READING THROUGH CORPUS ANALYSIS TOOLS: DEVELOPING READING COMPREHENSION AND LEXICAL AWARENESS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

Abstract

The integration of corpus analysis tools into English language teaching provides opportunities to develop reading comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, and critical language awareness through the analysis of authentic language data. Traditional reading instruction frequently emphasizes the identification of main ideas, the comprehension of explicit information, and the memorization of vocabulary. Although these activities remain important, learners also need to understand how words function in context, how lexical items combine, and how linguistic choices contribute to meaning. Corpus analysis tools address these needs by enabling learners to investigate authentic texts, examine concordance lines, identify frequent lexical patterns, and explore collocations. This article examines the pedagogical potential of corpus analysis tools for developing reading skills, with particular attention to data-driven learning, contextual vocabulary acquisition, and learner autonomy. It discusses the functions of concordancers, frequency lists, collocation analysis, and keyword analysis in reading instruction. The article also proposes practical classroom applications for English for Specific Purposes (ESP), particularly for students studying information and communication technologies (ICT). It argues that the effective integration of corpus-based activities can support more analytical, contextualized, and independent approaches to reading, provided that teachers offer appropriate guidance and select materials suited to learners’ proficiency levels.