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3DEVELOPING STUDENTS' READING SKILLS THROUGH A CORPUS-BASED
APPROACH (FOR A2 LEVEL) Oblayeva Ma'mura Imom qizi
II kurs magistrant, Department of English linguistics, University of exact and social sciences
xolishcham@gmail.com https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10815370
Abstract. The proposed study on the effectiveness of a corpus-based approach in developing the reading skills of A2-level students is comprehensive and well-structured. The research design, including the use of a quasi-experimental approach, learner corpus, and pretest/post-test assessment, shows a clear methodology for investigating the impact of the corpus-based approach. The identified theme problems related to A2-level students' reading skills are also relevant and provide valuable insights into potential challenges that can be addressed through the corpus-based approach. The themes highlighted include lack of interest and motivation in reading, limited vocabulary knowledge, and the absence of essential reading strategies and skills. The study's focus on using authentic texts that align with students' interests, introducing frequent words found in language corpora to improve vocabulary knowledge, and teaching specific reading strategies based on corpus data are all promising approaches to address these theme problems.
Keywords: corpus-based approach, reading skills, A2-level students, quasi-experimental research design, corpus-based instruction, traditional reading instruction, learner corpus, language patterns, pre- and post-test reading comprehension assessments, corpus linguistics.
Introduction
The present study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a corpus-based approach in developing the reading skills of A2-level students. The study will employ a quasi-experimental research design and incorporate a learner corpus to identify language patterns that are commonly used in A2-level reading materials. The experimental group will receive explicit instruction on how to use the language patterns effectively to understand the texts, while the control group will receive traditional reading instruction. The study will measure the effectiveness of the corpus-based approach through a pre- and post-test reading comprehension assessment and a questionnaire to evaluate the students' attitudes towards the approach. The findings of the study are expected to provide empirical evidence of the effectiveness of the corpus-based approach in developing A2-level students' reading skills and contribute to the field of corpus linguistics as a tool for language teaching and learning
Main body:
The present study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a corpus-based approach in developing the reading skills of A2-level students. The theme of the study is chosen based on the fact that A2-level students often face reading comprehension difficulties, which can be addressed through corpus linguistics techniques.
The study will employ a quasi-experimental research design, where two groups of A2-level students will be selected and randomly assigned to either the experimental or the control group. The experimental group will receive corpus-based instruction, while the control group will receive traditional reading instruction.
The corpus-based approach will involve the use of a learner corpus, which is a collection of texts produced by language learners. The texts will be analyzed using corpus linguistics tools
to identify language patterns that are commonly used in A2-level reading materials. The analysis will focus on lexical and grammatical features that can help students better comprehend the text.
The experimental group will be exposed to a variety of reading materials that are based on the identified language patterns. They will receive explicit instruction on how to use the language patterns effectively to comprehend the texts. The control group, on the other hand, will receive traditional reading instruction where they will read texts and answer comprehension questions.
The effectiveness of the corpus-based approach will be measured through a pre-test and post-test reading comprehension assessment. Additionally, the students' attitudes towards the corpus-based approach will be evaluated through a questionnaire.
The findings of the study are expected to provide empirical evidence of the effectiveness of the corpus-based approach in developing the reading skills of A2-level students. The study will contribute to the field of corpus linguistics by demonstrating its potential as a tool for language teaching and learning.
Developing A2-level students' reading skills can be challenging, especially when they encounter language complexity and unfamiliar vocabulary in texts. The use of a corpus-based approach to teaching reading comprehension skills can offer an effective solution to this problem. However, there are several theme problems that can hinder the success of this approach. This thesis explores the theme problems in developing A2-level students' reading skill through corpus-based approach.
The first theme problem is the lack of interest and motivation in reading. Many A2-level students find reading a tedious and boring task, which affects their engagement and learning outcomes. The corpus-based approach can counter this problem by incorporating authentic texts that are relevant to students' interests and experiences. Teachers can use a variety of genres, such as fairy tales, news articles, and short stories, to capture students' attention and encourage them to read more.
The second theme problem is the limited vocabulary knowledge of A2-level students. Due to their limited vocabulary, they struggle to comprehend the meaning of complex words in texts. This problem can be addressed through the corpus-based approach by introducing students to frequent words that occur commonly in the language. By analyzing corpus data, teachers can identify these words and create vocabulary lists for students to learn. They can also provide multiple examples of words in context, which helps students to understand their meanings and usage.
The third theme problem is the lack of reading strategies and skills. A2-level students lack the necessary reading skills to comprehend texts effectively. They may struggle with predicting, skimming, scanning, and inferencing skills, which can affect their comprehension and learning outcomes. The corpus-based approach can address this problem by teaching students specific reading strategies that are relevant to the texts they are studying. For example, teachers can use corpus-based data to identify common collocations and teach students how to use them contextually.
In conclusion, the development of A2-level students' reading comprehension skills through the corpus-based approach offers a promising solution to the theme problems that exist in their learning. The approach can engage students, build their vocabulary knowledge, and teach them specific reading skills that are relevant to the texts they encounter. By addressing these theme problems, teachers can help their students to become proficient readers, which is an essential skill for academic success.
When using corpora to teach reading, it is important to keep in mind that written language differs from spoken language in many ways, such as the register, tone, and structure. Therefore, it is important to use corpora that are specific to the type of reading material being used, such as academic articles or news articles, to ensure that the language patterns being taught are relevant to the specific genre.
In addition to using corpora to teach specific language patterns, corpora can also be used to teach reading strategies, such as guessing meaning from context or identifying main ideas. For example, students can be given a text from an academic corpus and asked to identify the main lexical and grammatical patterns used in the text, or to guess the meaning of unknown words based on the context in which they are used.
Overall, the use of corpora in teaching reading is still a relatively new field, but one with great potential. As more spoken corpora become available and more research is conducted on the use of corpora for teaching speaking and reading, it is likely that corpora-based language teaching will become increasingly common and effective.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the study of the effectiveness of a corpus-based approach in developing the reading skills of A2-level students is essential in the field of language teaching and learning. The study has the potential to contribute to the development of language teaching methods and pedagogies. By addressing the theme problems identified, such as the lack of interest and motivation, limited vocabulary knowledge, and lack of reading strategies and skills, teachers can help their students to become proficient readers, which is crucial for their academic success. Thus, incorporating a corpus-based approach in teaching reading comprehension skills can enhance the learning outcomes of A2-level students and improve their language proficiency.
