://corpus.byu.edu/ (general corpus; American/British English)

- http://lextutor.ca/conc/eng/ (general and specialized corpora; English)

·        Compile own corpora and analyze data using corpus analysis software

- Antconc’ (for monolingual corpus)

- ‘Wordsmith’ (for monolingual corpus)

- ‘Paraconc’ (for multilingual corpora)

3. Designing a specialized corpus

Corpus size

·        There are no fixed ruled; depending on research purposes, availability of data and time.

Text extracts vs. full texts

·        Depends on the aim of corpus compilation.

Number of texts

·        Choices can be made between collect few texts of large size or a number of texts with smaller sizes.

·        Choices can also be made between selecting texts written by one or two key writers or sources

·        Depends on your research focus e.g. to study overall language use or to study idiosyncrasy.

Medium

·        Can be spoken or written texts or mixed.

·        Depends on research questions.

Subject and text type

·        Should mainly focus on the specialized text under investigation, although this is less clear-cut in multidisciplinary subjects.

·        Texts may come from different subject if the research focus is on the study of particular language features rather than term extraction.

·        Text types within a specialized subject field may vary from ‘expert-to-expert’ texts to ‘expert-to-non-expert’ texts, or in other words, from technical to popular texts.

Other considerations

·        Authorship: Texts written by experts in a field tend to present more reliable and authentic examples of specialized language.

·        Language: Specialized texts can be stored and retrieved in the form of monolingual, comparable, or parallel corpora.

·        Publication date: Texts should come from recent publications unless queries are made in relation to particular periods of time.

 
4. Sources of specialized texts

·        Printed materials

·        Word document

·        CD-ROMs

·        Texts on the Web

·        Online databases

 
5. Getting started with Antconc

- Download the latest version of Antconc.

- Creating a specialized corpus profile

- Doing small-scaled research on your own specialized corpora.

The Use of Multimedia in English Teaching

The Use of Multimedia in English Teaching
What is Multimedia?

The Definition of Multimedia

          Multimedia: the use of computers to present text, graphics, video, animation, and sound in an integrated way.

Components of Multimedia

    Text. It is fundamental element in all multimedia applications. It conveys most information (Vanghan, 2004)

    Graphics. It refers to images and pictures, such as chart, diagram, and photograph, which contain no movement.    

    Animation. Animation is the rapid display of sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement.

    Sound. It is speech, music, or any other sound that is stored and produced by computers. It has more advantages than tape recorder.

    Video. It is the visible part of a television transmission and broadcasts visual images of stationary or moving objects.

The Setting of Multimedia Classroom

          An illustration of a typical one-multimedia-PC classroom setting is vital and necessary.

1. MPC-multimedia personal computer

2. VCD/DVD player-video compound disk/digital video disk;

3. Amplifier and Hi-Fi acoustic system

4. Overhead/slide projector

5. Screen/curtain

6. Projecting apparatus

7. The internet access

8. Cassette tape recorder

9. Camera recorder

The Necessity of Multimedia in English Teaching

The Necessity of Development of Modern Educational Technology

          The development of modern educational technology not only promotes the development of educational methods and means, but also promotes the development of educational thinking and model.

The Needs of Quality Education

          Multimedia English language teaching can enable students to be involved in a variety of sensory organ in the learning process and stimulate the students in the corresponding cortical function area.

The Needs of Students’ Cognitive Mental

         Under the present circumstances, only the multimedia teaching system can fully mobilize the students’ audio-visual and other sensory organs, and thus get the best of the cognitive effect.

The Multimedia Teaching

Advantages

Arousing the students’ interest. Multi-media teaching can not only greatly stimulate students’ interest in learning, but also make teaching becomes vivid and lively.

Improving students’ self-learning ability. The most important thing is teaching students how to learn and making students change from “want me to study” to “I want to learn” in thinking, from passive learning to active learning.

Improving students’ innovative ability. In teaching, the teachers should pay attention to tap the imagination of students. To use multimedia can achieve the desired results and find unlimited resources in textbooks.

Cultivating students’ communication skills. Through multi-media teaching, we can create real-life scenes in the classroom. It is not only to shorten the distance between teaching and practice and give students the opportunity to use English to communicate, but also to satisfy their curiosity in psychology and stimulate the expression of desire.

Increasing classroom capacity. Multi-media teaching rhythm is adapted to the needs of modernization to meet the student’s desire for knowledge. It can expand text-related materials. The use of multimedia technologies can make students notice a clear knowledge and a new expansion by huge information capacity which shows by all kinds of media.

Problems: Teaching English with multi-media has many problems.

   Confusion. Some English classes are totally dependent on multi-media, ignoring the role of teachers.

    Performance on behalf of the lead. The teaching process is that teachers arouse students’ enthusiasm and guide students to active learning. Multimedia just only provides a supporting role in the process.

    Lack of special skills. The unskilled operation on computer would affect the instruction flow, which in turn would de-motive students if it happened frequently in class.

   Over-use of multimedia. Because of the teacher’s lack of enthusiasm and creation and his or her dependence on the multimedia technology, the teachers act as sole information-giver to the students.

   Lack of interaction between teachers and students. The teachers in the multimedia classroom are busy with machine operation—computer, DVD player, overhead projector, courseware—which might even get the proficient teachers busy, let alone those unskilled.

         

Strategies for Using MultimediaCombining Modern Teaching Methods with Traditional Teaching Methods

   Teachers should combine their Traditional Teaching Methods with modern teaching methods, which not only raise classroom teaching quality and efficiency, but also improve teaching and learning environment between teachers and students.

Viewing Multimedia as the Assistance to Teaching

       When we use computers in the teaching, we should understand they can only assist but cannot take place of all the other teaching methods.

Building the Ideal Relationship between Teachers and Students

          It is wrong for some people to hold the view that machine can take place of human beings. It is more challenging role for teachers now that the expectations are more complex.

Strengthening Teacher Training

         Teachers should be expert in one thing and good at many. They should know well about modern educational theories and techniques.

The Principles of Multimedia-Assisted Teaching

1. Scientific principles. Namely, courseware design cannot appear any errors;

2. Subsidiary principle. We must always adhere to: Although multi-media teaching has many advantages, it is only a supplementary means, and does not substitute for the role of people;

3. Interactivity principle. More interactivity between teachers and students, students and multimedia, more effective results we will have;

4. Combination principle. Combine the advantages of modern teaching and the traditional teaching organically.

Computer-assisted language learning

Computer-assisted language learning

          Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) is defined as “the search for and study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning.” (Levy,1997: 1)

Aim to find ways for using computers for the purpose of teaching and learning the language.

Definition of CALL

          CALL is represented by the use of computer technologies that promote educational learning, including

–         word processing, presentation packages, guided drill and practice, tutor, simulation, problem-solving, games, multimedia CD-ROM, and

–         internet applications such as e-mail, chat and the World Wide Web (WWW) for language learning purposes

Terms associated with CALL

• Computer-Aided Language Learning (CALL)

• Computer-Assisted Language Instruction (CALI)

• Computer-Enhanced Language Learning (CELL)

• CALL and CALI refer to computer applications in language learning and teaching

•  CELL implies using CALL in a self-access environment (Hoven, 1999).

Why CALL?

The reasons why ELT teachers use CALL:

•  Computers can do some of the work of the teacher and provide great assistance to the learner even without the presence of the teacher (Pennington and Steven, 1992).

•  New technologies have seen computers become smaller, faster, and easier for the teacher to use (Evy, 1997).

• well-designed CALL software is readily available to the teacher

•  Technologies allow computers to do multimedia applications, incorporating video, sound, and text, and this capacity allows the learner to interact with both the program and other learners. (Felix, 1998)

• The computer offers great flexibility for class scheduling and pacing of individual learning, choosing activities and content to suit individual learning styles. (Oxford and others, 1998)

•  The computer can provide a meaning-focused, communicative learning environment, which serves the purposes of communicative language teaching.

HISTORY OF CALL DEVELOPMENT

Warschauer (1996) divides CALL into phases of development as follows:

•  Behavioristic CALL

•    Communicative CALL,

•    Integrative CALL (Multimedia CDROM)

•    Integrative CALL (internet)

USES OF CALL IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

Drill and practice :

•   a tool for saving time with the immediate feedback The learning principles behind Drill and Practice is the Behaviorism Learning Theory and the Audiolingual approach language to teaching.

•   the aim of Drill and Practice is to review the content/background knowledge and to assist the learners to master separate language skills (such as reading, listening, etc.)

Drill and practice consist of three steps:

• Providing stimulus;

•  Receiving active response from the learner; and

• Giving immediate feedback

 There are several types of drill and practice activities (exercises):

• Paired Associate (Matching);

•  Sentence Completion;

•  Multiple Choice;

•  Part Identification;

• True-False; and

• Short-Answer questions

Computer as tutor:

•  The role of the computer as tutor is to present to the learners the content of the lesson as text graphics, video, animation, or slides, including learning activities, drills and practice.

• The computer serves as a means for delivering instructional materials.

• The program consists of the following stages:

•  Introduction stage (stating  aims, background knowledge),

•  Presentation of the content, exercises and/or testing;

•  Giving the feedback

•  Examples of CALL tutorial programs are:

•Grammar: Longman Grammar Software; Grammar Expert Plus; Tense Buster (Clarity Software); Grammar

          Mastery (ALA); Grammar Rom (Addison Wesley Longman); Grammar 3D: Contextualized Practice for Learners of English (Heinle & Heinle).

•Reading: Read It! Study Skills (Clarity Language Consultants) (EAP reading); RocketReader (1998) (a speed reading program); ReadFlex (Speed Reading); Reading for English (Athelstan) (Reading Comprehension); SEEN: Tutorials for Critical Reading (KenCD Software) (tutorials designed to develop analytical thinking and critical reading skills); Accelerated Reader (Advantage Learning Systems).

•Writing: Paragraph Punch (a writing tutor for effective paragraph); WriteExpress Easy Letters (effective business letters); Power Editing (an interactive tutorial on how to edit and revise sentences); Report Writer for Science and Engineering Reports (Clarity Language Consultants)    (EFL/ESL report science and engineer writing).

•Speaking: Pronunciation & Listening: Learn to Speak (The Learning Company); English Pronunciation (1997-98) (Okanagan University College); Dragon, Naturally Speaking (A voice recognition program); See It, Hear It, Say It! (Courseware Publishing International); Accent Improvement (SpeakWare); Real English (Wiser Software).

•Integrated Skills / Courseware: Ellis (CALI), Dynamic English (DynEd); English Discoveries (Berlitz); English Language Development (Jostens); Rosetta Stone (Fairfield Language Technologies); Planet English (Unisearch Ltd and the University of New South Wales); Issues in English (Protea Software); Active English (Courseware Publishing International).

Computer used for simulation / problem solving

•          Simulations and problem solving is used to foster analysis, critical thinking, discussion and writing activities.

•          The program is designed to create language interaction through problematic situations, conditions or problems challenging for the learner to solve. Many simulation programs are problem solving games, which are entertaining and educational ("edutainment").

 Games on computer

• The main principle behind computer gaming is that

     “Learning is Fun.”

•  aim is to create a pleasurable learning environment ,  motivate the language learner, provide entertainment to the learner

• CALL games and simulation games are similar in that both are designed to motivate students to learn through entertainment       

–         Simulation games always use simulations (real life situations) in the presentation of a game, while CALL games focus on

–         providing fun, but challenging environment to the learner.

Computer as a tool for teachers and learners:

• Word Processors: creating documents, handouts, exercises

•  Spelling checkers

• Grammar checkers

• Concordancers

• Collaborative writing

•  Reference software: encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauruses, maps

• Authoring: Authorware (Macromedia), Adobe Captivate

Internet applications:

• To access text, graphics, audio, video, and animation published on the internet, the teacher and learner need to use "Web browser" software, a computer based graphical program that allows users to search and explore information on the internet.

•  The following are internet applications that ELT teachers can use for language teaching:

–         Electronic mail (e-mail)

–         World Wide Web (WWW): Texts, Pictures, Audio files,

     Video files, Chat & voice chat, Desk-top teleconferencing

Acronyms

Directions: Find words or phrases standing for the following acronyms with  short descriptions. 

1. IT : stands for the abbreviation for “information technology” (the study and use if electric processes and equipment to store and send information of all kinds, including words, pictures and numbers.)


2. ICT : stands for the abbreviation for “information and communications technology” (the study and use of computers, internet, video, and other technology as a subject at school.)

3. CAI : computer-assisted instruction หรือ computer-aided instruction

4. CALL : computer assisted language learning

5. WBI : Web based instruction

6. CBI : Computer Based Instruction

7. CMC : Computer Mediated Communication

8. TELL : Teaching English Language Learners

9. MUD : Multiple User Dialogue

10. MOO : MUD Object Oriented

Directions: Describe the following terms.

Synchronous Tools

If using the “same time, different place” model of communication, some common barriers to implementation of synchronous tools are cost and bandwidth—not only cost and  bandwidth on your end, as the individual teacher or the institution, but also to the students. This is especially true with conferencing systems; video/web conferencing requires equipment to deliver but also to receive. Although the benefits of real-time video conferencing are clear—it’s as near to a physical classroom environment as you can get—the software, hardware, and bandwidth necessary on both sides can be more cost-prohibitive than actually physically attending a class.

Some learning management systems/e-learning systems/virtual learning environments have integrated synchronous tools within the delivery platform—here I’m thinking specifically about Blackboard’s integrated chat and whiteboard features. Although there are still software, hardware, and bandwidth requirements for these tools, the requirements are likely not as cost-prohibitive as those required for video conferencing.

But when thinking about setting up synchronous discussion, don’t discount the basic, free, “old school” group instant messaging platform, ICQ.

Asynchronous Tools

But when it comes to virtual communication in support of our classes, asynchronous communication is by far the more popular model if for no other reason than the barriers to implementation tend to be much lower—many of these tools are free and require minimal hardware and software. The drawbacks of asynchronous tools are that they are by nature less timely and efficient—they are asynchronous, after all. However, planned excursions with asynchronous tools can turn into synchronous events. In other words, if students and instructors all happen to be logged in to a discussion board, conversation can happen in near-real time.

Common examples of “different time, different place” tools include:

•         Discussion boards: whether integrated into your online learning environment or not (such as Google Groups), well-managed discussion board can produce incredibly rich conversations about the topics at hand.

•         Blogs: my personal favorite, as not only are the students discussing with one another (and the instructor), but they’re learning something about writing for a wider audience who may or may not be listening in. The open nature of blogs also allows for communication between students in other classes at other institutions who are studying the same topics. You might have to make “comment on blogs” count for a grade in order for some students to do it, but such is the nature of the beast—those students probably wouldn’t talk in class, either.

•         Social Networking Sites: Facebook and Twitter can play important roles in your asynchronous communications strategy. Facebook pages for a class can be the destination for up-to-date information about the course, without your students having to friend you (or even one another). Twitter, and Twitter lists, can be useful sites of asynchronous discussion, although not in the threaded format that one is used to seeing in a discussion board setting.

•         E-mail/Listservs: Some people consider mailing lists to be quaint relics of a previous technological age, but it’s hard to argue with the fact that they still work: an e-mail based discussion list does afford one the ability to carry on threaded discussions in a private environment, yet outside the confines of a managed system (for discussion boards). In fact, Google Groups (referenced above) is a threaded discussion board that can also take place via e-mail, putting a different twist on the typical concept of the listserv.

Reference: http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/tools-for-synchronousasynchronous-classroom-discussion/22902  
reference : http://nootaa.blogspot.com/2012/08/acronyms-related-to-computer-technology.html