Tania Mikaela Garcia Roberto

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CORPUS LINGUISTICS IN LANGUAGE TEACHING

LINGUÍSTICA DE CORPUS NO ENSINO DAS LÍNGUAS

CORPUS LINGÜÍSTICOS EN LA ENSEÑANZA DE IDIOMAS

Tania Mikaela Garcia Roberto1

DOI: 10.54751/revistafoco.v16n7-089
Recebido em: 19 de Junho de 2023
Aceito em: 19 de Julho de 2023

ABSTRACT
In this article, Corpus Linguistics is assumed as a methodology of linguistic studies that
uses the computer as a tool, in pedagogical proposals in which the student is active in
the process of construction of knowledge through research, interacting with the
environment and the other agents, and having the teacher as the mediator of this
process. In CL, the student, through the so-called concordance programs2, will be able
to manipulate the corpus, analyze it, observe contextual information, draw conclusions
and build patterns and concepts about the subject studied, and not just browse the web,
type texts or do exercises. The teacher thus effectively assumes the role of mediator in
the process, promoting the development of learners' autonomy in the teaching and
learning process. The challenge of making use of a methodology that does not present
linguistic analysis a priori, but instead proposes its construction throughout the
teaching/learning process, leads to the conclusion that the relationship with knowledge
has changed with the use of new technologies, the Internet and new conceptions of
social interaction. The person who holds knowledge needs to give space to the mediator
of these relationships for a linguistic and cognitive development that meets the new
demands of this learner.

Keywords: Corpus linguistics; language teaching; mediation; socio-interacionism.

RESUMO
Neste artigo, a Lingüística de Corpus é assumida como uma metodologia de estudos
lingüísticos que utiliza o computador como ferramenta, em propostas pedagógicas nas
quais o aluno é ativo no processo de construção do conhecimento através da pesquisa,
interagindo com o meio e os demais agentes, e tendo o professor como mediador desse
processo. No CL, o aluno, através dos chamados programas de concordância, poderá
manipular o corpus, analisá-lo, observar informações contextuais, tirar conclusões e
construir padrões e conceitos sobre o assunto estudado, e não apenas navegar na web,
digitar textos ou fazer exercícios. Assim, o professor assume efetivamente o papel de

1
PhD in Psycholinguistics. Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ). Km 07, Zona Rural, BR-465,
Seropédica - RJ, CEP: 23890-000. E-mail: mikaela@ufrrj.br
2 Concordance programs work based on an operational logic similar to that of search engines,
functionally presenting the data found in the different texts of the corpus, essentially composed
of data from the language in actual use, in different genres, for the purposes of linguistic analysis.

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mediador do processo, promovendo o desenvolvimento da autonomia dos alunos no

processo de ensino e aprendizagem. O desafio de fazer uso de uma metodologia que
não apresenta a análise lingüística a priori, mas propõe sua construção ao longo do
processo de ensino/aprendizagem, leva à conclusão de que a relação com o
conhecimento mudou com o uso das novas tecnologias, da Internet e das novas
concepções de interação social. O detentor do conhecimento precisa dar espaço ao
mediador dessas relações para um desenvolvimento lingüístico e cognitivo que atenda
às novas demandas desse aprendiz.

Palavras-chave: Linguística de corpus; ensino de línguas; mediação;

sociointeracionismo.

RESUMEN
En este artículo se asume la Lingüística de Corpus como una metodología de estudios
lingüísticos que utiliza el ordenador como herramienta, en propuestas pedagógicas en
las que el alumno es activo en el proceso de construcción del conocimiento a través de
la investigación, interactuando con el entorno y los demás agentes, y teniendo al
profesor como mediador de este proceso. En CL, el alumno, a través de los llamados
programas de concordancia , podrá manipular el corpus, analizarlo, observar
información contextual, sacar conclusiones y construir patrones y conceptos sobre el
tema estudiado, y no sólo navegar por la web, teclear textos o hacer ejercicios. De este
modo, el profesor asume efectivamente el papel de mediador en el proceso,
promoviendo el desarrollo de la autonomía de los alumnos en el proceso de enseñanza
y aprendizaje. El reto de hacer uso de una metodología que no presenta el análisis
lingüístico a priori, sino que propone su construcción a lo largo del proceso de
enseñanza/aprendizaje, lleva a la conclusión de que la relación con el conocimiento ha
cambiado con el uso de las nuevas tecnologías, Internet y las nuevas concepciones de
interacción social. El poseedor del conocimiento necesita dar espacio al mediador de
estas relaciones para un desarrollo lingüístico y cognitivo que responda a las nuevas
demandas de este aprendiz.

Palabras clave: Lingüística de corpus; enseñanza de lenguas; mediación; socio-

interaccionismo.

1. Corpus Linguistics as a Metodology of Linguistic Studies

It is in the early 90s, according to Leech (1992), that Corpus Linguistics
(hereinafter CL) consolidates itself as a branch of Linguistics, although the author
himself recognizes that it cannot be considered just a branch of Linguistics, but a
methodology of linguistic studies. Assuming, therefore, the CL as a methodology
of linguistic studies that uses the computer as a tool, it is proposed its application
in pedagogical proposals in which the student is active in the process of
construction of knowledge through research, interacting with the environment and
the other agents, and having the teacher as the mediator of this process 3.

3 Vygotsky's (20--) socio-interactionist conception is assumed as a subsidy of this focus.

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Johns and King (1991) describe four teaching approaches, each

associated with a metaphor and a technology. The first, the cumulative
acquisition of facts through memorization, compared by the authors to a syringe;
technology, in this metaphor, is the blackboard or whiteboard. The second
approach is compared to a gym, where learning takes place through stimuli and
repetition exercises; the technology used is a “cheap” textbook out of line with
the learner's reality. The third metaphor is a bath. In it, the student is “totally
immersed” in the object of study through travel, movies, music, etc., in a kind of
learning by osmosis. The last approach is that the learner discovers patterns by
examining evidence. The metaphor is that of the test tube and the technology is
the computer, through the corpora analysis of the language in actual use.
Mohan (1992), in turn, thinking about foreign language teaching, argues
that the computer4 can be used for didactic purposes according to three models.
In the first model, the computer is used as a language teacher, a model that
requires attention on two aspects: when formal language teaching is needed and
how computer resources are used. In the second model, the computer is used
as a stimulus for interaction. In the third and last model, the author sees the
computer as a context for the development of cognitive language, in a relationship
between action, knowledge and speech.
As Kindermann (2008) rightly points out, in the midst of numerous
pressures for technological insertion in the teaching and learning process, CL
presents itself as an alternative. In CL, unlike the first model by Mohan (1992),
the computer is not used only as a mere (and expensive) replacement for the
blackboard or exercise book, nor as just another source of research on web
pages, limiting its user to a restricted use of computational resources. The
student, through the so-called concordance programs5, will be able to manipulate
the corpus, analyze it, observe contextual information, draw conclusions and
build patterns and concepts about the subject studied, and not just browse the
web, type texts or do exercises. In this way, the computer has its use as in the

4 What can be expanded here to other more up-to-date devices, such as cell phones, tablets, e-
book readers, etc.
5 Concordance programs work based on an operational logic similar to that of search engines,

functionally presenting the data found in the different texts of the corpus, essentially composed
of data from the language in actual use, in different genres, for the purposes of linguistic analysis.

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metaphor of the test tube, according to Mohan's third model (1992).

"Corpus Linguistics is an approach that privileges the observation of a
large amount of authentic data." (KINDERMANN, 2008). Moreover, as the author
continues, "contemporary society points to the urgency of adopting new
technologies in the classroom, in order to improve the 'human capital' of our
students". The use of CL, therefore, invites to a break to the usual pattern of the
teaching and learning process, in which the teacher prepared in advance the
informational content to be presented to the students. In the words of
Kindermann (2008), the "center of power" passes to the hands of learners, who
will act in the observation of language data. The teacher thus effectively assumes
the role of mediator in the process, promoting the development of learners'
autonomy in the teaching and learning process.
As Hadley (1992) points out, it is idealistic to think that students can
suddenly change their conceptions about how they learn grammar and linguistic
analysis, easily “accepting” the CL approach. More idealistic is to believe that
teachers will do it. Garcia (2002), Kindermann (2008) and Mareco and Maracci
(2010), however, point out some paths that deserve reflection, due to the
possibility of enabling a study of the language in which it is the student who
actively participates in the construction of knowledge, interacting with the another
(student-student), with the teacher (the mediator of the teaching/learning
process) and with the machine (the mean).
These studies show that students, regardless of their school level, are
capable of building knowledge with the systematic use of the computer as a
corpus-based linguistic analysis tool. And that it is the teacher who, through
planning – no more of ready data – will promote the constant improvement of the
construct presented by his students throughout the entire teaching/learning
process. These initiatives are added to the countless other possibilities of using
the computer for language teaching, as Oliveira (2020) is willing to show.
The challenge of making use of a methodology that does not present
linguistic analysis a priori, but instead proposes its construction throughout the
teaching/learning process, points to an education professional profile that no
longer fits the stereotypes associated with outdated teaching approaches. It is
no longer enough for the teacher to have specific knowledge of the teaching and

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learning language. It is necessary for him to demystify the language and provide
his student with opportunities to contact it in its multiple possibilities of use so that
this student builds his knowledge from research, observation, reflection and
analysis of the data presented to him.
As one of Garcia's students (2002) reports, after participating in an
experience with CL in Portuguese language classes,

It is true to say that the traditional method of teaching the Portuguese

language no longer meets the learning needs of students, and it is
necessary to rethink and reformulate the learning methods proposed by
schools across the country, facilitating and providing greater student
interest. It is essential to recycle education so that it is updated,
addressing the interests of students in the 21st century. (MOSER,
2001)6.

Twenty-two years have passed since the student, from the 9 th grade of
Elementary School, gave this statement, which is still current and relevant. As
Sales and Boscarioli (2020) point out, it is not enough to just insert new
technologies in the teaching and learning process. It is necessary to assume that
the relationship with knowledge has changed with the use of new technologies,
the Internet and new conceptions of social interaction. The person who holds
knowledge needs to give space to the mediator of these relationships for a
linguistic and cognitive development that meets the new demands of this learner,
so that "a pedagogical conception that favors autonomy, collaboration, interaction
and metacognitive development" is possible. (ROBERTO, 2021, p. 39).

References

GARCIA, Tania Mikaela. (2000) Linguística de Corpus: uma proposta de estudo

do uso dos pronomes Te/Lhe com alunos de 8ª série do Ensino Fundamental.
Dissertação (Mestrado) Curso de Pós-Graduação em Linguística. Universidade
Federal de Santa Catarina.

HADLEY, G. (1992) Sensing the winds of change: An introduction to Data-Driven

Learning. Computers in Applied Linguistics.

HERNANDEZ, F. (1998) A partir dos projetos de trabalho. Pátio, 6(2), ago/out..

6This report is part of a bimonthly work by the student G. Moser, presented as a partial evaluation
of the Portuguese Language subject of the 9th year of Elementary School, taught by the author
during the application of the research that resulted in her Master's dissertation (GARCIA
[ROBERTO], 2002).

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JOHNS, T. F.; KING, P. (1991) Classroom concordancing. Birmingham, England:

Centre for English Language Studies, University of Birmingham.

KINDERMANN, Cristina Arcuri Eluf.(2008). Linguística de Corpus e as Novas

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formação do professor de Língua Inglesa sob uma perspectiva crítica, social e
educacional. Domínios de Linguagem, 2(2), p. 1-15.

LEECH, G. (1992) Corpora and theories of linguistic performance. Directions in

Corpus Linguistics proceedings of Nobel Symposium. 82, p. 4-8.

MOHAN, B. (1992) Models of the role of the computer in second language

development, Computers in Applied Linguistics.

MOSER, G. (2001). Te ou Lhe? Uma experiência com base em corpus. Pesquisa

realizada na disciplina de Língua Portuguesa de 8ª série do Ensino Fundamental
como avaliação parcial do 4º bimestre letivo.

OLIVEIRA, Wanessa Rodovalho Melo. (2020). Recursos tecnológicos de apoio

às aulas de língua portuguesa. EaD & Tecnologias Digitais na Educação, 8(10),
p. 93-105, dez.

ROBERTO, Tania Mikaela Garcia. (2021). A formação do hiperleitor. In:

HACKENHAAR, Andréa de Souza; MAYER, Leandro; GASPAR, Lucas Eduardo
(org.). Educação em questão: pesquisas, reflexões e práticas pedagógicas.
Itapiranga: Editora Schreiben, p. 24-41.

SALES, A. B. de; BOSCARIOLI, C. (2020). Uso de Tecnologias Digitais Sociais

no Processo Colaborativo de Ensino e Aprendizagem. Risti, 37(6), p. 82-99.

VYGOTSKY, L. S. (20--) Pensamento e linguagem. [S.l.]: Ridendo Castigat

Mores,. Disponível em: http://www2.uefs.br/filosofia-bv/pdfs/vygotsky_01.pdf
Acesso em 5 maio 2021.

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