scholarly journals The Impact of Vocabulary Knowledge on the Reading Comprehension of Saudi EFL Learners

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 24-34
Author(s):  
Fadi Al-Khasawneh
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Educational Stakeholders ◽  
Word Families ◽  
Written Texts ◽  
Vocabulary Depth ◽  
The Impact

Vocabulary knowledge is the building block of learning a second language and the degree of success for learning any language depends on the amount of vocabulary a learner possesses. Vocabulary knowledge contributes to mastering language skills (reading, listening, writing, and speaking). Therefore, the present study aims at determining the role of vocabulary size in reading comprehension among Saudi EFL learners. The participants of this study included 64 male students who studied at the first level in the academic year 2018/2019 at King Khalid University. Both the Vocabulary Size Test developed by (Schmitt et al.) and reading comprehension test taken from the TOEFL preparation manual were used to collect the necessary data for the study. The results of the study revealed that the overall vocabulary size of Saudi EFL learners was 2025 word families. This amount helps students to comprehend 90% of written texts as pointed out by many researchers in this field. The results also showed a significant relationship between vocabulary size and reading comprehension. Vocabulary knowledge is an important predictor for comprehending written texts. The study provides some implications for educational stakeholders such as putting more emphasis on teaching vocabulary and using different teaching strategies that assist in the acquisition of vocabulary in general and academic vocabulary in particular. Keywords: vocabulary knowledge; vocabulary depth; vocabulary breadth; reading comprehension; Saudi EFL learners.

The Role of Vocabulary Breadth and Depth in Reading Comprehension: A Quantitative Study of Finnish EFL Learners

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 1079
Author(s):  
Noora Harkio ◽  
Päivi Pietilä
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Comprehension Skills ◽  
Vocabulary Depth ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Matriculation Examination ◽  
Knowledge Scale ◽  
Reading Comprehension Skills

This article reports the results of a study on the relationship between second language vocabulary breadth, vocabulary depth, and reading comprehension. A special aim was to discover the role of vocabulary depth in the prediction and explanation of L2 learners’ reading comprehension. Two proficiency levels, intermediate and advanced, were compared. Vocabulary breadth was measured with the Vocabulary Size Test (Nation & Beglar, 2007), vocabulary depth with the Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (Wesche & Paribakht, 1996), and reading comprehension with a test compiled of sections from two former matriculation examination tasks. The three constructs showed strong positive correlations in both groups of subjects. However, based on the results, vocabulary breadth and depth seem to be stronger predictors of reading comprehension skills in lower levels of proficiency than on the advanced level.

scholarly journals The Impact of Glossed Texts on Reading Comprehension among Tertiary Saudi Students

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 153
Author(s):  
Bader Alharbi
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Saudi Students ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of this study is to explore the existing effect of gloss conditions on reading comprehension and vocabulary understanding of learners in the context of English as a foreign language. The study composed of 72 male students aged between 19 and 21 years selected from Qassim University in Saudi Arabia. The participants were divided into four groups, namely; L1 Arabic gloss, L2 English gloss, a combination of L1 and L2, and the last group with no gloss. Results and findings of the study revealed a significant difference regarding the comprehension of the texts among the experimental groups when correlated with the control group. Additionally, there was no significant change noted regarding performance among the experimental groups. Another finding indicated that the learners had a preference of L1 and L2 gloss over L1 gloss and L2 gloss types, with 93.03% of them preferring to read glossed texts. Overall, these findings suggest that the gloss and no conditions were significantly distinct. This research results will be beneficial for future studies that are interested in developing reading comprehension of EFL learners.

scholarly journals Probing the Relationship between Vocabulary Knowledge and Listening Comprehension of Iranian Lower-Intermediate EFL Learners

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Taghi Farvardin ◽  
Leila Valipouri
Keyword(s):  
Listening Comprehension ◽  
Predictive Power ◽  
Test Word ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Powerful Predictor ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Vocabulary Depth ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Pearson Correlations

This study probed the relationship between vocabulary knowledge (i.e., size and depth) and listening comprehension of Iranian lower-intermediate EFL learners. To this end, 80 lower-intermediate EFL learners in Ahvaz, Iran, were selected. This study also investigated the predictive power of the vocabulary size and depth in lower-intermediate EFL learners’ listening comprehension. To this end, three tests (i.e., Vocabulary Levels Test, Word Associates Test, and a listening comprehension test) were administered to the participants. The results of Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses revealed that vocabulary depth had a higher relationship with the listening comprehension scores (r = 0.43, p < .01). In addition, vocabulary depth proved to be a more powerful predictor of listening comprehension scores. 

scholarly journals INVESTIGATING EFL SYRIAN UNDERGRADUATES’ VOCABULARY SIZE

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Maisaa Moustafa Daaboul ◽  
Vahid Nimehchisalem
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Private University ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Vocabulary Test ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Word Families ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Learning English

Vocabulary knowledge is an important aspect of learning English as a second/foreign language (ESL/ EFL). Previous research has given much attention to ESL/EFL learners’ knowledge of vocabulary by measuring their vocabulary size. Yet, in the EFL Syrian context, there is a rarity of research on learners’ vocabulary size. Therefore, the present study attempted to investigate vocabulary knowledge of English among EFL Syrian learners by measuring their vocabulary size based on a vocabulary size test (VST) adopted from Nation (2006). The study was conducted among 100 Syrian university learners joining English in one private university in Syria. The data collected from the participating students in the form of numerical responses to the vocabulary test was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results revealed that the Syrian university learners’ overall vocabulary size in English was moderate (M=5.30). Moreover, the scores of the learners across the fourteen 1000-word families/lists of the vocabulary test varied from high to moderate. Based on the results, the study suggested that the average EFL Syrian undergraduates need to expand their vocabulary knowledge through training and instruction on vocabulary-raising awareness.  

scholarly journals An Investigation of the Relationship between Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary Knowledge, and English Language Proficiency Level of Saudi EFL Learners

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Huda Suleiman Al Qunayeer
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Word Knowledge ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
The Relationship

The present study is an attempt to explore the relationship between the breadth (the number of words known) and the depth of vocabulary knowledge (the richness of word knowledge) (the richness of word knowledge), and reading comprehension of EFL learners in an English as a foreign language (EFL) context. Furthermore, it tries to find the effect of language proficiency level of learners on the breadth and the depth of lexical vocabulary and reading comprehension of Saudi EFL learners. The participants of the study were seventy-five intermediate and advanced level majoring in English Translation at Qassim University in KSA. The level of language proficiency of participants had been checked through an OPT by the department in advance. To collect the relevant data, two tests measuring breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge were administered to all participants. They also received a reading comprehension test in which they were asked to read the passages and answer some multiple-choice questions. The findings obtained from the analysis of the data indicated that there is a significant relationship between breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge and Saudi advanced/intermediate EFL learner’s reading comprehension performance totally. The results further revealed that both dimensions of vocabulary knowledge are positively correlated, that is, those learners who had large vocabulary size had a deeper knowledge of the words, too. The results further showed that language proficiency level of learners have an effect on Saudi EFL learners’ reading performance and vocabulary knowledge. These results confirm the importance and the value of developing students‟ breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge in EFL classrooms.

scholarly journals Comparing Two Measures of L2 Depth of Vocabulary Knowledge Using the Association With Vocabulary Size

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Dabbagh ◽  
Mostafa Janebi Enayat
Keyword(s):  
Significant Contribution ◽  
Word Association ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Word Association Test ◽  
Vocabulary Depth ◽  
Two Measures ◽  
Knowledge Scale

Abstract This study compared two tests of second language (L2) depth of vocabulary knowledge, namely the word association test (WAT) and vocabulary knowledge scale (VKS), with respect to their associations with vocabulary size. The same relationships were further examined separately for the five word-frequency bands of the vocabulary size test. To this end, 115 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners took the WAT, VKS, and Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT). Results of multiple linear regression analyses indicated that: (a) while both measures of vocabulary depth were predictive of the VLT, the WAT had a higher association with the dependent variable; (b) both the WAT and VKS were predictive of the high-frequency vocabulary, with the relationships being more significant for the WAT; (c) the WAT could significantly predict the mid-frequency vocabulary, whereas the VKS had no significant contribution; and (d) while the VKS was significantly associated with the low-frequency vocabulary, the WAT had no significant contribution to the prediction of this level. The findings are interpreted with reference to the suitability of both the WAT and VKS depending on the type of input, expected response, and desired frequency of the target words.

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 Enhancing Elementary Level EFL Students’ Reading Comprehension and Writing Skills through Extensive Reading Enrichment Program

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
Rania Adel Ibrahim Ahmed ◽  
Hussam Rajab
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Extensive Reading ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
The Impact

<p>This quasi-experimental, longitudinal, quantitative study investigated the impact of Extensive Reading (ER) on developing second language (L2) reading comprehension and writing skills among primary school EFL learners in two Arab countries, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The study is based on an experiment conducted over a nine-month period on a convenience sample of 112 primary school students <em>(n=112</em>) divided into five groups, three experimental groups and two control group, where the students belonged to two different private schools in Egypt and two different international schools in two cities in Saudi Arabia. The experiment, in the form of an enrichment ER program, used graded readers for young learners and was designed to foster ER for pleasure. The study, guided by three hypotheses, incorporated two types of statistical analysis tests, paired samples t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The statistical analysis tests performed indicated marked improvement in English proficiency in the two experimental groups, with particular reference to reading comprehension and writing. A number of pedagogical implications and recommendations for future research are given. Additionally, the study highlights the issue related to insufficient exposure to English for young Arab EFL learners in their daily lives, which, unfortunately, seems to cause relapses in their L2 intake, despite having an age advantage.</p>

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