Construxercise! A new digital resource with construction-based exercises for L2 Russian

Abstract

In this talk, we will discuss how we can bridge the gap between a constructicon resource and second language (L2) learners, drawing our insights from the actual practice of construction-based teaching. We suggest that having a constructicon resource, even with a user-friendly design, might not be enough to successfully engage L2 students with its content. We 1) summarize the accommodations for L2 learners available in the Russian Constructicon (https://constructicon.github.io/russian/) and 2) turn our focus to an innovative pedagogical resource Construxercise! Hands-on learning of Russian constructions (https://constructicon.github.io/construxercise-rus/) created on the basis of the Russian Constructicon (Author et al. 2022). The resource offers a course of 12 lessons containing over 150 exercises for mastering 57 Russian discourse constructions. These educational materials can be used as either a central or complementary teaching resource, and either in class or for self-guided study. Construxercise! was piloted in a conversational Russian course (A2-B1 CEFR levels) in 2022 and student feedback was evaluated. The resource arguably provides a useful means for organizing conversation practice in L2 instruction that empowers students and is applicable for mixed-level groups.

The talk will detail our methodology, the choice of constructions, system of exercises, and benefits from close collaboration with the students.