Ideas for the Classroom: Using Corpora for Vocabulary and Grammar Instruction

Presenter: Randi Reppen

During the last several years, there has been an increased interest in using corpus research (research on large collections of natural language) to inform language teaching decisions, and in using corpora as a resource in the language classroom. This workshop provides numerous concrete examples of how information from corpora can be used to inform instruction and how corpora can serve as a resource for materials development and student activities. In addition to specific examples for teaching vocabulary and grammar, resources that are available along with general guidelines that can be used in a variety of different contexts will also be provided.

Randi Reppen is Professor of Applied Linguistics and TESL at Northern Arizona University where she teaches in the MA TESL and Applied Linguistics Ph.D. programs. She has extensive ESL and teacher training experience, including 11 years directing NAU’s Intensive English program. Randi’s main interests the use of corpus research to inform teaching and to develop better language teaching materials. Recent publications include Using Corpora in the Language Classroom, Grammar and Beyond, and the Cambridge Handbook of English Corpus Linguistics (co-edited with Doug Biber). In her spare time, Randi enjoys many outdoor activities, especially, biking, Nordic skiing and tennis.