The role of corpus-based activities in enhancing vocabulary knowledge among EFL learners

Abstract

This study investigates the role of corpus-based activities in enhancing vocabulary knowledge among EFL learners. The main purpose of the study is to examine whether the integration of corpus-based materials and activities can improve learners’ understanding and use of vocabulary in authentic contexts. A quasi-experimental research design was employed. The participants of the study were undergraduate EFL students who were divided into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received vocabulary instruction through corpus-based activities, while the control group was taught using traditional vocabulary teaching techniques. Data were collected through pre-tests and post-tests measuring learners’ vocabulary knowledge, as well as a questionnaire exploring learners’ perceptions of corpus-based learning. The results of the study revealed that students who were exposed to corpus-based activities demonstrated significantly higher improvement in vocabulary knowledge, particularly in the areas of contextual word use and collocational competence, compared to those who followed traditional instruction. The findings suggest that corpus-based activities play an important role in developing deeper and more accurate vocabulary knowledge among EFL learners and can serve as an effective pedagogical tool in vocabulary instruction.