Linguistic Representation of Learner Autonomy in Student Testimonials for IELTS-Oriented Courses: A Corpus-Based Investigation

Linh Bo, Hoa Ninh, Nha Nguyen

Abstract:

While many studies have explored the linguistic features in advertisements for language courses, there is still a limited body of research regarding the connection between learner autonomy and promotional discourses of ELT courses. This study aims to explore the linguistic representation of learner autonomy in student testimonials written for promoting IELTS-oriented courses. By analysing a written corpus of 14,795 words, our study investigates the linguistic representation of learner autonomy in 76 student testimonials for IELTS-oriented courses provided by five private English language teaching institutions in Vietnam. With a corpus-based approach to discourse analysis (Baker, 2006), we explored n-grams and concordance lines to, first, identify salient linguistic features, and second, conduct a qualitative and inductive analysis of these features. Our analysis has shown that writing testimonials can serve as a tool for both marketing and learning reflection. The testimonials have reflected students’ perspectives on learning, recommending and justifying their choice of institution based on teaching quality and facilities, and describing their achievements with reference to contributing factors to success. Some students also expressed interest in building their autonomy in learning, but the focus was largely on the teachers and institutions.

Keywords: learner autonomy, student testimonial, IELTS, discourse analysis, corpus linguistics