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 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.

BILEX: A new tool measuring bilingual children’s lexicons and translational equivalents

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anja Gampe ◽  
Ira Kurthen ◽  
Moritz M. Daum
Keyword(s):  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
The Other ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Good Consistency ◽  
Development And Validation

The current study describes the development and validation of a novel scale (BILEX) designed to assess young bilingual children’s receptive vocabulary in both languages, their conceptual vocabulary, and translational equivalents. BILEX was developed to facilitate the assessment of vocabulary size for both of the children’s languages within one session without any transfer from one language to the other. One-hundred-and-eighty-two 3-year-old children participated in the studies of reliability and validity. Psychometric properties have very good consistency and reliability, along with good concurrent, construct, and criteria validity.

How well do learners know derived words in a second language?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Batia Laufer ◽  
Stuart Webb ◽  
Su Kyung Kim ◽  
Beverley Yohanan
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Word Frequency ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Base Word ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Advanced Learners ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Frequency Effects ◽  
Proficiency Levels ◽  
Custom Made

Abstract The study investigates derivational knowledge of second language (L2) learners as a function of four variables: learner proficiency, word family frequency, derived word frequency, and affix type as suggested by two affix difficulty hierarchies. Seventy-nine EFL learners at two proficiency levels received two tests, the VST – Vocabulary Size Test (Nation & Beglar, 2007) and a custom-made ‘Derivatives Test’, which included derived forms of VST base words. We performed the following within-participant comparisons: knowledge of base words and knowledge of their derived forms, knowledge of high-, medium-, and low-frequency derived forms, and knowledge of derivatives at different affix difficulty levels. Knowledge of basewords and their derivatives was statistically equivalent for advanced learners. However, a difference was found between the categories for less advanced learners. The findings also revealed learner proficiency and base word frequency effects, partial support for the two affix difficulty hierarchies, and no support for the effect of derivative frequency.

Receptive vocabulary size and its relationship to EFL language skills

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imma Miralpeix ◽  
Carmen Muñoz
Keyword(s):  
Word Frequency ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Lexical Knowledge ◽  
Advanced Learners ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Listening And Speaking

AbstractThis study analyses the relationship between receptive vocabulary size in upper-intermediate/advanced learners and EFL proficiency and the skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. Little research has been conducted on this dimension of lexical knowledge and the four skills (Staehr, 2008; Milton et al., 2010), in spite of the fact that previous studies of separate language skills have highlighted the importance of vocabulary size for language proficiency development. A sample of 42 participants was assessed by means of a receptive vocabulary size test on ten word-frequency levels (1k to 10k), and on both receptive and productive skills (oral and written). Results reveal that vocabulary size explains language proficiency to a large extent, even in learners with vocabularies of more than 5,000 words, though its influence on performance is not as strong as in learners with smaller vocabularies. At a high proficiency level, vocabulary size is closely linked to writing and is moderately correlated with reading, speaking and listening. The findings help to provide a more complete picture than earlier research by including more proficient learners in EFL settings.

Language Lite? Learning French Vocabulary in School

2006 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
JAMES MILTON
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Word Frequency ◽  
Historical Data ◽  
Vocabulary Learning ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Vocabulary Size

We know very little about the French vocabulary that is learned in school and this paper reports a study which measures learners' vocabulary size and progress in secondary school. The methodology for estimating vocabulary size in French is comparable with vocabulary size testing in other foreign languages, and this makes comparison with vocabulary learning in French and other languages possible. Results suggest that learners learn about 170 words per year up to GCSE and about 530 words per year in ‘A’ level study and are influenced by word frequency. On average, learners take GCSE with under 1000 words of French vocabulary and ‘A’ level with about 2000 words. These results appear modest compared with historical data and when compared with other language exams pitched at the same CEF levels as GCSE and ‘A’ level. Vocabulary size predicts ‘A’ level grade particularly impressively. There is a worrying period where progress, even of the best learners, appears to halt for several years.

Validation of the Mandarin Version of the Vocabulary Size Test

RELC Journal ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 308-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Zhao ◽  
Xiaoli Ji
Keyword(s):  
Construct Validity ◽  
Classical Test Theory ◽  
Test Theory ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Loan Words ◽  
Proficiency Levels ◽  
Chinese University ◽  
Chinese Learners ◽  
High Level ◽  
One Way Anova

This article provides preliminary validity evidence for the shorter Mandarin version of the Vocabulary Size Test (VST) under the content aspect, technical quality, substantive and generalizability aspect of Messick’s (1995) construct validity framework. The shorter version with 177 Chinese university students in three proficiency levels indicates that the test enjoys a high level of validity both from the perspective of classical test theory and item response theory. A one-way ANOVA and detailed statistics of Rasch analyses demonstrate that the test could effectively distinguish learners from different proficiency levels. The first eight levels of the VST generally display an ascending difficulty continuum except that some loan words in the seventh and the eighth level prove to be problematic in assessing Chinese learners’ vocabulary size accurately. The generalizability aspect of construct validity is demonstrated in that there is no item bias for learners of the same proficiency group in terms of gender. Compared with the results of other studies either on monolingual or bilingual version, this research attempts to justify the appropriateness of the Mandarin version and calls for cautious applications of the test instrument on Chinese learners.

scholarly journals Vocabulary size and use: Lexical richness in L2 written production

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Laufer ◽  
Paul Nation
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
Close Correspondence ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Reliable Measure ◽  
Lexical Frequency ◽  
Frequency Profile ◽  
Oxford University ◽  
Lexical Richness ◽  
Vocabulary Growth ◽  
General Service

This article shows that if there is some control over genre then there will be a close correspondence between the vocabulary size of intermediate learners as reflected in their writing and a more direct measure of vocabulary size The study proposes a new measure of lexical richness, the Lexical Frequency Profile, which looks at the proportion of high frequency general service and academic words in learners' writing The study shows that it is possible to obtain a reliable measure of lexical richness which is stable across two pieces of writing by the same learners It also discriminates between learners of different proficiency levels For learners of English as a second language, the Lexical Frequency Profile is seen as being a measure of how vocabulary size is reflected in use In this study, it was found that the Lexical Frequency Profile correlates well with an independent measure of vocabulary size This reliable and valid measure of lexical richness in writing will be useful for determining the factors that affect judgements of quality in writing and will be useful for examining how vocabulary growth is related to vocabulary use. © 1995 Oxford University Press.

scholarly journals Vocabulary size and use: Lexical richness in L2 written production

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Laufer ◽  
Paul Nation
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
Close Correspondence ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Reliable Measure ◽  
Lexical Frequency ◽  
Frequency Profile ◽  
Oxford University ◽  
Lexical Richness ◽  
Vocabulary Growth ◽  
General Service

This article shows that if there is some control over genre then there will be a close correspondence between the vocabulary size of intermediate learners as reflected in their writing and a more direct measure of vocabulary size The study proposes a new measure of lexical richness, the Lexical Frequency Profile, which looks at the proportion of high frequency general service and academic words in learners' writing The study shows that it is possible to obtain a reliable measure of lexical richness which is stable across two pieces of writing by the same learners It also discriminates between learners of different proficiency levels For learners of English as a second language, the Lexical Frequency Profile is seen as being a measure of how vocabulary size is reflected in use In this study, it was found that the Lexical Frequency Profile correlates well with an independent measure of vocabulary size This reliable and valid measure of lexical richness in writing will be useful for determining the factors that affect judgements of quality in writing and will be useful for examining how vocabulary growth is related to vocabulary use. © 1995 Oxford University Press.

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.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document