Research



Potential research avenues

The English Teacher Corpus (ETC) offers several research avenues based on its unique design and objectives. Here are some potential areas of research that the ETC facilitates:



1. Teacher Language Proficiency

  • Investigate the impact of TLP on teaching effectiveness and student outcomes.
  • Examine the characteristics of high vs. low TLP and its influence on teaching methodologies and learner engagement.

2. Comparative Studies

  • Compare the language use of non-native English teachers (Czech teachers) with native English teachers teaching in the Czech Republic.
  • Explore differences and similarities in spoken English between these groups across various tasks and contexts.
  • L1 transfer effects in teacher English

3. Spoken Learner Corpus Development

  • Study the design and development process of a spoken learner corpus.
  • Analyse the technical aspects of corpus compilation, including the use of AI for transcription (Whisper AI) and data alignment tools (e.g. EXMARaLDA).

4. Pedagogical Applications

  • Utilize the corpus data for training English teacher trainees, allowing them to engage with authentic language use in teaching contexts.
  • Develop teaching materials and training modules based on real-life language use by teachers.

5. Task-Based Language Analysis

  • Investigate language production across different tasks (monologue, dialogue, picture-based narrative, reading assignment, and interviews).
  • Analyse how task types influence language complexity, fluency, and accuracy.

6. Language Proficiency Assessment

  • Develop and validate assessment tools for evaluating the spoken proficiency of English teachers.
  • Implement rater-based assessments to enhance the accuracy of proficiency evaluations in the corpus.

7. Teacher Identity and Self-Efficacy

  • Examine the relationship between language proficiency, teacher identity, and self-efficacy.
  • Study how teachers’ perceptions of their language abilities influence their teaching practices and professional confidence.

8. Influence of Multilingualism

  • Analyse the impact of knowing additional languages (L3) on English language teaching proficiency and practices.
  • Investigate how multilingualism among teachers affects their language use.

9. Longitudinal Studies

  • Track changes in teacher language use and proficiency over time.
  • Study the impact of professional development and ongoing training on teacher language proficiency.

10. Cultural and Contextual Influences

  • Explore how cultural and contextual factors influence the language used by teachers in the Czech Republic.
  • Study the adaptation of native English-speaking teachers to the Czech educational context and their language use dynamics.

Research carried out to date

Although the ETC is still in its early stages of development, a number of research projects have already been carried out and several BA theses completed. So far, these have predominantly analysed the linguistic aspects of teacher language within the complexity, accuracy and fluency framework.

The following theses have been fully or partially completed to date:

Bakhareva, M. (2024). Discourse markers in spontaneous speech of native and non-native English speakers in the English Teacher Corpus: comparison of frequency and analysis (BA thesis). Prague: Charles University.

Drábek, F. (in progress). Corpus-based comparative analysis of filled pauses in teacher English of native and L2 speakers (BA thesis). Prague: Charles University.

Friedel, R. (2023). Teachers of English: L1 and L2 Articulation Rate Correspondence (unpublished BA thesis). Prague: Charles University.

Hanzelková, I. (in progress). Comparison of disfluencies of Czech and native speakers of English in the English Teacher Corpus (BA thesis). Prague: Charles University.

Hubková, A. (in progress). Occurrence of speech disfluencies in teacher’s English of native Czech speakers and native English speakers (BA thesis). Prague: Charles University.

Kalábová, V. (in progress). Accuracy in the use of articles in the speech of English teachers with Czech as L1 (BA thesis). Prague: Charles University.

Martincová, K. (2023). The influence of L1 Czech speech rate on L2 English (unpublished BA thesis). Prague: Charles University.

Šnýdrová, D. (in progress). Occurrence of speech disfluencies in teacher’s English of native Czech speakers and native English speakers (BA thesis). Prague: Charles University.