Creating and using corpora: A principled approach to identifying key language within art & design

A considerable body of research points to the importance of lexical knowledge for students studying, working and communicating in a second language (Carver, 1994; Hu and Nation, 2000; Schmitt and Schmitt, 2014), but decisions regarding which lexis to prioritise can be difficult. Although there are many books aimed at teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP), the language of and for art and design is conspicuous by its absence. Tutors face challenges in identifying relevant input texts and then creating appropriate language materials for students. This article shows how corpus-informed approaches can aid in the identification and selection of lexis, with relevant art and design-related words and phrases through which they can communicate their ideas and engage with their discourse communities.