Stephen Jeaco Ph.D.

Senior Associate Professor

Start date at XJTLU: July 2006

Dr Stephen Jeaco is a Senior Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Linguistics at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. He teaches on a number of modules related to linguistics and TESOL. He also supervises students from the Department of Applied Linguistics studying MA TESOL dissertations and Undergraduate Final Year Projects. Topics are often related to Lexical Priming, corpus linguistics, semantic prosody or English language learning and teaching.

Stephen has lived and worked in China since 1999 and has a strong commitment to English education for Chinese students. His experience in China focused on English language teaching has included roles such as: teacher, curriculum designer, examiner, trainer and manager. This varied experience has developed his awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of Chinese students’ productive language, and his working knowledge of teaching strategies and techniques to motivate and challenge students in this area.  As the Director of the ELC, between 2006 and 2012 Stephen Jeaco led the establishment and development of the English Language Centre (ELC) at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. During this rapid period of growth at XJTLU, his responsibility grew from six tutors in 2006 to over one hundred tutors in 2012.  During this time, he served on various University committees and working groups, including the XJTLU Learning and Teaching Committee, Student-Staff Liaison Committee and Academic Board.

Stephen has a strong interest in corpus linguistics. Through research projects for his Masters, he applied language learning theories to the Chinese context and began investigating how computer-based tools could be used to facilitate learning in a self-access situation. His doctoral thesis focused on the development of a user-friendly corpus tool based on the theory of Lexical Priming.  Areas of research in which he is currently engaged include developing software applications for the construction, manipulation and display of corpus data as well as evaluating corpus tools with learners for a variety of tasks. 

Main Software Releases:
⋆ 2015: The Prime Machine
⋆ 2016: The Prime Machine V2.0
⋆ 2018: Public Release of The Prime Machine V3.0
⋆ 2019: Public Release of tPM HD (for Windows and Mac)
⋆ 2022: tPM HD released on the App Store (for Mac, iPhone and iPad)
⋆ 2022: tPM HD released on Google Play (for Android)
⋆ 2023: tPM V2.0 released for Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows
⋆ 2023: tPMCrafty V2.0 released for Mac and Windows



For information about The Prime Machine, see https://www.theprimemachine.net



  • BA (Honours) University of York, United Kingdom, English and Related Literature, 1996
  • MA University of Leicester, United Kingdom, Applied Linguistics/TESOL, 2004
  • Ph.D. University of Liverpool, United Kingdom, 2015


  • Associate Professor, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (September, 2015 - Present), Suzhou, China-PRC.
  • Senior Teaching Fellow, Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University (August, 2012 - August, 2015), Suzhou, China-PRC.
  • Director of the English Language Centre, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (July, 2006 - July, 2012), Suzhou, China-PRC


  • EAP
  • TESOL
  • Second Langauge Acquisition
  • Academic writing
  • Corpus linguistics


  • Yang, T. & Jeaco, S. (2023) Vocabulary Building on the Move with the Prime Machine: Evaluation of a Cross-platform Corpus-based Game for English Vocabulary Learning. International Journal of TESOL Studies. 5(2). https://tesolunion.org/journal/lists/folder/6MjQu5ZWEw/
  • Dodigovic, M. Jeaco, S. & Llach, M. P. A. (2023) Vocabulary Focus in Language Education: Availability, Technology and Strategies. International Journal of TESOL Studies 5(2). https://tesolunion.org/journal/lists/folder/6MjQu5ZWEw/
  • Jeaco, S. (2023). How can we communicate (visually) what we (usually) mean by collocation and keyness? Journal of Second Language Studies. https://doi.org/10.1075/jsls.22019.jea
  • Jeaco, S. (2021). Exploring Register with the Prime Machine. Register Studies, 3(2), 279-298. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1075/rs.20015.jea
  • Jeaco, S. (2021). Concordance line sorting in The Prime Machine. International Journal of Corpus Linguistics, 26(2), 284-297. https://doi.org/10.1075/ijcl.18056.jea
  • Dodigovic, M., Jeaco, S. (2021). Technology in Applied Linguistics. International Journal of TESOL Studies, 3(2), 1-4.
  • Jeaco, S. (2021) Developing Practical, Useful Educational Technology Applications for Course Designers, Teachers and Language Learners: An Interview with Laurence Anthony. International Journal of TESOL Studies, 3(2), 105-113. https://doi.org/10.46451/ijts.2021.06.08
  • Jeaco, S. (2020). Calculating and Displaying Key Labels: The texts, sections, authors and neighbourhoods where words and collocations are likely to be prominent. Corpora, 15(2).
  • Jeaco, S. (2020). Key words when text forms the unit of study: Sizing up the effects of different measures. International Journal of Corpus Linguistics, 25(2), 125-154. Open access: https://doi.org/10.1075/ijcl.18053.jea
  • Jeaco, S. (2019). Exploring Collocations with The Prime Machine. International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching (IJCALLT), 9 (3), 29-49.
  • Dodigovic, M., Jeaco, S., & Wei, R. (2017). Trends in Vocabulary Research. TESOL International Journal, 12 (1), 1-6.
  • Jeaco, S. (2017). Helping Language Learners Get Started with Concordancing. TESOL International Journal, 12 (1), 91-110.
  • Jeaco, S. (2017). Helping Language Learners Put Concordance Data in Context. International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching (IJCALLT), 7 (2), 22-39.
  • Zou, B., Xiang, H. C., & Jeaco, S. M. (2012). An investigation of the use of Wikis in English Teaching. Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics, 35 (1), 99-116.
  • Stern, H., Jeaco, S. M., & Millar, T. (2000). Computers in Neurorehabilitation: What Role do they Play? Part 2. The British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 63 (1), 25-28.
  • Stern, H., Jeaco, S. M., & T., M. (1999). Computers in Neurorehabilitation: What Role do they Play? Part 1. The British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62 (12), 549-553.


  • Jeaco, S. (2022) Exploring academic English with The Prime Machine. In P. Knight & R. Smith (Eds.), EAP for the 21st Century: The UNNC Impact. SFLEP.
  • Jeaco, S. (2020). DIY needs analysis and specific text types: Using The Prime Machine to explore vocabulary in readymade and homemade English corpora. In M. Dodigovic & M. P. Agustín-Llach (Eds.), Vocabulary in Curriculum Planning: Needs, Strategies and Tools: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Jeaco, S. (2017). Concordancing lexical primings. In M. Pace-Sigge & K. J. Patterson (Eds.), Lexical Priming: Applications and advances (pp. 274-297). John Benjamins Publications.


  • Jeaco, S. (2018) Conference Workshop: The Prime Machine – a tool to help English language learners get started with the exploration of English language and literature. Fourth Asia Pacific Corpus Linguistics Conference (APCLC 2018), Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan.
  • Jeaco, S. (2018) Mixing and Matching DIY and Ready-Made Corpora: Introducing the DIY Text Tools Built into The Prime Machine. Fourth Asia Pacific Corpus Linguistics Conference (APCLC 2018), Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan.
  • Jeaco, S. (2018) Exploring Collocations with The Prime Machine: Some classic activities with a new tool. The Globalization and Localization in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (GLoCALL) Conference, XJTLU, Suzhou, China
  • Jeaco, S. (2018). Exploring Language and Literature with The Prime Machine. 4th Corpus Linguistics in China Conference, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
  • Jeaco, S. (2017, July). What kind of neighbourhood is that? Helping learners explore the semantic neighbourhood of words and phrases. Corpus Linguistics International Conference 2017, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
  • Jeaco, S. (2016, July). Get in line and show me what you've got: Exploring concordance line ranking and selection methods for different language learning goals. The 12th Teaching and Language Corpora Conference, Justus Libig University, Giessen, Germany.
  • Jeaco, S. M. (2015). Can you give me a few pointers? Helping learners notice and understand tendencies of words and phrases to occur in specific kinds of environment. The Eighth International Corpus Linguistics Conference (CL2015), UCREL, Lancaster, United Kingdom.
  • Jeaco, S. M. (2014). Tell me what I'm missing: Helping language learners make useful comparisons through enhancing the features of concordancing software. The 11th Teaching and Language Corpora Conference, UCREL, Lancaster, United Kingdom.
  • Jeaco, S. M. (2014). Making collocation clouds more transparent: towards an asymmetrical, position sensitive collocation measure for improved learning. Second Asia Pacific Corpus Linguistics Conference, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China- Hong Kong.
  • Jeaco, S. M. (2013). Hold on a minute; where does it say that? - Calculating key section headings and other metadata for words and phrases. the Seventh International Corpus Linguistics Conference (CL2013), Lancaster, United Kingdom.
  • Jeaco, S. M. & Jordan, E. (2012). Timed Writing Pad – a new approach to harvesting genuine timed writing data for a learner corpus' presented at Corpus Technologies and Applied Linguistics. Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China-PRC.
  • Jeaco, S. M. (2012). Can the output of self-transcribed speaking activities provide useful data for a learner corpus? An evaluation of reflective transcription tasks for learners as a means of corpus creation. the 10th Teaching and Language Corpora Conference, The Institute of Applied Linguistics, Warsaw, Poland
  • Jeaco, S. M. (2011). Developing an intuitive screen design for a learner-centred concordancer. Corpus Linguistics Conference 2011, ICC Birmingham, United Kingdom.
  • Jeaco, S. M. & Hu, H. (2010). Implementing Blended Learning of English for Academic Purposes in a Strong-Strong Sino-UK Education Model. China 2010 Symposium on Online Foreign Language Education, Beijing, China-PRC.


  • LNG404 Speaking and Listening (MA TESOL)
  • LNG409 MA TESOL Dissertation
  • LNG102 Introduction to Corpus Linguistics
  • LNG101 Sounds of English
  • ENG403 Methods in English Language Teaching
  • ENG304 Language and Literature
  • ENG114 Introduction to Corpus Linguistics
  • ENG104 Language of Business and Finance
  • ENG101 Sounds of English
  • Various EAP modules (2006-2012)


  • IJCALLT Editorial Board, 2011-


  • 2022 The British Council ELTons Awards Digital Innovation Finalist - The Prime Machine HD
  • Nominated by XJTLU and awarded 2015-2016 Excellent Teacher by Suzhou Industrial Park Education Department (苏州工业园区优秀教育工作者)
Stephen Jeaco