Using corpus approaches in English language teacher education (Pre-published version)

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to explore the ways in which corpus linguistics (CL) can facilitate teacher development in terms of content, pedagogy, technology, and research. Based on our own and other reported experiences of using CL in ELTE, we demonstrate the ways in which this approach is one of the ways teacher educators can more easily align their espoused theories (what they say they believe) with their theories in practice (what can be reasonably understood to be their beliefs based on direct observation of their practice) (Schön 1987). In other words, so that they can practise what they preach in terms of supporting novice teachers to become independent, aware, critical, inquiring, reflective practitioners. We have long argued (e.g. O'Keeffe and Farr 2003, Farr 2010) that corpora continue to play a minor part in much teacher education but are a resource with much potential (see also Römer 2006). This chapter is based on very recent advances in our corpus-based understandings of both language and educational processes and relies on a range of sources of evidence as presented in published research findings.