Guide to Using Corpora for English Language Learners

Robert Poole is Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics and TESOL at the University of Alabama. He has taught English in Nicaragua and South Korea as well as several language institutes in the US. His research focuses on corpus-aided approaches to language teaching and learning and corpus-aided discourse analysis.

This is an exciting book about how to use a corpus of English. It carefully brings the reader through the steps of using the COCA interface, through which many corpora can be freely accessed online so once you have the book, you are ready to begin. You do not need any prior knowledge of corpora to read or use this book but by the end of it, you will feel empowered to use corpora as a language learning tool as well as a resource for the investigation of language. It has a store of tasks that will engage the reader and it offers opportunities for reflection and practice throughout. Robert Poole, the author of this book, has really done a great job and it is clear that he has such a passion for using corpora in his teaching. I think book will really bridge the gap between corpora and the classroom.

• IntroductionChapter 1: Learning the EssentialsChapter 2: Corpus Searches for Vocabulary LearningChapter 3: Corpus Searches for WritingChapter 4: Corpus Searches for Cultural Study and Conversation TopicsChapter 5: Building Your Own CorpusCorpus Resources; Additional Readings; Glossary