Exploring language behavior in ESP courses: Corpus tools and teaching

This contribution aims at illustrating the projects carried out in non-linguistic Faculties and within the framework of ESP courses. The projects were meant to check the added value of a combination of corpus linguistics and discourse analysis in teaching English to students at non-linguistic Faculties, to promote students’ involvement and active participation in the learning process, to increase language awareness through corpus analysis of specialized texts. The courses were organised according to the needs of first- and second-year students of the second (graduate) degree courses (Laurea Magistrale) in International Relations and Diplomatic Studies at the Faculty of Political Science and students of the Faculty of Law (Laurea Magistrale) of the University of Napoli Federico II in the academic years 2006-07 and 2007-08. The teaching/learning experience has helped students explore language behaviour in the specialised textual environment which is embedded in the discursive practices of professional communities, facilitated language English learning/teaching by enhancing motivation and favoured the acquisition of skills, autonomy and language awareness which may help students face studying and working contexts in the new world scenarios.