An analysis of the factors reading rate, vocabulary ability, and speaking proficiency in relation to the test of English for international communication (TOEIC) scores of Japanese learners of English

Abstract

This study investigated the relationships between the TOEIC scores and the two factors of the reading rates and vocabulary abilities of Japanese learners of English. Also studied are the relationships between the scores of the two TOEIC sections and the learners’ speaking proficiencies. Applying the Rauding theory, which reported the same comprehension processes underlying reading and listening, to second language acquisition, this study tested the hypothesis that the processing time for reading had an effect on that for listening. The Japanese subjects in this study took TOEIC and standardized tests of reading rates and vocabulary abilities, and also participated in a production experiment. The results showed high correlations between the TOEIC scores and the two factors of reading rates and vocabulary abilities. They also showed the tendency that the improvement of reading rates and vocabulary abilities contributed to the improvement of not only the scores of the TOEIC Reading Section, but also those of the TOEIC Listening Section. In addition, this study clarified the degree to which the speaking proficiency measured by naturalness judgments of native speakers of English corresponded to the proficiency indirectly measured by the TOEIC Listening Section.