German Language Corpora and Their Application to Teaching Grammar in Nigerian Universities

This study investigates the application of German language corpora to grammar teaching in Nigerian universities, examining how corpus-based instructional approaches can enhance grammatical awareness and accuracy among advanced German language students. Corpus linguistics has transformed German language description and pedagogy internationally by enabling data-driven learning approaches in which authentic language patterns are used as the empirical basis for grammar instruction. However, corpus-based pedagogy remains largely absent from Nigerian German language classrooms, where grammar instruction continues to rely predominantly on prescriptive rule presentation. The study employs a design-based research methodology, developing and piloting a corpus-based grammar module for a Masters-level German syntax course at the University of Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, North Central Nigeria. The module uses the DWDS and COSMAS II German language corpora and is piloted with 40 Masters students over six weeks. Pre- and post-module grammar tests assess accuracy gains, and student perceptions of corpus-based learning are measured through questionnaires and reflective journals. Findings indicate moderate but significant grammar accuracy gains and highly positive student perceptions of corpus-based learning, particularly for understanding grammatical variability and contextual usage patterns. Keywords: German language corpora, corpus-based pedagogy, grammar teaching, Nigerian universities, data-driven learning.