Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T18:42:30.989Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Narrow reading, vocabulary load and collocations in context: Exploring lexical repetition in concordances from a pedagogical perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 June 2020

Oliver James Ballance Open the ORCID record for Oliver James Ballance [Opens in a new window]
Oliver James Ballance*
Affiliation:
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand ([email protected])
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Narrow reading has the potential to reduce vocabulary load and to provide rich opportunities for developing collocation knowledge, but these benefits rely on narrow reading increasing lexical repetition within a text. Hence, interest in narrow reading has been limited by the relatively small lexical effect of narrowing reading by topic (Nation, 2013). Nevertheless, research in data-driven learning and teaching and language corpora has reported positively on learners using concordances in a manner comparable to narrow reading. However, the potential for concordances to provide an increased lexical-repetition effect has not been assessed. This study bridges this gap by exploring the degree of lexical repetition available in concordances and identifies corpus composition as a key predictor of lexical repetition. The study uses standardised type-token ratio (sTTR) to analyse concordances extracted from corpora at three different levels of homogeneity/heterogeneity. The results show large, reliable variations in lexical repetition resulting from variation in corpus homogeneity/heterogeneity, and so identifies concordance-based narrow reading as a possible means of overcoming the limitations of traditional narrow reading by topic. The results are discussed with reference to pedagogical implications for language learners, teachers, and researchers.

Keywords

corpus linguisticsdata-driven learningdepth of vocabulary knowledgenarrow readingtype-token ratiovocabulary load
Type
Regular papers
Information
ReCALL , Volume 33 , Issue 1 , January 2021 , pp. 4 - 17
Check for updates
Copyright
© European Association for Computer Assisted Language Learning 2020

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ballance, O. J. (2017) Pedagogical models of concordance use: Correlations between concordance user preferences. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 30(3–4): 259–283. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2017.1307228 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ballance, O. J.& Coxhead, A. (2020) How much vocabulary is needed to use a concordance? International Journal of Corpus Linguistics, 25(1): 36–61. https://doi.org/10.1075/ijcl.17116.bal CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bernardini, S. (2000) Systematising serendipity: Proposals for concordancing large corpora with language learners. In Burnard, L. & McEnery, T. (eds.), Rethinking language pedagogy from a corpus perspective: Papers from the Third International Conference on Teaching and Language Corpora. Frankfurt: Peter Lang, 225–235.Google Scholar
Bernardini, S. (2002) Exploring new directions for discovery learning. In Kettemann, B. & Marko, G. (eds.), Teaching and learning by doing corpus analysis: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Teaching and Language Corpora. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 165–182. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004334236_015 Google Scholar
Bernardini, S. (2004) Corpora in the classroom: An overview and some reflections on future developments. In Sinclair, J. McH. (ed.), How to use corpora in language teaching. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 15–36. https://doi.org/10.1075/scl.12.05ber CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boulton, A. (2009) Testing the limits of data-driven learning: Language proficiency and training. ReCALL, 21(1): 37–54. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344009000068 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boulton, A. (2010) Data-driven learning: Taking the computer out of the equation. Language Learning, 60(3): 534–572. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9922.2010.00566.x CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burnard, L. (2002) The BNC: Where did we go wrong? In Kettemann, B. & Marko, G. (eds.), Teaching and learning by doing corpus analysis: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Teaching and Language Corpora. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 51–70. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004334236_007 Google Scholar
Chan, T.-P. & Liou, H.-C. (2005) Effects of web-based concordancing instruction on EFL students’ learning of verb–noun collocations. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 18(3): 231–250. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588220500185769 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chambers, A. & O’Sullivan, Í. (2004) Corpus consultation and advanced learners’ writing skills in French. ReCALL, 16(1): 158–172. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344004001211 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Charles, M. (2011) Using hands-on concordancing to teach rhetorical functions: Evaluation and implications for EAP writing classes. In Frankenberg-Garcia, A., Flowerdew, L. & Aston, G. (eds.), New trends in corpora and language learning. London: Continuum, 26–43.Google Scholar
Charles, M. (2015) Same task, different corpus: The role of personal corpora in EAP classes. In Leńko-Szymańska, A. & Boulton, A. (eds.), Multiple affordances of language corpora for data-driven learning. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 131–154. https://doi.org/10.1075/scl.69.07cha Google Scholar
Cheng, W., Greaves, C. & Warren, M. (2006) From n-gram to skipgram to concgram. International Journal of Corpus Linguistics, 11(4): 411–433. https://doi.org/10.1075/ijcl.11.4.04che CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cobb, T. (1997) Is there any measurable learning from hands-on concordancing? System, 25(3): 301–315. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0346-251X(97)00024-9 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cobb, T. (1999) Breadth and depth of lexical acquisition with hands-on concordancing. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 12(4): 345–360. https://doi.org/10.1076/call.12.4.345.5699 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cobb, T. (2010) Learning about language and learners from computer programs. Reading in a Foreign Language, 22(1): 181–200.Google Scholar
Cobb, T. & Boulton, A. (2015) Classroom applications of corpus analysis. In Biber, D. & Reppen, R. (eds.), The Cambridge handbook of English corpus linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 478–497. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139764377.027 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Field, A. P. (2009) Discovering statistics using SPSS (3rd ed.). London: SAGE.Google Scholar
Gavioli, L. (2005) Exploring corpora for ESP learning. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. https://doi.org/10.1075/scl.21 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gordani, Y. (2013) The effect of the integration of corpora in reading comprehension classrooms on English as a foreign language learners’ vocabulary development. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 26(5): 430–445. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2012.685078 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grabe, W. & Stoller, F. L. (2011) Teaching and researching reading (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Hoey, M. (2005) Lexical priming: A new theory of words and language. Abingdon: Routledge.Google Scholar
Hoey, M. (2015) Words and their neighbours. In Taylor, J. R. (ed.), The Oxford handbook of the word. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 141–153. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199641604.013.39 Google Scholar
Hunston, S. (2002) Corpora in applied linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139524773 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jarvis, S. (2013) Defining and measuring lexical diversity. In Jarvis, S. & Daller, M. (eds.), Vocabulary knowledge: Human ratings and automated measures. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 13–44. https://doi.org/10.1075/sibil.47.03ch1 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johns, T. (2002) Data-driven learning: The perpetual challenge. In Kettemann, B. & Marko, G. (eds.), Teaching and learning by doing corpus analysis: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Teaching and Language Corpora. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 107–117. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004334236_010 Google Scholar
Kaur, J. & Hegelheimer, V. (2005) ESL students’ use of concordance in the transfer of academic word knowledge: An exploratory study. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 18(4): 287–310. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588220500280412 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kennedy, G. D. (1998) An introduction to corpus linguistics. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Larson-Hall, J. (2010) A guide to doing statistics in second language research using SPSS. London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203875964 Google Scholar
Lee, D. (2002) Genres, registers, text types, domains and styles: Clarifying the concepts and navigating a path through the BNC jungle. In Kettemann, B. & Marko, G. (eds.), Teaching and learning by doing corpus analysis: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Teaching and Language Corpora. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 247–292. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004334236_021 Google Scholar
Lee, D. & Swales, J. (2006) A corpus-based EAP course for NNS doctoral students: Moving from available specialized corpora to self-compiled corpora. English for Specific Purposes, 25(1): 56–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2005.02.010 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, H., Warschauer, M. & Lee, J. H. (2019) The effects of corpus use on second language vocabulary learning: A multilevel meta-analysis. Applied Linguistics, 40(5): 721–753. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amy012 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Malvern, D., Richards, B., Chipere, N. & Durán, P. (2004) Lexical diversity and language development: Quantification and assessment. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230511804 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McCarthy, P. M. & Jarvis, S. (2010) MTLD, vocd-D, and HD-D: A validation study of sophisticated approaches to lexical diversity assessment. Behavior Research Methods, 42(2): 381–392. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.42.2.381 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Milton, J. (2009) Measuring second language vocabulary acquisition. Bristol: Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781847692092 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nation, I. S. P. (2013) Learning vocabulary in another language (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139858656 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nation, I. S. P. & Waring, R. (1997) Vocabulary size, text coverage and word lists. In Schmitt, N. & McCarthy, M. (eds.), Vocabulary: Description, acquisition and pedagogy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 6–19.Google Scholar
O’Sullivan, Í. & Chambers, A. (2006) Learners’ writing skills in French: Corpus consultation and learner evaluation. Journal of Second Language Writing, 15(1): 49–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2006.01.002 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Park, K. (2012) Learner–corpus interaction: A locus of microgenesis in corpus-assisted L2 writing. Applied Linguistics, 33(4): 361–385. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/ams012 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schmitt, N. (2000) Vocabulary in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Scott, M. (2016) WordSmith Tools (Version 7). Stroud: Lexical Analysis Software.Google Scholar
Sheskin, D. J. (2004) Handbook of parametric and nonparametric statistical procedures (3rd ed.). London: Chapman & Hall/CRC. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203489536 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sinclair, J. (1991) Corpus, concordance, collocation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Thurstun, J. & Candlin, C. N. (1997) Exploring academic English: A workbook for student essay writing. Sydney: National Centre for English Language Teaching and Research.Google Scholar
Thurstun, J. & Candlin, C. N. (1998) Concordancing and the teaching of the vocabulary of academic English. English for Specific Purposes, 17(3): 267–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0889-4906(97)00013-6 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Webb, S. A. & Chang, A. C.-S. (2012) Second language vocabulary growth. RELC Journal, 43(1): 113–126. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688212439367 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Ballance Supplementary Materials

Ballance Supplementary Materials 1

Download Ballance Supplementary Materials(File)
File 5.8 KB
Supplementary material: File

Ballance Supplementary Materials

Ballance Supplementary Materials 2

Download Ballance Supplementary Materials(File)
File 5.6 KB
Supplementary material: File

Ballance Supplementary Materials

Ballance Supplementary Materials 3

Download Ballance Supplementary Materials(File)
File 5.6 KB