Direct Use of Corpora in Japanese Language Education: Implementing DDL at the Upper-Intermediate Level

Integrating Corpora into Language and Literature Education: Perspectives, Challenges, and Pedagogical Reform for Regional-Medium Students in India

This paper investigates the potential, affordances, and systemic challenges involved in integrating corpus linguistics and Data-Driven Learning (DDL) methodologies into language and literature education at the tertiary level, with a particular focus on the teacher’s perspective. While electronic corpora offer substantial opportunities to bridge the divide between abstract grammar instruction and authentic language use, their adoption remains limited by traditional educational structures. The study examines the diagnostic value and specific applicability of corpus-based approaches for undergraduate students in India who have completed their primary and secondary education in regional-medium institutions. Employing both direct (learner-led) and indirect (teacher-mediated) corpus methodologies, the research identifies key institutional, pedagogical, and technical obstacles to the widespread implementation of corpora. The paper concludes by proposing a strategic framework for corpus literacy training, syllabus redesign, and blended pedagogical tools aimed at fostering student autonomy and enhancing linguistic competence within the distinctive context of the Indian ESL (English as a Second Language) classroom

A Systematic Synthesis of Research on Popular Corpus Tools in English Language Learning and Teaching

It is well-established that second/foreign language learning requires exposure to meaningful input. Thanks to advancing technologies, one way to achieve this in language teaching contexts is via online corpus tools. Given the potential pedagogical gains these tools offer for language skills (e.g., vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and writing), this study aims to synthesise the findings of research on five popular corpus tools – Sketch Engine, SkELL, PlayPhraseMe, Fraze.it, and CorpusMate. Following the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews, this study included five research papers from the Web of Science and Scopus databases until 2024. Applying qualitative and quantitative content analyses, the study found that corpus consultation promotes language skills and learner autonomy, supports contextually appropriate language use, and improves sensitivity to authentic language structures. Despite the promising outcomes, the scant number of studies analysed with some methodological issues and contextual constraints undermines the generalisability of the results. The study underscores the urgent need for more longitudinal, comparative, and large-scale research on using these corpus tools to harness them fully in language education. It also proposes that when systematically implemented, corpus tools may serve as powerful resources for language learning and teaching.

Data-driven learning in vocabulary instruction for South Korean learners of English

Corpus-based tools and techniques not only facilitate the description of learners' language but can also be used in educational settings to design targeted classroom activities. This approach is known as data-driven learning (DDL). Access to corpus data enables learners to observe and analyze patterns in real language use, addressing their specific needs and fostering learning autonomy. While several studies have examined the effectiveness of DDL in teaching various language skills, few have investigated its impact highlighting the implications for specific cultural groups. Adopting a cumulative knowledge building perspective, this study systematically synthesizes and builds upon previous empirical research to advance our understanding of the effectiveness of DDL for South Korean learners of English. The purpose is paper to (1) survey different DDL activities piloted in vocabulary instruction across various English language teaching contexts in Korea; (2) determine the effectiveness of DDL for vocabulary instruction for this demographic; and (3) explore Korean learners' attitudes towards DDL. To do so, empirical studies were systematically identified using the Korea Citation Index with the keywords “data-driven learning,” “corpus-based,” “vocabulary,” “lexis,” “Korea,” and “Korean.” The results indicate that DDL is generally welcomed by and effective for students in this demographic. By building on cumulative findings, this study provides empirical foundation for curriculum development, classroom practices, and teacher training. Tailoring DDL activities to the Korean context can maximize their effectiveness addressing learners' unique linguistic challenges.

Project-Based Learning as an Alternative Approach to Enhancing EFL Students' Grammar-Based Writing

Writing is one of the most challenging skills for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners because it requires grammatical accuracy, adequate vocabulary, and the ability to organize ideas coherently. Preliminary observations in a public junior secondary school in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, revealed that many ninth-grade students experienced difficulties in constructing sentences using the present and past continuous tenses, resulting in frequent grammatical errors and low writing achievement. This study aimed to improve students’ writing skills through the implementation of Project-Based Learning (PjBL), with the Jigsaw technique integrated in the second cycle to strengthen collaborative learning. The study employed Classroom Action Research (CAR) based on the Kemmis and McTaggart model and involved 25 ninth-grade students. Data were collected through writing tests, classroom observations, field notes, and documentation and analyzed using descriptive quantitative and qualitative methods. The findings showed that the implementation of PjBL, supported by Jigsaw in Cycle II, improved students’ grammatical accuracy, sentence construction, classroom participation, and learning engagement. The average student score increased from 63.20 in the pre-cycle to 73.67 in Cycle I and reached 84.00 in Cycle II. In Cycle I, 18 of the 25 students (72%) achieved the minimum mastery criterion, while seven students (28%) did not. Following the instructional revision and integration of Jigsaw in Cycle II, all students (100%) successfully met the minimum mastery criterion. Students also demonstrated fewer grammatical errors, particularly in the use of auxiliary verbs (to be), -ing verb forms, and continuous tense structures. In addition, students became more actively involved in peer discussions, more confident in sharing their understanding, and more engaged in collaborative writing activities. These findings suggest that PjBL, when complemented by the Jigsaw technique, can provide a meaningful and collaborative learning environment for enhancing grammar-based writing skills and promoting active engagement in EFL classrooms.

. (2025). Corpus applications in language teaching and research: The case of data-driven learning of German . Routledge.

Constructing the LERWL: A Corpus-Based Approach to Identifying Technical Vocabulary in Language Education Research

Technical vocabulary plays a crucial role in ESP learners’ lexical development once general service and academic vocabulary has been established. The present study constructed the Language Education Research Corpus (LERC), an 8,646,901-word corpus compiled from the top 10 Quartile 1 (Q1) Scopus-indexed journals in Language Education. On the basis of this corpus, the Language Education Research Word List (LERWL) was developed through four systematic procedures. High-frequency items were first identified, after which a range criterion was applied to retain words occurring in at least 50% of the target journals. Lexical profiling was subsequently conducted to isolate discipline-specific vocabulary, excluding items listed in the GSL and the AWL. In addition to these quantitative procedures, expert judgment was employed as a qualitative validation measure to ensure disciplinary relevance. The resulting LERWL was then evaluated against (a) the LERC, achieving 5.28% coverage, and (b) an independent corpus of approximately one million words from the same field, achieving 4.75% coverage. These findings indicate that the LERWL provides a substantial and pedagogically meaningful level of lexical coverage within the discipline.