ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the many challenges associated with implementing Data-Driven Learning (DDL). DDL is usually carried out in the classroom, where learners carry out inductive, self-directed, language-learning exercises through interaction with a corpus under the guidance of a language instructor. Corpus analysis tools can present challenges in the DDL classroom, especially when the instructor and/or the learners are inexperienced with traditional desktop computers. An alternative strategy in DDL is to have learners interact ‘indirectly’ with a corpus using printed handouts showing pre-prepared search results from a corpus with accompanying questions and exercises. English for Academic Purposes (EAP) writing courses are designed to target future academic writing needs of learners, genres and skills to address these needs and assist learners in meeting these needs through the use of general and/or specialist field teaching materials and methods. The ‘direct’ approach to DDL has a number of important strengths when it comes to EAP writing instruction.
