A Corpusbased Study of Discourse Features in Learners Writing Development

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A Corpus-based Study of Discourse Features in
Learners Writing Development

• Yu-Hua Chen
• Lancaster University, UK

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Background

• Ellis (1994 44) identified four major approaches
  in describing learner language
• the study of learners errors
• the study of developmental patterns
• the study of variability
• the study of pragmatic features

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Background

• Ellis (1994 44) identified four major approaches
  in describing learner language
• the study of learners errors
• the study of developmental patterns
• the study of variability
• the study of pragmatic features

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Background

• Studies on ESL/EFL writing development

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Background

• Studies on ESL/EFL writing development
• Generally focusing on fluency, accuracy and
  complexity

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Background

• Studies on ESL/EFL writing development
• Generally focusing on fluency, accuracy and
  complexity
• Usually based on small-scale data

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Background

• Studies on ESL/EFL writing development
• Generally focusing on fluency, accuracy and
  complexity
• Usually based on small-scale data
• Not much attention being paid to the
  developmental patterns of discourse features

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My Hypothesis

• In addition to fluency, accuracy and
  complexity, there are developmental patterns at
  the textual level of learners written language.

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Previous Findings

• For example, Kennedy Thorp (2007)
• IELTS writers at levels 4/6 use
  lexico-grammatical markers (e.g. however) more
  frequently. Level 8 writers rely on them less and
  appear to be nearer to native speaker use in this
  respect.

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Previous Findings

• For example, Kennedy Thorp (2007)
• IELTS writers at levels 4/6 use
  lexico-grammatical markers (e.g. however) more
  frequently. Level 8 writers rely on them less and
  appear to be nearer to native speaker use in this
  respect.
• Enumerative markers (firstly, etc) are used twice
  as much by level 4/6 writers as level 8 writers.

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Previous Findings

• For example, Kennedy Thorp (2007)
• Subordinators are used slightly less by level 8
  writers than by levels 4/6.

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Previous Findings

• For example, Kennedy Thorp (2007)
• Subordinators are used slightly less by level 8
  writers than by levels 4/6.
• Lower level scripts (4/6) are more categorical
  and content is less modified by hedging.
  Expressions of (dis)agreement and opinion tend to
  be more directly expressed (I agree/disagree/in
  my opinion etc) at level 4.

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Provisional Research Focuses

• Bottom-up Approach
• Discourse Markers, e.g. however, hence, first,
  then, etc.

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Provisional Research Focuses

• Bottom-up Approach
• Discourse Markers, e.g. however, hence, first,
  then, etc.
• Hedging Devices, e.g. modal auxiliaries, modal
  lexical verbs (seem, appear, suggest, indicate,
  assume, etc.), modal adjectives (possible),
  modal adverbials (perhaps)

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Provisional Research Focuses

• Bottom-up Approach
• Discourse Markers, e.g. however, hence, first,
  then, etc.
• Hedging Devices, e.g. modal auxiliaries, modal
  lexical verbs (seem, appear, suggest, indicate,
  assume, etc.), modal adjectives (possible),
  modal adverbials (perhaps))
• Top-down Approach
• Lexical bundles recurrent word combination

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Data

• The Longman Learner Corpus
• A large collection of documents written by
  learners of English
• Comprising mainly essays and exam scripts from
  students throughout the world between 1990 and
  2002

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Data

• The Longman Learner Corpus
• A large collection of documents written by
  learners of English
• Comprising mainly essays and exam scripts from
  students throughout the world between 1990 and
  2002
• Only written samples from L1 Chinese learners of
  L2 English are included in my project.

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Data

• The Longman Learner Corpus
• A large collection of documents written by
  learners of English
• Comprising mainly essays and exam scripts from
  students throughout the world between 1990 and
  2002
• Only written samples from L1 Chinese learners of
  L2 English are included in my project.
• Only argumentative/expository essays are selected.

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A LLC Sample

• ltRFgt 00706
• ltCOgt USA
• ltLAgt CHC
• ltLEgt AD
• ltENgt INT
• ltTTgt 1
• ltPAgt Culture shock
• ltPAgt Culture shock occurs as a result of when
  you are suddently immersion
• in a new different culture. It's due to
  your own feeling how to deal
• with the differences in food, clothing,
  and other things.
• ltPAgt When I arrived at the L.A airport on Aug
  3. The first thing is to
• meet the I.N.S. inspector. I found the
  Americas are very open-minded
• and kindness to give me more assistance.
  They judge everyone just
• built in a Truth. If you are honest, it
  is easy to pass. Then I woked
• out the gate of airport I saw it is
  marvolous that has so many
• terminals and complex cross-freeway
  system just a high technology

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The Need to Rate the LLC Scripts

• It is argued that the judgment on learners
  proficiency should be made based on their
  linguistic performance, as opposed to
  extralinguistic factors such as years of
  learning English or programme levels. In
  addition, most learners are not equally competent
  in terms of reading, listening, speaking, and
  writing therefore, it is necessary to rate the
  LLC scripts if only the written performance is
  the target to be analysed.

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Rating Scale

• the written assessment criteria grid in Manual
  for relating Language Examinations to the Common
  European Framework of Reference (p.82)

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Rating Scale

• the written assessment criteria grid in Manual
  for relating Language Examinations to the Common
  European Framework of Reference (p.82)
• Due to the large number of samples needed in this
  project, a holistic/impressionist rating scale is
  adopted.

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Expected Project Scale
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Expected Contributions

• Collaboration between SLA and Language Testing

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Expected Contributions

• Collaboration between SLA and Language Testing
• SLA
• Shed light on learners language development
• Provide insights for ELT writing pedagogy

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Expected Contributions

• Collaboration between SLA and Language Testing
• SLA
• Shed light on learners language development
• Provide insights for ELT writing pedagogy
• Language Testing
• Facilitate the design of a common band scale of
  writing assessment
• Help develop a computer automated marking system