Abstract:
This project aims to construct a spontaneous spoken English corpus for English learners, develop a flipped, corpus-aided spoken English teaching and learning programme, enhance online curriculum innovation, and evaluate the effectiveness of flipped, corpus-aided spoken English instruction. 78 sets of spontaneous data, including IELTS spoken data produced by learners with different English proficiency levels ranging from band 5.0 to band 9.0 were collected, transcribed and annotated for four aspects. Common linguistic features produced by speakers from different proficiency levels were summarized. 13 sets of 5-minute classroom presentation data were collected and transcribed, in addition, lesson plans and teaching materials which focus on life education were designed. A 10-session online flipped, corpus-aided spoken English training programme was designed and implemented. Chinese learners of English were invited to participate in the flipped training session, and effectiveness of the training session was evaluated. Relevant learning materials (e.g., training materials, and potential IELTS speaking topics and questions) were uploaded to the learning platform for language learners to get access to. A series of sharing sessions for pre- and in-service teachers were conducted. Suggested corpus-aided tasks were provided, and frontline teachers could get access to the materials and implement them in their speaking teaching.
Code:
T0246
Principal Project Supervisors:
Keywords provided by authors:
- Spontaneous spoken corpora
- Flipped corpus-aided teaching and learning
- Teaching English speaking skills
- IELTS speaking
- Presentation skills
Start Date:
01 Dec 2020
End Date:
31 May 2022
Status:
Completed
Result:
Speakers with different English proficiency levels have different features on the four aspects of speaking (fluency and coherence, lexical resources, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation). For participants with lower English proficiency level, they use less discourse markers and have more filled pauses and silent pauses compared with those with higher level. Their speech rate is lower, and length is shorter. Fewer collocations and idiomatic expressions were discovered, and more inappropriate words were found. Lower-level speakers made more grammatical errors, produced more simple sentences, and used fewer complex structures in their speech. However, higher-level speakers used more complex structures. Lower-level speakers made more segmental errors and errors on word stress. The rhythm patterns that they produced are different from native speakers, with no differences between the duration of the tonic syllable and unstress function words. However, the segmental errors made by higher-level participants are influenced by their mother language and have limited influence on their intelligibility.
Moreover, the flipped corpus-aided spoken English training programme developed aided on the spontaneous spoken corpus was evaluated by both teachers and learners. The feedback has shown the positive effect of the programme on the improvement of the speaking skills of Chinese English learners.
Impact:
The impact of this study on researchers is to develop a speaking analysis system. Linguistic features analyzed in this study can be applied in the future studies of speaking learning and instruction. The impacts on English speaking learners are IELTS candidates both inside and outside EdUHK. They could identify the features of speech produced by speakers from different proficiency levels on the corpus and get access to the learning materials. Hong Kong and global IELTS candidates and English learners, could receive detailed guidance on speaking and benefit from the spoken English platform. English language learners inside and outside EdUHK, could enhance their presentation skills and/or speaking skills with the use of corpus and the platform developed in this project. With the support of the analysis provided on the platform and the systematic training, English learners’ awareness of spoken English features can be raised, and their speaking skill and ability will be improved via a comparison of their own speaking with that of speakers with a higher level of spoken English. Moreover, learners could understand the ideas of life education when learning spoken English, and life-long learning can be enhanced. The impact on English teachers is to provide them with rich resources and examples on English speaking teaching.
Deliverables:
Books/ Book Chapters/ Journal Articles/ Conference Papers
Chen H. C. (2021, December 16). Construction of the English Speech Corpus with Different Proficiency Levels for Pre-service Teachers. Invited speech presented at 2021 International Forum on Bilingual Education, Tsing Hua University, Taiwan. (No. of participants: around 200) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/construction-of-the-english-speech-corpus-with-different-proficie)
Chen H. C., & Zhou X. N. (2022, July 1). Integrating Learner Corpus into English Pronunciation Teaching and Learning. Paper presented in the 5th Pedagogy and Practice in Technology Enhanced Language Learning conference (PPTELL 2022) conducted by Shaanxi Normal University. (No. of participants: over 100) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/integrating-learner-corpus-into-english-pronunciation-teaching-an)
Seminars/Presentations/Sharing Sessions
Chen H. C. (2022, June 24). The Use of Learner Corpus as a Multi-purpose Tool to Promote the Synergy between Authenticity and Autonomy [Online presentation]. Sharing in the 9th Humbol (Humanities Blended and Online Learning) Project Seminar: Deepening Learners' Experience and Engagement with Content: Examples from the Humanities (No. of participants: over 30) (https://humbol.eduhk.hk/deepening-learners-experience-and-engagement-wit...) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/the-use-of-learner-corpus-as-a-multi-purpose-tool-to-promote-the-)
Teaching and Learning Resources/ Materials (including online resources)
A learning website on corpus-based English Speaking Teaching and Learning. The Education University of Hong Kong. (https://corpus.eduhk.hk/english_speaking/) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/a-learning-website-on-corpus-based-english-speaking-teaching-and-)
The English Speech Corpus with Different Proficiency Levels. The Education University of Hong Kong. (http://corpus.eduhk.hk/english_speech_corpus/) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/the-english-speech-corpus-with-different-proficiency-levels)
An E-Book on Speaking Skills in the Academic Context (https://corpus.eduhk.hk/english_speaking/index.php/training/ ) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/speaking-skills-in-the-academic-context)
A series of English language lesson plans and teaching materials (https://corpus.eduhk.hk/english_speaking/index.php/classroom-presentation/) (https://repository.eduhk.hk/en/publications/a-series-of-english-language-lesson-plans-and-teaching-materials)
Financial Year:
2020-21
Type:
TDG