#RC21 Yukio Tono: Readability of concordances from perspectives of language teaching and learning

Join us for the RC21 Project Symposium, where invited speakers and project team members will present their work on methodology and applications of concordance analysis!

Yukio Tono: »Readability of concordances from perspectives of language teaching and learning«

Abstract:

This presentation examines the readability of concordances from second language (L2) learners' perspectives. Both the quantity and quality of L2 input play crucial roles in second language acquisition (SLA). To ensure L2 learners receive optimal input, text readability must be carefully controlled. CEFR B1-level users typically work with a vocabulary level of 5,000 words, while A2-level users command roughly half that amount—between 2,000 and 3,000 words. Though most data-driven learning studies have focused on advanced learners (beyond the B1 level), many Asian EFL learners require more controlled texts.

This principle applies equally to reading concordance lines. When reading a long passage, contextual information helps learners predict the meaning of subsequent sentences. However, concordance lines present a unique challenge—each sentence comes from a different text, forcing users to process meaning with far less context than in regular reading passages. This limited context, combined with vocabulary that may exceed learners' levels, creates a significant challenge for understanding how search words are used in context.

In this talk, I will demonstrate several ways to control readability: compiling textbook corpora, adjusting sentence-level difficulties using GDEX and other indices, and filtering texts using CEFR vocabulary, grammar, and text profile information developed for my CEFR-J project.