We are pleased to announce that Associate Professor Iryna Liashenko from the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguodidactics at Sumy State University has been selected to participate in the prestigious summer school on "Language Study, Study, and Testing" at Lancaster University in Great Britain. This exceptional opportunity has enabled her to engage in an academic mobility course aimed at professional development, further enhancing her teaching expertise and enriching her research in the field of corpus linguistics.
The summer school, which took place from June 25th to June 30th, 2023, placed a strong emphasis on corpus linguistics for language learning, teaching, and testing. Gathering graduate students, researchers, and teachers interested in analyzing language data using various corpus research methods, the program provided participants with practical skills in utilizing corpus techniques and software, along with showcasing their application in diverse aspects of language teaching and assessment.
During the intensive sessions, participants had the privilege to attend lectures and practical workshops led by renowned experts in the field of corpus linguistics. The program encompassed a wide range of topics, including corpus construction and analysis, corpus statistics, collocation analysis, corpus-based material development, student language analysis, corpus methods in language testing, and online communication analysis.
The distinguished speakers at the summer school included Dr. Raffaella Bottini, Professor Vaclav Brezina, Dr. Luke Collins, Dr. Dana Gablasova, Professor Paul Rayson, Dr. Sally Ren, and Professor Elena Semino. Their valuable insights and expertise have enriched the learning experience and provided participants with a deeper understanding of corpus linguistics.

Lancaster University, situated in the picturesque city of Lancaster, is renowned for its academic excellence and innovative research. The university is home to the ESRC Centre for Corpus Approaches to Social Science (CASS), which has been recognized with a Royal Jubilee Award for Higher and Further Education. CASS focuses on investigating the use of language in critical social topics such as healthcare, poverty, hate crime, and language learning.
The incorporation of corpus-based learning has significant implications for teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) at Sumy State University and across Ukraine. By utilizing corpus linguistics in language teaching, educators gain valuable insights into authentic language data, enabling them to tailor their teaching materials to suit the specific needs of their students. It provides valuable information on language patterns, vocabulary usage, and language proficiency, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of language teaching and assessment.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Associate Professor Iryna Liashenko for her participation in this enriching academic experience and commend her dedication to professional development. Her involvement in the Lancaster University Summer School undoubtedly contributes to the advancement of English language teaching and learning at our institution.
We express our sincere gratitude to Lancaster University, the organizers of the summer school, and the ESRC Centre for Corpus Approaches to the Social Sciences (CASS) for their invaluable contribution in promoting corpus-based research and fostering the improvement of language education.