Corpus-informed EAP syllabus design: a study of lecture functions

1. Corpus-informed EAP syllabus design: a study of lecture functions KatrienDeroey GhentUniversity, Belgium katrien.deroey@UGent.be

2. Research rationale English for lecturers A framework for course design An overview of lecture functions Corpus-informed syllabus design Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009

3. Research rationale Texts produced for different purposes in different contexts have different features, because different lexical and grammatical options are related to the functional purposes that are foregrounded by speakers/writers in responding to the demands of various tasks. (Schleppegrell, 2004) Specificity Language for Specific Purposes is successful to the extent that it is tailored to meet the needs of specific students in specific circumstances. (Huckin, 2003: 8) LecturefunctionsKatrienDeroey ICAME 2009

4. Research rationale English for lecturers A framework for course design An overview of lecture functions Corpus-informed syllabus design Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009

5. Some influences: EAP and Education research Biber (2006) University language: a corpus-based study of spoken and written registers Crawford Camiciottoli (2007) The language of business studies lectures Hyland (2005) Metadiscourse: exploring interaction in writing Brown (1978)Lecturing and explaining Sutherland & Badger (2004) Lecturers’ perceptions of lectures Young, L. (1994). University lectures – macro-structure and micro-features. Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009

6. Overview • Corpus • Analytical methodology • Functional framework • Issues • Contribution Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009

7. Corpus • The British Academic Spoken English (BASE) corpus • 12 lectures • 4 disciplinary groupings • Arts and Humanities • Social Studies and Sciences • Physicalsciences • Life and Medical Sciences Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009

8. Analytical methodology one of the most obvious facial characteristics when people get older apart from greying hair like mine is wrinkles well just like your face wrinkles your blood vessels wrinkle too in a sense and they start sagging and this is what we call ectasia(lslct017) • Unit of analysis = the text • Main focus on larger stretches of speech →Informingfunction Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009

9. Analytical methodology one of the most obvious facial characteristics when people get older apart from greying hair like mine is wrinkles well just like your face wrinkles your blood vessels wrinkle too in a sense and they start sagging and this is what wecall ectasia • Includes ‘embedded’ functions • Interacting: creating rapport • Managing the class:audience Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009

10. Analytical methodology one of the most obvious facial characteristics when people get older apart from greying hair like mine is wrinkles well just like your face wrinkles your blood vessels wrinkle too in a sense and they start sagging and this is what we call ectasia • Lexico-grammar • Informing: Code gloss Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009

11. Analytical methodology i thought probably what i'd do is start with a single equation and this is the only equation you're going to see in this lecture and it's on the board there now nowwhat does that tell you does it look even vaguely familiar to anyone(1) [laughter] no i've probably got it wrong i thought it was something like the equation of relativity(2) (lslct017) • Co-text and generic features • Interacting: (1) eliciting feedback; (2) creating rapport • Managing the class: (1) audience; (2) delivery Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009

12. Main functional categories Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009

13. Subfunctions: example Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009

14. Subfunctions: example Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009

15. Issues • Corpus • Sample size and composition • Analysis • Units of analysis • Multifunctionality & overlap • Triangulation & interrater reliability • Multimodality, non-verbalcommunication, suprasegmentalphonology Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009

16. Contribution • Getting a fuller picture: lecturediscourse and disciplinaryvariation • Mapping out different realisations of functions • input for quantitative studies • EAP course design Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009

17. there's no point my going on and on if you're all sitting there going either yes this is blindingly obvious or saying i haven't got a clue what she's talking about because this is for you i don't it's not for my personal gratification to come and talk here it's for something that you know you can use (ahlct009) Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009

18. Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009

19. Lecturepurposes Katrien Deroey Ghent University BAAHE 22.11.2008

20. Lecturepurposes and functions Katrien Deroey Ghent University BAAHE 22.11.2008

21. Disciplinaryvariation • Soft disciplines • Interpretation • Focus onpeople (attribution) • Hard disciplines • Procedures, processes • More application (professional skills) • More code glosses • More directing • Focus on research findings Lecture functions Katrien Deroey ICAME 2009