Investigating the Relationship between Vocabulary Knowledge and Academic Success of Arabic Undergraduate Learners in Swansea University

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 88-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reem Alsager ◽  
James Milton
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Test System ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Aptitude Test ◽  
Language Aptitude ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Intelligence Scores

AbstractThe number of Arabic learners studying abroad has increased significantly over the last decade, and continues to increase. To test such students’ proficiency with English in an academic setting, most universities use standardised exams, such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Test System (IELTS). Although these tools are considered valid entry tests (Taylor and Falvey, 2007) they don’t appear to be useful predictors of academic success (e.g. Cotton and Conrow, 1998). We have therefore tried to find alternative measures to help refine our ability to predict academic performance. These include vocabulary knowledge using the XK_Lex test (Milton & Al- Masrai, 2009); intelligence test (Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, WASI) and a foreign language aptitude test (Modern Language Aptitude Test, MLAT; Carroll & Sapon, 1959).36 Arabic undergraduate students in Swansea University participated in this study. The results of the measures were correlated with participants’ Grade Point Average (GPA) as a measure of academic achievement. The findings suggest that a vocabulary knowledge threshold of 5000 and above is necessary for L2 learners to undertake international education; below this volume of vocabulary, they risk failure or academic hardship during their studies. No correlation was found between intelligence or aptitude test scores and learners’ academic achievement, but a significant relationship was noted between intelligence and vocabulary knowledge, confirming the trend that learners with high intelligence scores are more likely to possess an extensive vocabulary than learners with low intelligence scores.

A longitudinal study at an English medium instruction university in Turkey: the interplay between English language improvement and academic success

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Doğan Yuksel ◽  
Adem Soruç ◽  
Mehmet Altay ◽  
Samantha Curle
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Content Learning ◽  
English Medium Instruction ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Academic Content

Abstract This article reports a quantitative empirical study that investigated whether English language proficiency increases over time when studying academic content through English Medium Instruction (EMI). It was also investigated whether an increase in proficiency predicts EMI academic achievement. Student English language test score data and Grade Point Average (GPA) data were collected from a public university in Turkey. Two academic subjects were compared: Business Administration (a Social Science subject, n = 81) and Mechatronics Engineering (a Mathematics, Physical and Life Sciences subject, n = 84). Results showed that in both subjects, English language proficiency statistically significantly improved over a four-year period of studying through English. Furthermore, this improvement predicted EMI academic achievement; meaning that the more proficient students became in English, the higher they achieved in their EMI academic studies. This provides evidence for policymakers, EMI practitioners, and language professionals around the world that English does improve when studying academic content through English, and that this improvement has a positive effect on content learning outcomes. Implications of these findings, and suggestions for further research are discussed.

scholarly journals Measuring the contribution of specialist vocabulary knowledge to academic achievement: disentangling effects of multiple types of word knowledge

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Masrai ◽  
James Milton ◽  
Dina Abdel Salam El-Dakhs ◽  
Heba Elmenshawy
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
The Other ◽  
Word Knowledge ◽  
Academic Vocabulary ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThis study investigates the idea that knowledge of specialist subject vocabulary can make a significant and measurable impact on academic performance, separate from and additional to the impact of general and academic vocabulary knowledge. It tests the suggestion of Hyland and Tse (TESOL Quarterly, 41:235–253, 2007) that specialist vocabulary should be given more attention in teaching. Three types of vocabulary knowledge, general, academic and a specialist business vocabulary factors, are tested against GPA and a business module scores among students of business at a college in Egypt. The results show that while general vocabulary size has the greatest explanation of variance in the academic success factors, the other two factors - academic and a specialist business vocabulary - make separate and additional further contributions. The contribution to the explanation of variance made by specialist vocabulary knowledge is double that of academic vocabulary knowledge.

scholarly journals EFFECT OF ENGLISH PROFICIENCY ON SOCIAL CAPITAL AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AMONG ECONOMIC STUDENTS

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Sodbir Hamzah ◽  
Hussin Abdullah ◽  
Mazida Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
English Language ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Academic Achievements

The use of English language becomes increasingly important, either in educational sector or working sector. The role of social capital should be taken into consideration in helping the students to achieve their academic success. Previous findings indicated that students with limited use of English faced problems in advance subjects. Thus, this study examines the effect of English language proficiency towards social capital and academic achievement. This study employed the survey research design and the sample comprised of 81 undergraduate students enrolled in Economics courses from year two and three in Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). The instruments were adapted based on the constructs in the structural model developed. The data has been analysed using Structural Equation Modelling to enable simultaneous analysis of all the constructs and estimate the magnitude of the direct and indirect effects between the constructs. The findings show that there is a significant direct effect of English Language Proficiency (ELP) towards Academic Achievements (AA) and Social Capital Outside Family (SCOF), and from social capital outside family towards academic achievements. The mediating effect of social capital outside family towards English Language Proficiency (ELP) and Academic Achievement (AA) among economics students in UUM was significant. The findings suggest for more activities geared towards increasing students’ English language proficiency to help them to increase their academic achievements.Keywords: English Language Proficiency; Social Capital; Academic Achievement.

scholarly journals Performance in English Skills Courses and Overall Academic Achievement

1991 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Black
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Threshold Level ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Academic Needs ◽  
Universities And Colleges ◽  
Spoken English ◽  
Academic Courses

The implementation of ESL courses at universities and colleges has been based on the assumption that a threshold level of English proficiency is necessary for students to succeed at their academic work. The correlation, however, between English language proficiency and academic success has not been clearly established. This paper describes a study undertaken at Brock University which correlates performance of students in ESL courses in spoken and written English with achievement in their other academic courses. The grades received in the ESL courses were correlated with the overall academic average and the major average for the whole group and for each of three degree groups-students completing B.A, RSc., and B.RE. degrees. Analysis of the data revealed a modest positive correlation between performance in written English and the overall and major averages in all groups except the B.RE., in which there was no significant correlation. The grades for the spoken English course failed to correlate significantly with either the overall average or the major average in any of the groups. Pedagogical implications of these surprisingly low correlations are discussed, and suggestions are offered for making skills learned in ESL courses more relevant to the academic needs of students.

scholarly journals The lifespan development of cognate guessing skills in an unknown related language

2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Vanhove ◽  
Raphael Berthele
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Fluid Intelligence ◽  
Computer Code ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Lifespan Development ◽  
Language Test ◽  
Translation Equivalent ◽  
Related Language ◽  
German Speaking

AbstractThis study investigates the lifespan development of the ability to correctly guess the meaning of foreign-language words with known translation-equivalent cognates. It also aims to identify the cognitive and linguistic factors driving this development. To this end, 159 German-speaking Swiss participants aged 10 to 86 were asked to translate 45 written and 45 spoken isolated Swedish words with German, English or French cognates. In addition, they were administered an English language test, a German vocabulary test as well as fluid intelligence and working memory tests. Cognate guessing skills were found to improve into young adulthood, but whereas they show additional increases in the written modality throughout adulthood, they start to decrease from age 50 onwards for spoken stimuli. Congruently with these findings, L1 vocabulary knowledge is a stronger predictor of written cognate guessing success, whereas fluid intelligence is the most important predictor in the spoken modality. Raw data and computer code used for the analyses are freely available online.

scholarly journals Exploring the present and target academic English language needs of Iranian undergraduate students: a case at the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-123
Author(s):  
Simin Sattarpour ◽  
Assef Khalili
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Needs Analysis ◽  
Medical Sciences ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Teachers And Students

Background: The content for courses for English for specific purposes (ESP) has been largely determined on the basis of the intuitive judgments and personal preferences of syllabus designers and teachers rather than a standard needs analysis. The present study was an attempt at assessing the current English language abilities of undergraduate students majoring in the medical sciences and identifying their target needs for academic success through quantitative and qualitative methods. Methods: The participants included 197 undergraduate students, 12 Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) teachers, and 15 content teachers from the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Data were collected through a target needs analysis, self-assessment questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews. Results: Pronunciation, technical and general vocabulary knowledge, and use of bilingual dictionaries were regarded as ‘important’ and ‘very important’ target needs by the participants, though some significant differences in perceptions were found between content teachers and students. Writing skill, listening comprehension, and speaking were perceived as the weakest points in the students’ current level of ability. There was also a significant difference between the perception of TEFL teachers and students in assessing the students’ linguistic abilities. Furthermore, both students and TEFL teachers voiced their dissatisfaction with certain areas of ESP courses, such as an inadequate number of credits and heterogeneity of classes. Conclusion: To improve the outcome of ESP courses, they should be designed on the basis of a realistic appreciation of all stakeholders’ perceptions in the field, and they should be taught through the cooperation of both TEFL teachers and content teachers working together.

scholarly journals The Sources of Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety of Iranian English Language Learners

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Firooz Sadighi ◽  
Mehdi Dastpak
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Negative Evaluation ◽  
Speaking Anxiety ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Affective Factors

Foreign language learning anxiety is one of the affective factors which influence language learning negatively. It has several sources and different types. The present study aimed at investigating the sources of foreign language speaking anxiety of Iranian EFL learners. To do so, 154 EFL learners participated in the study. They were required to fill out a foreign language anxiety questionnaire which was developed based on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) by Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope (1986). The results of the study indicated that “fear of making mistakes”, “fear of negative evaluation”, and “lack of vocabulary knowledge” were the main factors which caused anxiety among students. Some strategies are recommended for the students to use in order to cope with the anxiety-provoking factors. 

scholarly journals AUDIOVISUAL MEDIA AND THE ACQUISITION OF EFL VOCABULARY

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (48) ◽  
pp. 269-281
Author(s):  
Biljana adić-Bojanić ◽  
Keyword(s):  
High School Students ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Grammar School ◽  
School Students ◽  
Audiovisual Media ◽  
Fourth Grade Students ◽  
The World

English language vocabulary is not static and unchangeable, especially because it is constantly enriched as the world changes. All this is reflected in audiovisual media, which people around the world can access easily via the cinema, TV or the internet. Since authors like Hopkins (2013), Israel (2013), Kabooha (2016), Kuśnierek (2016), Li and Brand (2009), Peters et al. (2016), Rodgers (2013) and Shing and Yin (2014) have found that audiovisual media can contribute to second language acquisition, the aim of this research is to establish if and to what extent they influence the acquisition of vocabulary of English as a foreign language among high school students in Serbia. In order to obtain the data, we examined the frequency and manner of use of audiovisual media in a questionnaire and collected the data on vocabulary knowledge in a test. The research was conducted in a grammar school and the informants were 99 second and fourth-grade students. The data were coded and statistically processed in SPSS 20.0. It was established that those students who spent more time using audiovisual media had a positive attitude towards them and achieved better results on the vocabulary test.

scholarly journals English Lexical Acquisition of Adult Learners in Instructional Settings: Issue on Lexical Input

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Azman Mokhtar ◽  
Rafizah Mohd Rawian ◽  
Paramjit Kaur a/p Karpal Singh
Keyword(s):  
Adult Learners ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Education System ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Tertiary Level ◽  
Vocabulary Test ◽  
Lexical Knowledge ◽  
Unsuccessful Attempt ◽  
Instructional Settings

<p>This study examined the receptive and productive English vocabulary knowledge of tertiary students. Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) consisted of three tests, namely Passive Vocabulary Test (PVT), Controlled Active Vocabulary Test (CAVT), and Free Active Vocabulary Test (FAVT) was used to collect the data. A total of 360 first-, second- and third-year university students were involved in the study. The findings revealed that majority of them had very limited lexical knowledge to use English as their second or foreign language, though formal exposures to English language had been given to them for at least 11 years before entering the tertiary level. In trying to unfold the unsuccessful attempt to enhance the students’ lexical competent through the present Malaysian education system, the issue of lexical input in terms of quantity and quality had been raised.</p>

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