Authors

Discussion

Despite advances in technology and the rise in popularity of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) and innovative language learning tools and resources, especially in English Language Teaching (ELT), the teaching of the Slavonic languages, especially grammar teaching, at UK Higher Education institutions is grounded in “traditional” approaches. Tutors formally introduce grammar points and support their explanations with drill exercises often bereft of context. In this paper, I highlight the benefits of using corpora and Data-Driven Learning (DDL) in Russian language teaching to improve students’ grammatical accuracy and awareness, to augment their vocabulary and to develop their independent linguistic skills. I discuss the application of a blended learning approach, which combines tradition with technology, to help learners assimilate complex grammar points and grasp subtle lexical differences and nuances. Several examples from Russian are presented, and I discuss methods used in the “corpus class”: a compulsory weekly language class, in which final-year students of Russian engage directly with corpora. My focus is on grammar teaching and the use of corpora to support traditional drill and tutor-centred activities, but I also highlight the benefits of data-driven learning in vocabulary acquisition, with a focus on collocations with which learners struggle due to the influence
of their L1.