LIMITATIONS OF SIZE AND LEVELS TESTS OF WRITTEN RECEPTIVE VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Stoeckel ◽  
Stuart McLean ◽  
Paul Nation
Keyword(s):  
Family Member ◽  
Random Sample ◽  
Correct Response ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Materials Selection ◽  
Lexical Knowledge ◽  
Test Strategies ◽  
Vocabulary Growth ◽  
Limited Precision

Abstract Two commonly used test types to assess vocabulary knowledge for the purpose of reading are size and levels tests. This article first reviews several frequently stated purposes of such tests (e.g., materials selection, tracking vocabulary growth) and provides a reasoned argument for the precision needed to serve such purposes. Then three sources of inaccuracy in existing tests are examined: the overestimation of lexical knowledge from guessing or use of test strategies under meaning-recognition item formats; the overestimation of vocabulary knowledge when receptive understanding of all word family members is assumed from a correct response to an item assessing knowledge of just one family member; and the limited precision that a small, random sample of target words has in representing the population of words from which it is drawn. The article concludes that existing tests lack the accuracy needed for many specified testing purposes and discusses possible improvements going forward.

Vocabulary growth in second language among immigrant school-aged children in Greece

2012 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 621-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
PANAGIOTIS G. SIMOS ◽  
GEORGIOS D. SIDERIDIS ◽  
ANGELIKI MOUZAKI ◽  
ASPASIA CHATZIDAKI ◽  
MARIA TZEVELEKOU
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Ethnic Group ◽  
Hierarchical Linear Modeling ◽  
Parental Education ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Vocabulary Growth

ABSTRACTThe goal of the study was to assess differences between native Greek and bilingual, immigrant children of Albanian descent learning Greek as a second language on a receptive vocabulary measure. Vocabulary measures were obtained at five time points, 6 months apart, from 580 children attending Grades 2–4. Individual variability on both initial performance (intercept) and growth rate (slope) was assessed using hierarchical linear modeling, which included linguistic/ethnic group, parental education (as a socioeconomic status [SES] indicator), gender, and a measure of nonverbal cognitive ability as time-invariant predictors of vocabulary growth. Results indicated that linguistic/ethnic group, parental education, and baseline nonverbal cognitive ability were significant predictors of initial vocabulary scores, whereas only linguistic/ethnic group and nonverbal ability accounted for significant variability in vocabulary growth rates. Additional analyses confirmed that linguistic/ethnic group remained a significant predictor of receptive vocabulary knowledge at both the intercept and the slope levels even after controlling for the initial differences between groups on parental education and block design subtest scores.

scholarly journals A Bilingual Vocabulary Size Test of English for Vietnamese Learners

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Nguyen ◽  
Paul Nation
Keyword(s):  
Word Frequency ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Proficiency Levels ◽  
Vocabulary Growth ◽  
Development And Validation ◽  
Test Result

This article describes the development and validation of a Vietnamese bilingual version of the Vocabulary Size Test - a test which measures written receptive vocabulary size. The test can be used to measure the English vocabulary size of Vietnamese learners of English. A learner's total vocabulary size is calculated by multiplying their test result by 100. The research adds to our knowledge of vocabulary size testing in the following ways. First, it shows that a bilingual version of a monolingual test performs in much the same way as the monolingual test, distinguishing learners of different proficiency levels and returning lower scores at later levels of the test. Second, it shows that every level of the test should be sat, otherwise there will be a considerable underestimation of learners' vocabulary sizes. This suggests limitations to the previously accepted assumption that learners' vocabulary growth can be largely related to word frequency. Third, it shows that bilingual tests are feasible alternatives to more challenging and time-consuming monolingual tests. © The Author(s) 2011.

scholarly journals The Influence of French on Vocabulary Knowledge of Arabic-speaking University students learning English as a Foreign Language: A Melting Pot

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Adela Talbi Hassani
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Growth Pattern ◽  
Vocabulary Learning ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Moderate Increase ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Melting Pot ◽  
Progressive Growth

Purpose: The present study investigated the extent to which background knowledge of the French language could influence English vocabulary learning among EFL university students in Algeria. More specifically, the possible cross-linguistic influence in this context was researched in relation to the growth pattern of the receptive written vocabulary size across the three years of the undergraduate course. Methodology: A cross-sectional research design was used for a total number of 184 EFL Algerian university students. The written receptive vocabulary size was measured using Nation's Vocabulary Size Test (2007) which contained many words with similar orthographic forms as their French equivalents. A comparison between the results of the whole population made it possible to establish the progressive growth pattern from Year 1 to Year 3 of the degree course. Results: Besides a moderate increase of vocabulary size from one proficiency level to the other, and an expected decrease pattern of knowledge from the most frequent English words to the least frequent ones, the positive cross-linguistic influence of French cognates was highly significant as it led to the knowledge of words that were beyond the expected level of most participants. Conclusion/Implication: The facilitative effect of French cognates for EFL learners in Algerian universities is, therefore, an area that instructors and syllabus designers can make use of to maximize the vocabulary learning process.

THE IMPLEMENTATIONS OF GAMES IN ENHANCING VOCABULARY FOR STUDENTS AT A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (20) ◽  
pp. 146-155
Author(s):  
Hien Luong Nong Thi
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Language Games ◽  
Classroom Teachers ◽  
Lexical Knowledge ◽  
Communicative Skills ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Topic Time ◽  
Compulsory Subject ◽  
Learning English

In recent years, teaching English has become a compulsory subject at schools, colleges and universities. That is the reason why teaching and learning English effectively play a crucial role in the development of educational system. However, students seem to be weak in communicative skills due to they are lack of English vocabulary knowledge. The aim of this paper is to seek out the evidence to prove that teaching games is very helpful in the language classroom because this method helps to improve and increase students’ vocabularies. The results show that language games not only enhanced students’ lexical knowledge but also made the lesson more enjoyable, students became motivated in learning English and had plenty of interactions with teachers and classmates. The study suggests that before employing games in the language classroom, teachers should choose appropriate materials, levels, contexts, topic, time allowance for games.

The acquisition of Greek gender by bilingual children: The effects of lexical knowledge, oral input, literacy and bi/monolingual schooling

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 901-920 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Prentza ◽  
Maria Kaltsa ◽  
Ianthi Maria Tsimpli ◽  
Despina Papadopoulou
Keyword(s):  
Parental Education ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Bilingual Children ◽  
Lexical Knowledge ◽  
Gender Assignment ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Grammatical Development ◽  
Distinct Process

Aim: The objectives of this study are to examine (a) the development of gender assignment and agreement in real and pseudo nouns by bilingual Greek-Albanian children and (b) how different input-related factors impact on these different processes. Methodology: Real and pseudo nouns were investigated to assess the effect of lexical knowledge (real nouns) and of morphological cues (pseudo nouns). Four tasks eliciting gender production in determiner phrases (assignment) and adjective predicates (agreement) for real and pseudo items were administered. Data: 150 bilingual children and 57 Greek monolingual children, aged 8–12 years old, were tested. Bilingual performance is investigated in relation to the role of the bilinguals’ Greek vocabulary knowledge, as well as in relation to early/current language exposure, oral input, literacy, monolingual/bilingual schooling and parental education as a proxy for socioeconomic status. Findings: The results show a strong relationship between the bilinguals’ performance and their Greek vocabulary development, the amount of oral Greek input and the type of school they are attending. For real nouns, oral Greek input is a positive predictor for accuracy, while literacy in Albanian is associated with lower scores. In pseudo nouns, bilinguals attending bilingual schools are shown to perform significantly better than those attending monolingual schools. Originality: The contribution of this study is related to (a) the examination of pseudo nouns along with real ones showing that gender marking in the former involves a distinct process, (b) the finding regarding the pervasive role of vocabulary knowledge and (c) the consideration of schooling type in relation to the development of a specific grammatical feature. Implications: Bilingual education was shown to positively affect the development of gender, which suggests that schooling type has a significant impact not only on literacy development but also on grammatical development.

scholarly journals The Role of Primary Caregiver Vocabulary Knowledge in the Development of Bilingual Children's Vocabulary Skills

2014 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 1804-1816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milijana Buac ◽  
Megan Gross ◽  
Margarita Kaushanskaya
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Primary Caregivers ◽  
Primary Caregiver ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Vocabulary Skills ◽  
Language Exposure ◽  
Language Environment ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The present study examined the impact of environmental factors (socioeconomic status [SES], the percent of language exposure to English and to Spanish, and primary caregivers' vocabulary knowledge) on bilingual children's vocabulary skills. Method Vocabulary skills were measured in 58 bilingual children between the ages of 5 and 7 who spoke Spanish as their native language and English as their second language. Data related to language environment in the home, specifically, the percent of language exposure to each language and SES, were obtained from primary caregiver interviews. Primary caregivers' vocabulary knowledge was measured directly using expressive and receptive vocabulary assessments in both languages. Results Multiple regression analyses indicated that primary caregivers' vocabulary knowledge, the child's percent exposure to each language, and SES were robust predictors of children's English, but not Spanish, vocabulary skills. Conclusion These findings indicate that in the early school ages, primary caregiver vocabulary skills have a stronger impact on bilingual children's second-language than native-language vocabulary.

Development of morphological awareness and vocabulary knowledge in Spanish-speaking language minority learners: A parallel process latent growth curve model

2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
MICHAEL J. KIEFFER ◽  
NONIE K. LESAUX
Keyword(s):  
Rapid Growth ◽  
Morphological Awareness ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Language Minority ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Latent Growth ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Vocabulary Growth ◽  
Concurrent Development ◽  
Complex Words

ABSTRACTDespite acknowledgement of the limited English vocabularies demonstrated by many language minority (LM) learners, few studies have identified skills that relate to variation in vocabulary growth in this population. This study investigated the concurrent development of morphological awareness (i.e., students’ understanding of complex words as combinations of meaningful smaller units) and vocabulary for LM learners in early adolescence. A cohort of Spanish-speaking LM learners (n = 90) was followed from fourth through seventh grade and assessed annually. Latent growth modeling results indicated a strong relationship between rates of growth in the two skills, such that learners with rapid growth in derivational morphological awareness also demonstrated rapid growth in vocabulary. Despite positive vocabulary growth during this period, the learners remained far below national norms. Findings highlight the need for language-focused instructional intervention for this population and suggest that morphological awareness may be a promising point of leverage for such instruction.

A study of Indonesian university students’ vocabulary mastery with vocabulary level test

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 187-195
Author(s):  
Rully Raslina Novianti
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
University Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Word Level ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
English Instruction

In investigating learners’ vocabulary mastery, some researchers focused their studies on either receptive or productive vocabulary mastery. This study examines university students’ vocabulary knowledge in Indonesia by using the Vocabulary Level Test (VLT). It also compares the receptive vocabulary size of students who obtained extra hours of English instruction with those who had not. Furthermore, this study also identifies their strategies in enhancing their vocabulary mastery. The 2000-word frequency-band from the receptive version of the VLT and questionnaire are used for data collection. The results show that their receptive vocabulary scores are lower than 2000 words and no significant difference was found between the students who had extra hours of English instruction and those who had not. Then it can be stated that even after they had gained extra hours of English instruction, their average vocabulary knowledge was still lower than the 1000 estimated word level in the VLT. Keywords: vocabulary mastery, Vocabulary Level Test (VLT), English as a Foreign Language (EFL), undergraduate students.  

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