The Marburg Corpus of Intermediate Learner English (MILE)
-
Rolf Kreyer
Abstract
Over the last few decades, corpus linguistic research and methodology have had a huge impact on the foreign language classroom, mainly as reference tools but also by introducing new ways of (data-driven) learning into the classroom. A fairly recent trend is the use of corpus-linguistic methods for the study of the development of learner language, which has led to the compilation of a fairly large number of learner corpora. Among other things, this has opened up new avenues for language testing and assessment, e.g. in the context of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). However, although learner corpora seem to lend themselves easily to such purposes, the role they have actually played so far is rather minor in comparison to the huge influence on other aspects of foreign language teaching (at least with regard to German learners of English). The present chapter explores possible reasons and introduces the Marburg Corpus of Intermediate Learner English (MILE) as a potential resource for learner language analysis and for corpus-informed, -based and -driven contributions to language testing and assessment.
Abstract
Over the last few decades, corpus linguistic research and methodology have had a huge impact on the foreign language classroom, mainly as reference tools but also by introducing new ways of (data-driven) learning into the classroom. A fairly recent trend is the use of corpus-linguistic methods for the study of the development of learner language, which has led to the compilation of a fairly large number of learner corpora. Among other things, this has opened up new avenues for language testing and assessment, e.g. in the context of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). However, although learner corpora seem to lend themselves easily to such purposes, the role they have actually played so far is rather minor in comparison to the huge influence on other aspects of foreign language teaching (at least with regard to German learners of English). The present chapter explores possible reasons and introduces the Marburg Corpus of Intermediate Learner English (MILE) as a potential resource for learner language analysis and for corpus-informed, -based and -driven contributions to language testing and assessment.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Learner corpora in language testing and assessment 1
-
New corpus resources, tools and methods
- The Marburg Corpus of Intermediate Learner English (MILE) 13
- Avalingua 35
- Data commentary in science writing 59
- First steps in assigning proficiency to texts in a learner corpus of computer-mediated communication 85
-
Data-driven approaches to the assessment of proficiency
- The English Vocabulary Profile as a benchmark for assigning levels to learner corpus data 115
- A multidimensional analysis of learner language during story reconstruction in interviews 141
- Article use and criterial features in Spanish EFL writing 163
- Tense and aspect errors in spoken learner English 191
- Authors 217
- Index 219
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Learner corpora in language testing and assessment 1
-
New corpus resources, tools and methods
- The Marburg Corpus of Intermediate Learner English (MILE) 13
- Avalingua 35
- Data commentary in science writing 59
- First steps in assigning proficiency to texts in a learner corpus of computer-mediated communication 85
-
Data-driven approaches to the assessment of proficiency
- The English Vocabulary Profile as a benchmark for assigning levels to learner corpus data 115
- A multidimensional analysis of learner language during story reconstruction in interviews 141
- Article use and criterial features in Spanish EFL writing 163
- Tense and aspect errors in spoken learner English 191
- Authors 217
- Index 219
