Vocabulary Level Research Articles

Effects of English Film Subtitle on the Vocabulary Level of Grade-11 Students in a private school in Sipocot, Camarines Sur

This study aimed to determine the effects of reading subtitles on the vocabulary level of Grade-11 students in a private school in Sipocot, Camarines Sur. The study employed a pre-experimental design with static group comparison and descriptive correlational methods. The data gathering tools used were a survey questionnaire and a researcher-made test. The test was used to assess the vocabulary level of the respondents. The study found that there was a significant difference in the language proficiency of respondents who read subtitles and those who did not, in terms of vocabulary, form, meaning, and use. The respondents who read subtitles demonstrated a higher level of language proficiency in vocabulary compared to those who did not read subtitles. The study also found that there was no significant relationship between the extent of reading subtitles and vocabulary level in terms of form and meaning, but there was a significant relationship in terms of use only. Based on the findings, the study concluded that reading subtitles while watching English films can expand vocabulary level for further purposes.

Are Late Talkers Just Late? Neighborhood Density and Word Frequency Properties of Late Talkers' Spoken Vocabularies.

Typically developing toddlers extract patterns from their input to add words to their spoken lexicons, yet some evidence suggests that late talkers leverage the statistical regularities of the ambient language differently than do peers. Using the extended statistical learning account, we sought to compare lexical-level statistical features of spoken vocabularies between late talkers and two typically developing comparison groups. MacArthur-Bates Communicative Developmental Inventories American English Words and Sentences (N = 1,636) were extracted from Wordbank, a database of CDIs. Inventories were divided into three groups: (a) a late talker group (n = 202); (b) a typically developing age-matched group (n = 1,238); and (c) a younger, typically developing group (n = 196) matched to the late talkers on expressive language. Neighborhood density and word frequency were calculated for each word produced by each participant and standardized to z scores. Mixed-effects models were used to evaluate group differences. The late talker and younger, language-matched groups' spoken vocabularies consist, on standardized average, of words from denser phonological neighborhoods and words higher in frequency of occurrence in parent-child speech, compared to older, typically developing toddlers. These findings provide support for the extended statistical learning account. Late talkers appear to generally be extracting and using similar patterns from their language input as do younger toddlers with similar levels of expressive vocabulary. This suggests that late talkers may be following a delayed, not deviant, trajectory of expressive language growth.

Tiktok Lexical Contents in Use: Attitudes among Bachelor of Arts in English Language (ABEL) Students

The rise of TikTok as an educational tool has opened new avenues for vocabulary development among its users. This study explored the vocabulary levels and attitudes of 90 first- and second-year AB English Language (ABEL) students towards TikTok videos containing vocabulary content. Participants engaged voluntarily in a mixed-method research design, incorporating pretests and posttests, treatment, and interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using T-tests, frequency, and percentage, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis to uncover participants' cognitive, affective, and behavioral attitudes. The findings revealed a notable improvement in the participants' vocabulary knowledge, as demonstrated by higher posttest scores following the use of TikTok videos. Despite some challenges with the application, participants generally held positive attitudes towards the treatment, recognizing its contribution to their vocabulary enhancement. The study suggests that both English teachers and students could effectively use TikTok videos with lexical content for vocabulary teaching and learning. Additionally, the study highlights the potential for future research to investigate the role of TikTok videos in aiding non-English speakers with foreign language acquisition and other language skills, as this study focused solely on vocabulary development among English language majors.

Vocabulary learning in EMI courses: A longitudinal study of Chinese university students over a term

This paper reports the results of research investigating EMI students' vocabulary gain over a term of study (10–12 weeks) at a university in China. Though vocabulary learning is usually considered by stakeholders to be an underlying goal of EMI, relatively little empirical research systematically explores EMI students' vocabulary gains. We examined EMI students' learning outcomes of receptive and productive general and academic vocabulary, as well as multi-word units. Data was collected from 114 students taking EMI courses in various subject areas using a range of vocabulary knowledge tests, including the vocabulary levels test (VLT), the productive vocabulary levels test (PVLT) and a multi-word units test. Findings reveal some significant gains in students' vocabulary knowledge but with small effect sizes. Significant vocabulary gain was found in students’ general vocabulary receptive and productive knowledge as well as in their productive academic vocabulary and knowledge of multi-word units. Their productive vocabulary knowledge was considerably lower at both data collection points, even though students showed more improvement in productive than receptive vocabulary. Greater vocabulary gains were observed in students who attended more EMI classes. The results suggest that vocabulary gain might not be taken for granted as a by-product of EMI.

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Linguistic Features of Formal and Informal Letter Writing in Modern English Summary Letter writing is an important communication skill in both personal and professional settings. There are different types of letters, including informal letters to friends and family, and formal letters used in business and academic spheres. The article deals with understanding that the differences between informal and formal letters, the appropriate tone, language, and format are essential for effective letter writing. Formal and informal language serve different purposes. It`s important to know when formal or informal writing is expected as it helps a writer to connect with the reader or listener. Formal and informal English are two distinct styles of language usage that vary in their level of formality, vocabulary, sentence structure and tone. Key words: writing skills, formal letters, informal letters, abbrevations, jargons, audience

Mastery of Listening and Reading Vocabulary Levels in Relation to CEFR: Insights into Student Admissions and English as a Medium of Instruction

Prior to enrolling in an English as a medium of instruction (EMI) institution, students must show an English proficiency level through meeting a benchmark on a standard English proficiency test, which is typically aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Along with overall English proficiency, aural/written vocabulary level mastery could also predict students’ success at EMI institutions, as students need adequate English vocabulary knowledge to comprehend lectures and course readings. However, aural/written vocabulary level mastery has yet to be clearly benchmarked to CEFR levels. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the correlations between students’ aural/written vocabulary level mastery and their CEFR levels. Forty undergraduate students in a Macau EMI university were recruited to take one English proficiency test and two vocabulary level tests (i.e., Listening Vocabulary Levels Test (LVLT) and the Updated Vocabulary Levels Test (UVLT)). Correlation analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between students’ CEFR levels and their mastery of listening and reading vocabulary levels. A positive correlation was found between students’ CEFR levels and their mastery of receptive aural vocabulary levels (ρ = 0.409, p = 0.009). Furthermore, a statistically significant positive correlation was found between students’ CEFR levels and their mastery of receptive written vocabulary levels (ρ = 0.559, p < 0.001). Although positive correlations were observed, no clear pattern was identified regarding the relationship between students’ CEFR levels and their mastery of aural/written vocabulary levels. Regression analyses were further conducted to determine the extent to which the combination of receptive aural and written vocabulary knowledge predicts the CEFR levels. The results indicated that the regression model that included only UVLT scores better predicted the CEFR levels. Given the positive correlations observed between students’ CEFR levels and their mastery of vocabulary levels, this study’s findings suggest the inclusion of aural/written vocabulary levels as additional indicators for ensuring student academic success in EMI institutions. Implications for EMI universities on student admissions, classroom teaching, and provision of additional English courses were provided.

A longitudinal test of Mexican-origin teen mothers' cultural characteristics and children's Spanish vocabulary via mothers' Spanish language use.

The present study examined whether teen mothers' adaptive cultural characteristics (i.e., familism values, language competency pressures, and involvement in Mexican culture and U.S. mainstream culture) when children were 3 years old (i.e., Wave 4; W4) informed mothers' Spanish language use with their children when children were 4 years old (W5) and, in turn, children's subsequent Spanish receptive vocabulary when children were 5 years old (W6). The present study included 204 Mexican-origin children (58% male) and their mothers who entered parenthood during adolescence (M = 16.24, SD = .99 at W1). Five mediational processes were significant, such that mothers' higher familism values (i.e., emphasizing family support and obligations), Spanish competency pressure (i.e., stress associated with Spanish language competency), and involvement in U.S. mainstream culture at W4 were associated with mothers' lower Spanish language use with children at W5 and, in turn, children's lower levels of Spanish receptive vocabulary at W6. Mothers' greater involvement in Mexican culture and English competency pressure (i.e., stress associated with English language competency) at W4 were associated with mothers' greater Spanish language use with children at W5 and, in turn, children's greater Spanish receptive vocabulary at W6. Additionally, mothers' greater involvement in U.S. mainstream culture at W4 was directly associated with children's lower Spanish language abilities at W6. Findings highlight the importance of the family context in Mexican-origin children's Spanish language skills over time. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

IMPLEMENTING MIXED AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY IN AN ANIMATED FLIPPED CLASSROOM FOR LOW-ACHIEVING WRITERS IN RURAL PRIMARY SCHOOLS

The study examined the implementation of mixed augmented and virtual reality in an animated flipped classroom for low-achieving writers in rural primary schools. A quasi-experimental study employing a pre-post, non-equivalent control group design was conducted. In a flipped classroom, students use digitised or online lectures as pre-class homework, then engage in active learning process in the classroom such as peer teaching, projects, problem solving and group activities. In other words, the typical classroom of lecturing only during class time is “flipped” now to active activities that involve problem solving and group project work in class. Results show that this flipped learning approach improves rural learners’ proficiency, particularly in vocabulary acquisition. It was found that there was a statistically significant difference in vocabulary level between trials at the midway time point. Apart from that, there is a statistically significant difference in the vocabulary level in the intervention trial at the end (post) of the trials. However, successful implementation of this technology necessitates a comprehensive approach considering cultural and infrastructural factors.

Audiovisual perception of interrupted speech by nonnative listeners.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the influence of visual cues in audiovisual perception of interrupted speech by nonnative English listeners and to identify the role of working memory, long-term memory retrieval, and vocabulary knowledge in audiovisual perception by nonnative listeners. The participants included 31 Mandarin-speaking English learners between 19 and 41 years of age. The perceptual stimuli were noise-filled periodically interrupted AzBio and QuickSIN sentences with or without visual cues that showed a male speaker uttering the sentences. In addition to sentence recognition, the listeners completed a semantic fluency task, verbal (operation span) and visuospatial (symmetry span) working memory tasks, and two vocabulary knowledge tests (Vocabulary Level Test and Lexical Test for Advanced Learners of English). The results revealed significantly better speech recognition in the audio-visual condition than the audio-only condition, but the magnitude of visual benefit was substantially attenuated for sentences that had limited semantic context. The listeners' vocabulary size in English played a key role in the restoration of missing speech information and audiovisual integration in the perception of interrupted speech. Meanwhile, the listeners' verbal working memory capacity played an important role in audiovisual integration especially for the difficult stimuli with limited semantic context.

The difference in positivity of the Russian and English lexicon: The big data approach

Psychological cross-cultural studies have long noted differences in the degree of cognition positivity, or optimism, in various cultures. Herewith, the question whether the difference shows up at the level of the language lexicon remains unexplored. Linguistic positivity bias has been confirmed for a number of languages. The point of it is that most words have a positive connotation in the language. This begs the question: is linguistic positivity bias the same for different languages or not? In a sense, the issue is similar to the hypothesis of linguistic relativity suggesting the language impact on the human cognitive system. The problem has been researched only in one work (Dodds et al. 2015), where data on the positivity bias values are given for different languages and the comparison for each pair of languages is based on merely one pair of dictionaries. In the present study, we radically increase the computational baseline by comparing four English and five Russian dictionaries. We carry out the comparative study both at the level of vocabularies and at the level of texts of different genres. A new, previously untapped idea is to compare positivity ratings of translated texts. Also, English and Russian sentiment dictionaries are compared based on the scores of translation-stable words. The results suggest that the Russian language is somewhat slightly more positive than English at the level of vocabulary.

Vocabulary profile, lexical density and speech rate of science podcasts: How adequate are they for EAP and ESP listening?

One potential source of authentic input for English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English for Science and Technology (EST) listening could be science podcasts. In this study, we examine the vocabulary level of this genre, as well as the amount of the common specialized, i.e. academic and scientific vocabulary it contains. Additionally, we study its lexical density and speech rate. These properties are examined on a corpus of 126 science podcasts produced by the journal Nature, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the magazine Scientific American. These are compared against those determined for a corpus of lectures in general (the MICASE lectures) and a corpus of science lectures in particular (the MICASE’s science-lecture subsection). On the one hand, science podcasts were found to contain a good amount of both academic and scientific vocabulary, as well as to have a very similar lexical density to that of lectures. On the other hand, their vocabulary level and speech rate were somewhat higher than those of lectures. Based on the analysis, we recommend the use of science podcasts for both EAP and EST listening for advanced learners. For learners with lower proficiencies, vocabulary support and/or adjusting the speed of the science podcasts is advised.

REPRESENTASI KEMAMPUAN BERBICARA (SPEAKING) DAN TATA BAHASA (GRAMMAR) SISWA SMA SEDERAJAT DI KOTA PADANG SIDEMPUAN

This study aims to determine the representation of speaking ability and grammarThe sample of this study was students in five high schools (SMA) in Padangsidimpuan, with a sampling technique by using cluster random sampling. This research is a correlation research with descriptive quantitative data collection techniques. The tool used in this study is speaking performance rubric to measure students' speaking ability, while to measure students' vocabulary mastery using the multiple choice test. To analyze the data in this study, the author used descriptive statistics (individual score, mean score) and inferential statistics (pearson product moment correlation) to calculate variables of vocabulary mastery and speaking skills. The results of this study represented that for the level of vocabulary and speaking achievement of students was at a good level. Researchers also found that there was a positive correlation between vocabulary mastery and students' speaking ability with a correlation significance of 0.943. The correlation is classified as a close correlation, meaning that the two variables have a strong correlation. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that the representation of students' speaking ability and vocabulary mastery is positively correlated, meaning that the highest level of vocabulary mastery then the level of speaking is also high. Therefore, teachers who play a role in controlling students in the teaching and learning process are also important to know the improvement of vocabulary and speaking ability.

Mathematics Vocabulary and Problem-solving Skills of Grade 4 Pupils in Narvacan North District

This study assessed the levels of mathematics vocabulary and problem-solving skills among Grade IV learners in public elementary schools in Narvacan North District. The primary aim is to assess how well students understand and use mathematical terminology and their ability to apply this knowledge to solve mathematical problems. The research involved a sample of 366 Grade IV students, utilizing validated tests and problem-solving assessments to gather the needed data. Results indicate that moderate grasp of mathematical terms, there is notable variability and room for improvement. Furthermore, parents' educational attainment and learners' vocabulary levels are significantly related implying that higher parental education is modestly associated with better vocabulary outcomes. In terms of problem-solving skills, the findings show that learners also demonstrate moderate proficiency. Importantly, the analysis reveals that demographic factors such as age, and gender, and significantly related to problem-solving abilities, indicating that these skills are influenced more by other factors. The study concludes that enhancing instructional strategies and providing targeted support can significantly improve both vocabulary and problem-solving skills. Engaging parents in their children's education and offering additional resources can further bolster these efforts. Future research should explore other influential factors and effective interventions to support the mathematical development of Grade IV learners, thereby laying a stronger foundation for their continued academic success.

English Vocabulary Mastery In Vocational Higher Education: An Analysis Of Challenges And Feasible Strategies

Vocabulary mastery is one of the important keys that bridge the subject comprehension. Understanding new concepts, ideas, and principles requires knowledge and competence in using words in various settings. The success of English learning in ESP will then contribute to the success of understanding other subjects in the field. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the problems, needs, and feasible strategies in improving vocabulary mastery in vocational higher education settings. The total of 303 freshmen students participated in this study, along with 7 English lecturers who were teaching in their classes. A vocabulary test, open-ended questionnaire, and focus group discussion (FGDs) were used as instruments. The results present the current state of students’ vocabulary level. Moreover, a number of strategies were also recommended by the lecturer in terms of students’ English vocabulary learning dan development. Future research directions are also presented

Unsociability and social adjustment in Chinese preschool migrant children: the moderating role of receptive vocabulary.

Peer relationships play an indispensable role in the social, emotional, and cognitive development of children. However, children exhibiting social withdrawal, such as unsociability, may face challenges in social adjustment. In collectivistic cultures like China, unsociability may be perceived negatively, aligning poorly with collective norms. The objective of the present investigation was to examine the associations between unsociability, receptive vocabulary, and indicators of social adjustment in a cohort of young migrant children residing in urban regions of mainland China. The study mainly aimed to investigate the potential moderating influence of receptive language on these associations. The study involved 148 young children (82 boys, 66 girls, Mage = 62.32 months, SD = 6.76) enrolled in preschools or kindergartens in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Multiple sources of assessment were utilized, encompassing evaluations from mothers (about child unsociability), teacher (assessing social adjustment), and standardized tests (measuring receptive vocabulary). The results indicated that the relations between unsociability and peer exclusion were more positive among children with lower levels of receptive vocabulary but not significant for children with higher levels of receptive vocabulary. Similarly, the relations between unsociability and peer exclusion were more negative among children with lower levels of receptive vocabulary but not significant for children with higher levels of receptive vocabulary. Thus, this study informs us about how receptive vocabulary is jointly associated with unsociable children's development. As well, the findings highlight the importance of considering the meaning and implication of unsociability in Chinese culture.

Measuring productive derivative knowledge of vietnamese EFL learners: The role of headword scoring, vocabulary breadth, and headword familiarity

A growing body of research has attempted to measure learners' productive derivative knowledge over the past few years. However, it remains unclear whether the exclusion of headwords in the scoring method would have any impact on derivative production. Moreover, the role of learners' vocabulary breadth has yet to be investigated with their headword familiarity. The present study thus filled in these gaps by exploring the extent to which Vietnamese EFL learners (N = 73) produced the derivatives of 90 headwords in a decontextualized form-recall test. The participants' scores were later examined in light of their vocabulary receptive knowledge (i.e., scores on the updated vocabulary levels test) and headword familiarity (i.e., knowledge of the form-meaning connections of headwords) using linear mixed-effects models. The results revealed that the learners could produce on average about one-fourth of the target derivatives, and those who mastered higher vocabulary levels produced more derived forms. However, their derivative-test performance in all examined word-frequency levels (1000–5000) differed significantly when headwords were scored and not scored. Furthermore, headword familiarity was a strong predictor of learners' production of derivatives, especially for those at higher vocabulary levels. Implications for researching derivatives and expanding L2 learners’ productive derivative knowledge are discussed.

Madesa or books! Using a Coverage Comprehension Model to Assess University Students’ Ability to Comprehend Reference Books

Studies on reading in a foreign language report that meaningful reading comprehension is determined by an individual's vocabulary size. A conclusion from these studies is that a vocabulary threshold of 8000–9000 words is compulsory for the reader to comprehend 98% of running words in academic texts and consequently achieve optimal comprehension of the materials. A threshold of 4,000–5,000 words can only assist readers to understand 95% of running words, which guarantees minimal comprehension. This study examines the relationship between the vocabulary size of undergraduate university students and the vocabulary coverage of reference books sampled from among those listed in their course outlines. This corpus-based and descriptive study used the Vocabulary Level Test (VLT) to assess the vocabulary size of 774 participants and a vocab profiler to analyze the vocabulary coverage of the nine sampled reference books. The results showed that, on average, the participants’ vocabulary size would enable them to comprehend 95% of the running words in most of the books in the sample, but that size would not help them to understand 98% of the running words in any of the sampled books. These results suggest that, on average, no student in the sample could have optimal comprehension of the sampled reference books. Therefore, our study calls for the need to introduce serious reading programmes at the primary and secondary school levels so as to promote students' vocabulary size and reading comprehension ability.

Profiling Vocational School Students' Word Knowledge Level: A Study in Jakarta Timur

students are expected to acquire 2,000 to 3,000-word levels for general communicative purposes and 4,000 to 5,000-word levels or more for academic purposes. Nevertheless, only a few studies are refocusing on vocational school students. Therefore, this study descriptively analyzed the word knowledge level of vocational school students. This study was conducted online with 173 vocational school students in grades 10th and 11th. The result shows that above 70% of 173 participants successfully answered the 4,000 up to 5,000-word level, equivalent to K4 and K5 in vocabulary level. In contrast, the rest participants can answer the 1,000 up to 3,000-word level. The results indicate that the participants passed the requirements for communicative and academic purposed. This study also proposed the relevance of VLT results through post-graduate plans and gender diversity. The relevance becomes teachers’ consideration and recommendation to create meaningful and valuable teaching and learning materials based on their goals and needs.EFL students must acquire 2,000 to 3,000-word levels for general communicative purposes and 4,000 to 5,000-word levels or more for academic purposes. With such an enormous number of words, teachers must examine students’ word knowledge levels through the Vocabulary Level Test (VLT) before teaching and learning to determine relevant learning materials based on students’ needs and goals. Many related studies focus on senior school students. However, this study draws on vocational school students as they commonly work after graduation, and the ability to communicate with the English language is needed. Therefore, this study descriptively analyzed the result of the Vocabulary Level Test in 173 vocational school students majors. The result shows that more than in all 70% of participants successfully answered the 4,000 up to 5,000word level. Meanwhile, the rest of the participants could answer 1,000 to 3,000 words. The relevance of this study is the teachers’ consideration and recommendation to create meaningful and valuable teaching and learning materials based on their needs, as well as the students’ scores in VLT.

An Investigation of the Effectiveness of Augmented Reality Technology Supported English Language Learning Activities on Preschool Children

Early learners experience various difficulties when learning foreign languages. Augmented reality technology can support learning environments and foreign language vocabulary teaching by attracting the attention of early learners. The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of Augmented Reality (AR) technology supported English language learning activities on preschool children with the effects of traditional activities (presentation, lecture, question-answer). In this study, embedded mixed method was used. The sample of the study consisted of 44 five-year-old preschool children (19 boys, 25 girls). Color knowledge test, mood scale, observation, and interview forms were used as data collection tools. As a result of the study, it was concluded that AR-supported English learning activities were more effective than traditional activities on students’ English color vocabulary levels. The children were very happy and they had fun during the experimental process. According to the results of classroom observations, children made weekly progress in cognitive, affective and social/language categories. Implications are discussed in terms of pedagogical insights, practices for AR supported English language learning in preschool, and further research directions.

THE EFFECT OF CHILDREN'S DRAMA-THEMED ACTIVITIES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPEAKING SKILLS IN 4–5-YEAR- OLD

Early childhood is a critical period for language learning and young children's ability to use language is mainly reflected in the process of telling. The development of young children's expressive abilities has an essential impact on their language ability and overall development. In this study, two parallel 4–5-year-olds were selected in Mianyang kindergarten, and the experimental class was randomly divided into the control class fora 10-week shared reading activity. After analysis, we concluded that children’s drama-themed activities could promote the development of 4-5-year-old children's speaking ability; children's drama-themed activities can encourage the development of 4-5-year-old children in the four dimensions of "narrative length", "vocabulary level","sentence structure" and "expressive ability",; and there is no significant difference between the genders in the effect of children's drama-themed activities on the expressiveability of 4-5-year-old children.