Corpus-based Teaching of English Conversation and Potential Integration of Conversation Analysis (CA) for the Benefit of EFL Teachers and Learners

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Published: Jan 31, 2024
Keywords:
conversation analysis corpus-driven language pedagogy corpus linguistics teaching EFL speaking teaching English conversation

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Patson Jaihow
Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Prince of Songkla University
Kemtong Sinwongsuwat
Research Center for Language, Culture, and Human Development in Lower ASEAN (RC-LCHD), Faculty of Liberal Arts, Prince of Songkla University

Abstract

Even though corpora have transformed language education, the majority of corpus-related research focuses on the teaching of writing. Via a systematic review of previous studies and a survey of language corpora available, this study aims to ascertain whether and to what extent the teaching of speaking, especially of conversation skills, to EFL learners, has been informed by existing language corpora, to identify spoken English corpora available and discover whether they have been informed by insights from such an approach to studying conversation as Conversation Analysis (CA). Finally, the study suggests possibilities for incorporating CA insights such that CA-informed, corpus-driven language pedagogy can be materialized. Previous studies on the use of corpora for teaching speaking were examined and spoken language corpora available were identified along with how they have been recommended and applied to the teaching of speaking, as well as possibilities for developing CA-informed corpora of spoken English for conversation teaching. The study revealed that conversation teaching in the EFL context remains to be informed by corpus linguistics. Accessible spoken English corpora are not yet geared towards language teachers and learners, and there remain issues to be resolved before employing the available corpus data and confirming its efficacy in teaching EFL conversation or speaking in general.

Article Details

How to Cite
Jaihow, P. ., & Sinwongsuwat, K. . (2024). Corpus-based Teaching of English Conversation and Potential Integration of Conversation Analysis (CA) for the Benefit of EFL Teachers and Learners. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 17(1), 264–285. Retrieved from https://so04.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/LEARN/article/view/270385
Issue
Vol. 17 No. 1 (2024): LEARN Journal (January-June)
Section
Research Articles
Author Biographies

Patson Jaihow, Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Prince of Songkla University

A lecturer at the Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand. He received a doctoral degree in English Language and Applied Linguistics from the University of Birmingham, UK. His research interest lies in applied corpus linguistics, language pedagogy, and teacher education.

Kemtong Sinwongsuwat, Research Center for Language, Culture, and Human Development in Lower ASEAN (RC-LCHD), Faculty of Liberal Arts, Prince of Songkla University

An Associate professor of English linguistics and a board member of the Research Center for Language, Culture, and Human Development in Lower ASEAN at the Faculty of Liberal Arts, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand. Her research primarily focuses on developing Conversation-Analysis (CA)-informed language pedagogy to support teachers at all levels in helping their Thai EFL learners build oral communication skills.

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