Successful Spoken English: Findings from Learner Corpora

✍ Scribed by Christian Jones, Shelley Byrne, Nicola Halenko

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 191
• Series: Routledge Applied Corpus Linguistics
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Successful Spoken English demonstrates how spoken learner corpora can be used to define and explore the constituents of successful spoken English. Taking the approach that language learners can speak effectively whilst still using some non-standard forms, this book:

• Examines databases of transcribed speech from learners at each different CEFR level to analyse what makes a successful speaker of English;
• Discusses features of communicative competence, including the use of linguistic strategies, organisation of extended stretches of speech, and sensitivity to context;
• Demonstrates quantitative and qualitative data analysis using corpus tools, looking at areas such as word frequency;
• Helps to reassess the goals of language learners and teachers, and provides recommendations for teaching practice and for further research.

Successful Spoken English is key reading for postgraduate students of TESOL and Applied Linguistics, as well as for pre- and in-service English language teachers.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover
Title
Copyright
Contents
List of figures
List of tables
Acknowledgements
1 What is a successful speaker of English?
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Rationale for exploring successful spoken language
1.3 Rationale for a focus on spoken language
1.4 Definitions of successful language: communicative competence
1.4.1 Hymes’s theory of communicative competence
1.4.2 Canale and Swain’s theory of communicative competence
1.4.3 Canale’s theory of communicative competence
1.4.4 Bachman and Palmer’s model of language use and performance
1.5 Towards a definition of successful spoken language: communicative competence
1.6 Linking communication, communicative competence and learner success to the CEFR
1.7 Measuring successful spoken language in this book
1.8 Conclusion
2 Linguistic competence
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Definitions of linguistic competence
2.3 Previous studies
2.4 Methods of analysis
2.4.1 Frequency profiles
2.4.2 Frequency lists
2.4.3 Keyword lists
2.4.4 Lexical chunks
2.5 Linguistic competence at B1-C1 levels
2.6 Most frequent words
2.6.1 WE
2.6.2 Er/Erm
2.7 Keywords
2.7.1 Think
2.7.2 Can
2.8 Most frequent lexical chunks
2.8.1 A lot of
2.8.2 Agree with you
2.9 Discussion
2.10 Conclusion
3 Strategic competence
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Definitions of strategic competence and communication strategies
3.3 Previous studies
3.4 Methods of analysis
3.5 Strategic competence at B1-C1 levels
3.5.1 Preliminary analysis of CEFR strategies in B1, B2 and C1 speech
3.5.2 Comparison of CEFR strategy realisation in B1, B2 and C1 speech
3.5.3 Production strategies: correction
3.5.4 Interaction strategies: inviting others into the discussion and seeking clarification
3.6 Conclusion
4 Discourse competence
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Definitions of discourse competence
4.2.1 Definitions of spoken discourse markers
4.3 Previous studies
4.4 Methods of analysis
4.5 Discourse competence at B1-C1 levels
4.6 The frequency and functions of common discourse markers used to achieve discourse competence
4.6.1 And er
4.6.2 Yeah/yeah/yeah I
4.6.3 I think er and I think it
4.6.4 Ok er/ ok I
4.6.5 Well I
4.7 Conclusion
5 Pragmatic competence
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Definitions of pragmatic competence
5.2.1 Requests
5.2.2 Apologies
5.2.3 Formulaic language and developing pragmatic competence
5.3 Previous studies
5.4 Methods of analysis
5.5 Pragmalinguistic features of successful request language
5.6 Pragmalinguistic features of successful apology language
5.7 Sociopragmatic features of successful request and apology language
5.8 Conclusion
6 Conclusion
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Summary of findings
6.2.1 Linguistic competence
6.2.2 Strategic competence
6.2.3 Discourse competence
6.2.4 Pragmatic competence
6.2.5 Summary
6.3 Implications for research
6.4 Implications for teaching
6.5 Final thoughts
Index