Evaluating an in-service corpus literacy training programme for EFL practitioners

Despite calls by corpus linguists for incorporating corpora into the language learning classroom, language researchers have reported slow or low uptake of corpora in mainstream teaching practise. We argue that this is due to insufficient pre-service corpus-training and the subsequent inflexibility of working conditions. We propose remedying this situation by focussing on in-service corpus-literacy training for EFL teachers, using a 3-step training programme which utilises learner needs analysis, exploratory practice and reflection. Learner needs analysis is the basis for small corpus-based activities that can be incorporated into existing syllabi. Our evaluation is based on reflective journals completed during the training programme and interviews conducted with participants one week after training was completed. Our findings suggest that teachers felt the first two steps of the training programme were helpful when learning to use corpora; however, there are mixed views on whether reflection helped in this regard. With a majority of teachers reporting that collecting learner needs was the most effective step in the training programme, we suggest that future corpus literacy training programmes incorporate this step where possible.