The Innovative Pedagogy and Foreign Language Learning: Exploring the Effect of Corpus-Driven Language Learning on Lexical knowledge of Pakistani Undergraduates

Abstract

With the advent of 21^st century, the foreign language learning methods and techniques have been revolutionized. In Pakistan, there is still research work to be done to investigate the effect of innovative ELT methods and approaches on lexical knowledge of language learners. The present study is an endeavor to explore the effect of corpus-driven language learning method on the development of lexical behavior of Pakistani EFL undergraduates. For the collection of required data, a pretest posttest experimental design was administered to the EFL undergraduates of a public sector university. Two groups of the selected sample attended the ELT classes; the controlled group received instructions conventionally with books while the experimental group received a specific treatment based on noticing hypothesis for the development of knowledge of collocations. Statistical analysis showed the treatment based on noticing hypothesis theory has had more positive effect on the learners’ improvement than the conventional teaching method used. The research work has theoretical and practical contributions in the area of Applied Linguistics. The finding of the study has endorsed the theories of modern linguists like Smidth, Flowerdew, and Boulton who have supported the autonomous learning among the foreign language learners as well as opened new horizons for the future researchers to apply modern techniques for the development of language learning among EFL/ESL learners.