Productive Vocabulary Knowledge Research Articles

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.

Behavioural engagement with notes and note content in digital game-based vocabulary learning and their effects on EFL vocabulary development

ABSTRACT Purpose Research on digital game-based vocabulary learning (DGBVL) has rapidly grown. Most of these studies have overlooked note use based on two tacit assumptions: (a) learners do not need notes in DGBVL, and (b) note use reduces the effectiveness of DGBVL. However, evidence suggests that vocabulary learners may need notes, and note use can promote vocabulary knowledge development in various settings, which may be generalised to DGBVL. Methodology To test the assumptions and gain a deeper understanding of DGBVL, we conducted a study involving 50 Chinese university students who learned vocabulary in a DGBVL programme that allowed note use. Data were collected using a Tobii X2-30 eye tracker, tests of productive vocabulary knowledge, and interviews. Findings The finding showed that in note-allowed DGBVL, learners actively used notes and created six types of note content: spellings, meanings, L1 equivalents, word learning strategies, parts of speech and example phrases and sentences. Writing example phrases and sentences in notes significantly promoted vocabulary knowledge development, while word spellings in notes and frequent fixations on notes had the opposite effects. Originality Based on the findings, we reject the two tacit assumptions of note use in DGBVL and suggest explicit training on note use in DGBVL.

L2 Spanish clitics among Brazilian Portuguese-speaking learners: the predictive role of lexical knowledge

We examined the acquisition of third-person accusative clitics (e.g., lo, la, los, las) in L2 Spanish among Brazilian Portuguese (BP) speakers. In BP, the animacy of the referent is the main feature constraining accusative pronoun use while, in Spanish, animacy does not affect clitic realization. We tested Lardiere’s (2008; 2009) Feature Reassembly Hypothesis (FRH), Schwartz & Sprouse’s (1996) Full Transfer/Full Access hypothesis (FT/FA), and the suitability of productive vocabulary knowledge as a proxy for overall proficiency and its predictive power for the acquisition of clitics. 74 BP-speaking L2 Spanish learners and a comparison group of 23 native Spanish speakers completed a language background questionnaire, a vocabulary test (Prueba Léxica de Español y Portugués/Prova Léxica de Espanhol e Português, PLEP), an elicited production task, and an acceptability judgment task. Only the L2 Spanish participants completed the tasks in both languages. Our findings are consistent with the FRH, showing that the participants successfully disassemble animacy features from their L1 when acquiring the non-animacy-driven clitics in Spanish. However, animacy effects were found in the L2 production data but not in their receptive grammatical knowledge. Furthermore, animacy effects were not dependent on proficiency as no interactions between these factors were found, thus rejecting the existence of a full transfer stage.

Quizlet's Usefulness for Vocabulary Learning: Perceptions of High-Level and Low-Level Chinese College EFL Learners

This study investigates the perceived usefulness of Quizlet for vocabulary learning among Chinese college EFL learners and examines differences in perceptions between high-level and low-level learners based on their post-test scores. A descriptive research design was employed, utilizing a web-based survey to gather quantitative data from 95 students in Shandong province, China, after an 8-week intervention using Quizlet. The survey was based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and focused on perceived usefulness. The findings reveal that overall, students hold a positive attitude towards Quizlet, with an overall mean score of 3.81 (SD = 0.64), indicating its perceived utility in enhancing vocabulary acquisition. Specifically, Quizlet was found to be particularly beneficial for improving both receptive (M=4.18, SD=0.70) and productive (M=4.17, SD=0.68) vocabulary knowledge. However, its perceived usefulness in improving broader language skills such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening was comparatively lower. An independent samples t-test indicated no significant difference in the overall perceived usefulness between high-level and low- level learners, though high-level learners perceived greater benefits in learning speed and productive vocabulary knowledge. These insights suggest that while Quizlet is a valuable tool for vocabulary learning, its integration should be complemented with other methods to address comprehensive language development. The study’s implications highlight the need for tailored instructional strategies to optimize digital tools like Quizlet across different proficiency levels in EFL contexts.

The Effect of TPR Tasks on Word Knowledge of Thai Primary School Learners

Vocabulary acquisition is a fundamental element of mastering the English language, necessitating a comprehensive lexicon that evolves through experiential learning to facilitate accurate comprehension and production of language. The current study examined the impact of Total Physical Response (TPR) tasks on the vocabulary acquisition of Thai primary school students, with a particular focus on the definition of words. It also explored the students’ attitudes towards using TPR tasks for vocabulary learning. The TPR tasks were designed to engage three of the human senses—visual, auditory, and tactile—by incorporating multisensory tasks. Employing a mixed-methods research design, the study involved 27 second graders from a primary school in northeastern Thailand. The research methodology utilized three instruments. From a quantitative perspective, the Receptive Word Knowledge Test (RWKT) and the Productive Word Knowledge Test (PWKT) were administered to assess the students’ vocabulary knowledge before and after the intervention within a single-group pretest-posttest framework. Qualitatively, a focus group interview was conducted to gain deeper insight into the students’ attitudes towards participation in TPR activities. The quantitative data indicated a significant enhancement in both receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge among the participants. Furthermore, the qualitative findings highlighted the advantages of TPR tasks, with students expressing increased enthusiasm and competitive spirit and a shared willingness and pleasure in vocabulary learning through interactive tasks and peer interaction. In conclusion, this study corroborates the efficacy of TPR tasks in significantly advancing Thai primary school students’ receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge.

Incidental Vocabulary Learning in a Postcolonial English Second Language Context

This study investigated the incidental English second-language (ESL) vocabulary development of 125 science university students over two years, as well as their productive vocabulary knowledge in relation to academic achievement. The study was conducted in Ghana, a typical postcolonial ESL country in West Africa. Results showed that productive knowledge of vocabulary at the 2000, 3000, and 5000-word levels was not mastered in academic year one. In spite of the poorly resourced educational context with limited print exposure, students’ longitudinal incidental vocabulary growth at the 3000-word level and academic word level was significant. Academic achievement was significantly predicted by word knowledge at these two levels. The study contributes to our understanding of incidental vocabulary learning in a “natural” ESL context, without language interventions. Given the predict ive factor of vocabulary knowledge on academic achievement, the integration of vocabulary instruction into the curriculum and establishm ent of required vocabulary thresholds seems warranted.

Exploring the Influence of Word Exposure via Facebook on Young EFL Learners’ Written Form of Word Knowledge

This quantitative study aimed to investigate the impact of word exposure via Facebook on thevocabulary knowledge of Thai EFL primary school learners. Additionally, it sought to examinedifferences in receptive and productive written forms of word knowledge between differenteducation levels. It explored the relationship between participants’ vocabulary size and wordknowledge. Forty students from grades four and six participated in the study, which involveddesigning and validating tests to measure receptive and productive written forms of wordknowledge. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze quantitative data.The findings indicated significant improvements in students’ receptive and productivevocabulary knowledge, with noticeable development in their understanding of word spelling.Furthermore, grade six learners performed better than grade four learners on receptive andproductive written form measures. Correlational analysis revealed a relationship betweenvocabulary size and knowledge of written forms, indicating their interdependency. Overall, thisstudy suggests that exposure to words through Facebook positively influences vocabularyacquisition, underscoring the importance of word exposure experiences in learning vocabulary.Additionally, it highlights the predictive role of vocabulary size in the written form of wordknowledge. This study offers implications for practitioners and provides suggestions for futureresearch directions.

University students’ academic vocabulary development through mobile-assisted learning: Exploring the impacts on receptive and productive knowledge

This study explored the effectiveness of mobile-assisted vocabulary learning through digital flashcards on receptive and productive aspects of academic vocabulary knowledge among Iranian EFL university students. In a quasi-experimental design, 86 participants were divided into three groups: a digital flashcard group (DFs), a traditional paper flashcard (PFs) group, and a control group using word lists, to assess the impact of these methods on vocabulary acquisition over five weeks. The findings revealed that students utilizing DFs exhibited significant improvements in both receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge compared to those using PFs and the control method. Notably, the increase in receptive vocabulary was more substantial than in productive vocabulary, highlighting the differential effects of DFs on various aspects of vocabulary learning. This finding underscores the need for targeted strategies to enhance productive aspects of academic vocabulary specifically. The study supports the integration of DFs into English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programs to leverage their potential in boosting vocabulary acquisition effectively. However, the lesser gains in productive vocabulary suggest the necessity for complementary instructional methods, which focus on more active vocabulary learning tasks. Based on these findings, the study argues that mobile-assisted vocabulary learning should be considered a practical strategy for supporting academic vocabulary development among university students.

Multimedia enhanced vocabulary learning: The role of input condition and learner-related factors

This study explored the effects of different types of input (verbal-only vs. verbal plus content-related nonverbal vs. verbal plus paralinguistic-related nonverbal) on vocabulary learning from multimedia. It also investigated how learning was moderated by three learner-related factors (prior vocabulary size, phonological short-term memory (PSTM) capacity, and comprehension of the input). Forty-three English learners of French first completed a French vocabulary size test, a vocabulary pre-test, and a PSTM test online. They then viewed three sets of multimodal teaching materials, each with a different type of input condition, followed by a vocabulary post-test and a comprehension test. Findings indicated that multimodal input including additional nonverbal information was more beneficial than traditional verbal-only input for productive vocabulary knowledge gains. Additionally, comprehension of the input was the most important moderator for the learning gains, especially when the input included paralinguistic-related nonverbal information. The findings provide novel insights into theories of multimedia learning and have pedagogical implications for the design of multimodal language learning materials.

Vocabulary learning strategies in extramural English gaming and their relationship with vocabulary knowledge

Research has shown that students learning English as a foreign language can enhance their vocabulary knowledge through exposure to the target language outside of school. However, little is known about whether certain extramural activities have stronger links with vocabulary acquisition than others, and more crucially, the extent to which the vocabulary learning strategies that learners employ during extramural English encounters affect vocabulary learning outcomes. The study reported in this article investigated the relationship between the vocabulary learning strategies employed by 116 students in a Norwegian secondary school when gaming extramurally in English, their gaming frequency, engagement in other EE activities besides gaming, and their receptive and productive English vocabulary knowledge. The findings revealed that inferencing, using language references, and notetaking when gaming statistically significantly correlated with participants’ productive vocabulary knowledge, whereas only inferencing predicted their receptive vocabulary knowledge. Moreover, a negative link was discovered between playing driving games and receptive vocabulary knowledge.

Neural activity related to productive vocabulary knowledge effects during second language comprehension

Second language learners and educators often believe that improving one’s listening ability hinges on acquiring an extensive vocabulary and engaging in thorough listening practice. Our previous study suggested that listening comprehension is also impacted by the ability to produce vocabulary. Nevertheless, it remained uncertain whether quick comprehension could be attributed to a simple acceleration of processing or to changes in neural activity. To identify neural activity changes during sentence listening comprehension according to different levels of lexical knowledge (productive, only comprehensive, uncomprehensive), we measured participants’ electrical activity in the brain via electroencephalography (EEG) and conducted a time-frequency-based EEG power analysis. Additionally, we employed a decoding model to verify the predictability of vocabulary knowledge levels based on neural activity. The decoding results showed that EEG activity could discriminate between listening to sentences containing phrases that include productive knowledge and ones without. The positive impact of productive vocabulary knowledge on sentence comprehension, driven by distinctive neural processing during sentence comprehension, was unequivocally evident. Our study emphasizes the importance of productive vocabulary knowledge acquisition to enhance the process of second language listening comprehension.

Exploring the Vocabulary Knowledge of EFL Teachers in Saudi Public Schools

The present study investigated the nature of the vocabulary levels of male and female EFL teachers in Saudi schools and identified the receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge between male and female EFL teachers in Saudi schools. The study adopted a quantitative approach and collected the data through an online version of receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge tests. The findings revealed that male and female EFL teachers had low levels of vocabulary knowledge. Further, the findings revealed that EFL teachers at Saudi schools typically possess higher receptive vocabulary levels than productive vocabulary. The findings also indicate that gender substantially influences the vocabulary knowledge of EFL teachers. Finally, the study provides several implications and recommendations for further studies.

A study of L2 incidental vocabulary acquisition through different translation tasks

To date, most studies have focused on IVA through reading, speaking and listening, with few research on the function of translation tasks. This study investigates the effectiveness of different translation tasks on college student L2 IVA and retention. 60 Chinese College students taking English as L2, were divided into 2 parallel groups, finished different translation tasks (L1-L2 and L2-L1) respectively, and then underwent immediate and delayed vocabulary post-tests. The results showed that (1) both translation tasks facilitate learners’ L2 IVA with L1-L2 translation task performing better; (2) L1-L2 translation task generates a higher level of productive vocabulary knowledge; (3) the IVA of both tasks decrease dramatically over time, and the advantage of L1-L2 in promoting higher level of vocabulary knowledge gradually vanishes. The findings enrich the scope of IVA study, verify the value of translation exercise on L2 IVA and provide useful and practical implications for IVA teaching and learning.

Measurement of Language Knowledge as a Controversial Elaborative Linguistic Framework

This article is an attempt to determine the significance of vocabulary knowledge by describing its components and features on the basis of different existing models in such a way as to explore the language knowledge measurement criteria and find out the extent to which language knowledge is adequately measured. In fact, a plethora of research has been conducted on teaching and learning vocabulary, and testing vocabulary size. Though this linguistic element has been a controversial issue for so long, many scholars in the field of linguistics agreed upon the utility and the crucial role it has in relation to language teaching, learning, and testing. However, the investigation of the vocabulary knowledge takes into consideration three different aspects. The first aspect deals with vocabulary measurement, with the clarification of the differentiation between language knowledge in terms of its inference and language performance in terms of its observation. The second aspect examins the meaning of “word knowledge” by distinguishing between receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge. The third aspect deals with the qualitative aspect of the learners’ vocabulary knowledge in terms of understanding by identifying “breadth” and “depth”. This article also paves the way for the review of vocabulary size and the counting of family words on the basis of rigorous empirical studies in this field.

The Role of Chinese Vocabulary Knowledge in Composition Writing among Upper Elementary School Students

The present study aims to investigate the role of vocabulary knowledge in composition writing among Chinese children. Drawing on Nation’s (2001) vocabulary framework, this study operationalized Chinese vocabulary knowledge from receptive and productive perspectives and in form, meaning, and use domain, respectively. A total of five measures assessing receptive vocabulary knowledge, productive vocabulary knowledge (form, meaning, and use), and composition writing skills were administered to 249 Chinese students in grade 4 (N = 91), grade 5 (N = 90), and grade 6 (N = 68). Hierarchical regression results showed that across upper elementary grades, productive vocabulary knowledge made a significant and substantial contribution to Chinese writing performance after controlling for age and receptive vocabulary knowledge. Inspections on vocabulary knowledge in each individual domain further revealed that knowledge of vocabulary form was the strongest predictor of writing performance at grade 4, while knowledge of vocabulary meaning and use make increasing contributions to composition writing at higher grades. Findings from this study underline the relative importance of productive vocabulary knowledge in form, meaning, and use at different developmental stages and extend writing models to non-alphabetical languages. Pedagogical implications were also drawn from the present study to inform better educational practices on scaffolding beginning writers with specific aspects of vocabulary knowledge.

Utilizing Facebook Input to Enhance Vocabulary Knowledge in Young EFL Learners

This mixed-methods study investigated the role of Facebook in enhancing Thai EFL primary school learners’ vocabulary knowledge. The study's primary goal was to examine how using Facebook as an instructional platform improves the written form of English vocabulary knowledge. Twenty-four primary school students, aged 11-12, participated in this study. Two tests were designed and validated to measure students’ receptive and productive knowledge of word form. A focus group was also used to gain deeper insight into students’ perspectives on the impact of Facebook input on vocabulary learning. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed to analyze quantitative data, while content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. The results showed that students significantly improved their receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge, and the knowledge of word form (written) developed along the receptive-productive continuum. Additionally, the qualitative findings showed the usefulness of Facebook input. Indeed, the participants viewed the Facebook input as an inviting and stimulating atmosphere and a helpful platform to acquire vocabulary by engaging and sharing with their peers in the learning activity. Overall, the study indicates that Facebook input is an efficient alternative platform for vocabulary teaching. Implications for practitioners and suggestions for future studies are also provided.

Predictors of English Medium Instruction academic success in Vietnamese Higher Education

Abstract Recent research has investigated predictors of English Medium Instruction (EMI) academic success in Higher Education in various contexts; however, mixed findings have been reported, and empirical research in emerging contexts like Vietnam is relatively scarce. In addition, little is known about the associations between tertiary EMI outcome, gender, and high school performance. To fill these research gaps, the present study was conducted to explore the roles of gender, high school grades, English language proficiency and vocabulary knowledge (both receptive and productive knowledge) in Vietnamese tertiary EMI academic achievement. To this end, 78 Vietnamese undergraduates majoring in business studies participated in the study. The participants took the Vocabulary Levels Test (Schmitt et al. 2001) and Productive Vocabulary Levels Test (Laufer and Nation 1999) to measure their receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge. Their English language proficiency test scores, EMI course grades, and high school grade point average (GPA) were also collected for data analysis. Simple linear regression analyses revealed that high school GPA, English language proficiency together with both receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge significantly predicted EMI academic outcome while gender did not. The results are discussed with implications for EMI in Higher Education.

Teachers’ receptive and productive vocabulary sizes in English-medium instruction

ABSTRACT Despite the growing popularity of English-medium instruction (EMI), the conditions for and consequences of teaching and learning academic content through English are poorly understood. The ability of teachers in the EMI environment (i.e. disciplinary or ‘content’ teachers) to engage students in English is central in this regard since intelligible interaction between the teacher and the students is a precondition for learning when the medium of instruction is English. Across EMI contexts, concerns have been raised about teachers’ level of English proficiency (their ability to speak, write, read and listen in English), but research measuring their English proficiency attainments is lacking. This paper focuses on a key dimension of teachers’ English proficiency: vocabulary knowledge. Teachers (n = 130) took tests of receptive and productive knowledge of general and academic English vocabulary. The testing revealed significant proficiency variation in the cohorts tested, with some teachers exhibiting very low levels (<3000 words) of receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge. Implications for teaching in EMI are discussed.

The Role of L2 Vocabulary Knowledge in Writing Proficiency from the Perspective of Mediating Effect of Fluency

The current study aims to probe the effectiveness and predictability of four aspects of lexical knowledge in writing proficiency of 312 Chinese university students of English as an ESL/EFL by pathways analysis of structure equation modeling. Furthermore, Bootstrapping and Monte Carlo statistical methods were used to analyze the mediation role of vocabulary fluency in the relationship between lexicons and writing proficiency. The results indicated that (a) the tested four aspects of lexicon knowledge (receptive/productive vocabulary breadth/depth) were all found to have a potential effect on writing; however, the effect of productive lexicons on writing proficiency is higher than that of receptive ones, and the effect of depth is better than that of breadth in both reception and production; (b) regression analysis demonstrated that overall lexical knowledge can account for 50 percent of the variance in writing; (c) vocabulary fluency plays a partial mediation role between vocabulary knowledge and writing ability; and (d) given the mediation role of lexicon fluency, the regression coefficient of both receptive vocabulary breadth and receptive vocabulary depth raised by 3 percent respectively; however, the regression coefficient of productive vocabulary has no changes. These findings suggest that vocabulary fluency can help language learners perform better in writing ability if only they have high vocabulary levels, especially productive vocabulary knowledge.

Productive vocabulary knowledge in L2 German: Which word-related variables matter?

In vocabulary research, factors affecting second/foreign language (L2) receptive vocabulary have been investigated extensively. However, few studies have examined factors affecting productive knowledge (i.e., form recall), especially concerning Languages Other Than English (LOTEs). Moreover, not much is known about the influence of time on L2 learners' productive single word knowledge. Nevertheless, it is crucial to understand which variables affect productive vocabulary learning in order to optimize the learning process. A 3-year longitudinal study was conducted with Dutch-speaking university learners of German (N = 64) to investigate to what extent time, frequency, cognateness, concreteness, and age of acquisition (AoA) play a role in the development of productive single word knowledge in L2 German. Results revealed that time, frequency, cognateness, and AoA together explained 28% of the variance. L2 frequency was found to be the main predictor for L2 form recall. Cognateness also played a role, although the impact was lower compared to the findings of studies on receptive vocabulary knowledge. Concreteness did not affect L2 learners’ form recall scores. Based on the results of the study, suggestions for materials and pedagogical implications will be discussed.