Improving Lexical Resources among ESL Learners: A Corpus-Based Approach

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of utilizing the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) in fostering the writing skills, particularly the lexical resources, of ESL learners. A quasi-experimental design was implemented involving two groups. An experimental group (n = 25) in which COCA was integrated into their teaching practice, and a control group (n = 25) that received no COCA intervention. Data were gathered using pre- and post-writing tests designed to evaluate students' vocabulary. The data were analyzed using independent and paired samples t-tests, supported by an Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) to contrast the performance of the two groups. Results showed a statistically significant and positive change in the writing skills of the experimental group compared to the control group. Furthermore, the two tests revealed dramatic gains within the experimental group from pre-test to post-test. The ANCOVA further supported the positive effect of the COCA intervention. These findings suggest that integrating COCA can significantly enhance the lexical resources of ESL learners, resulting in improved writing skills. The study supports the use of corpus-based tools in language instruction to enhance vocabulary learning and overall writing proficiency among ESL learners. The research suggests that COCA is a valuable resource in English language teaching and can be applied to other criteria, such as grammar, cohesion, and coherence.