Corpus Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition – The use of ACORN in the

teaching of Spanish Grammar

Guadalupe Ruiz Yepes

Introduction

Demands for authentic language use in the teaching of a second language

Observing corpora has helped to reveal patterns of real language use

ACORN project aims to provide corpus analyses in output formats suitable for teaching and learning

Goals of using corpora in Grammar Clinics:• show students many more examples (than in grammar books)• authentic examples• corpora as self-access support while writing essays, preparing

for exams

Case study

Beginners’ grammar clinics group (GC1)

• Corpus-based approach

• explain grammar topic; create exercises involving corpus search for examples that match grammar statements

• Deductive method

Advanced grammar clinics group (GC2)

• Corpus-driven approach

• lexical items (eg verbs, prepositions) are specified; students analyse concordances themselves; they find, list and explain the frequent grammar patterns

• Inductive method

Corpus-based exercises in GC1: ser and estar

SER• In equational sentences of the

sort A=B, where A and B are nouns or pronouns.

• With adjectives or adjectival phrases referring to identity or nature.

• Followed by de + noun to denote origin or the material something is made of.

• In impersonal statements.

ESTAR• To describe state as opposed

to identity or nature.• Followed by de + adjective or

noun to indicate mood, temporary employment or situation.

• To indicate location.

Ser and estar: Concordance lines from ACORN for es (GC1)

Ser and estar: Concordance lines from ACORN for está (GC1)

Corpus-driven exercises with GC2: Concordance

lines from ACORN for the preposition para

Corpus-driven exercises with GC2:

Concordance lines from ACORN for por

por and para functions figured out by students (GC2)

PARA• To indicate purpose,

object or destination.• Direction after verbs of

motion.• To translate ‘for’ when it

means ‘considering’.• To translate ‘by’ in time

phrases.• To translate the idea of

‘for’ specifying a period of time in the future

POR• To denote ‘because’,

‘because of’ and ‘why?’• To translate ‘by’ in

passive constructions.• To translate ‘in support

of’.• To indicate prices and

amounts of money.• To indicate periodicity in

time phrases.

Students’ exercises (GC2)

Students’ exercises (GC2)

Conclusions

• Change of attitude of the students towards corpus methodology

• Labs suitable for the teaching of grammar

• The Spanish corpus in ACORN needs improvement