Teaching acronyms to the militaryA paper-based DDL approach

  1. Yolanda Noguera-Díaz 1
  2. Pascual Pérez-Paredes 2
  1. 1 Technical University of Cartagena
  2. 2 Universidad de Murcia
    info

    Universidad de Murcia

    Murcia, España

    ROR https://ror.org/03p3aeb86

Journal:
Research in Corpus Linguistics (RiCL)

ISSN: 2243-4712

Year of publication: 2020

Volume: 8

Issue: 2

Pages: 1-27

Type: Article

DOI: 10.32714/RICL.08.02.01 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: Research in Corpus Linguistics (RiCL)

Sustainable development goals

Abstract

This research investigates the use of Data-driven learning (DDL) tasks in the teaching and learning of acronyms in a specialised corpus. Our target population is professional military staff (n=16). The researchers collected and analysed the Salvage and Rescue of Submarines Corpus (SAR) where the patterning of acronyms, neglected in English for Specific Purposes (ESP), plays a substantial role. Using a mixed-methods methodology, this research looked at the students’ interaction with DDL, as well as at the subsequent interviews with the students. Deductive and inductive paper-based DDL tasks with concordance lines of acronyms were used with two groups of students of different rank. Both groups found the tasks challenging and showed mixed reactions towards concordance lines. While there has been a much-needed emphasis on tools and corpus methods training in DDL, we suggest that conversations with adult, professional students about the nature of instructed language learning and language patterning are absolutely essential to promote a more active learner role in DDL approaches.

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