Productive Vocabulary Knowledge Research Articles

Differences in mobile-assisted acquisition of receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge: a case study using Mondly

ABSTRACT The number of learners seeking to acquire an L2 by means of apps is ever-increasing. This study examined the effectiveness of using the app Mondly for the acquisition of L2 English vocabulary while accounting for differences in the acquisition of receptive and productive aspects of word knowledge. Twelve Danish young learners (aged 10–11) used Mondly, installed on their personal devices, as their sole English curriculum for 4 weeks. The results showed a significant increase in vocabulary knowledge. These gains were particularly notable in regards to productive knowledge of the form-meaning connection and areas of word knowledge relating to use. While these learning gains correlated positively with the frequency of appearance of each target word in Mondly’s lexical inventory, they correlated negatively with the participants’ use of the app. We hypothesise that this was because additional use of the app with inadequate repetitions of target words leads to the creation of weak synaptic pathways which interfere with recollection of receptive knowledge of the form-meaning connection. The study indicates that Mondly may be effective as a tool for acquiring L2 vocabulary. However, explicit attention should be given to the number of repetitions of each target word in order to ensure adequate entrenchment.

VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF THE ARABIC PRODUCTIVE VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE INSTRUMENT AT THE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION LEVEL (I-PVKA IPT) USING THE RASCH MEASUREMENT MODEL

Knowledge of productive vocabulary is something critical in learning Arabic in Malaysia. A precise measurement tool is needed in order to know the level of students knowledge of productive Arabic vocabulary.Therefore, this research aims to validate the Arabic Productive Vocabulary Knowledge instrument at the IPT level (i-PVKA IPT). Through a quantitative approach, this test was distributed to 40 final year students of Selangor International Islamic University College (KUIS) and Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah International Islamic University (UniSHAMS) who are studying the Arabic language program.Next, the data were analyzed usingthe Rasch Measurement Model with the help of Winsteps version 5.2. The findings recorded a high item reliability index, which is at 0.86 and item separation index at 2.46.The noise level found is at 8.3% which is far from the ceiling value of 15%.Meanwhile, only seven items were found to be out of the mean square fit range, and those items were retained and refined.In conclusion, the i-PVKA IPT instrument was successfully proven to have a high level of validity and reliability by the Rasch Measurement Model and should be used to measure the level of students knowledge of Arabic productive vocabulary in higher learning institutes.

Exploring the construct validity of tests used to assess L2 productive vocabulary knowledge

Vocabulary knowledge in a second language (L2) is thought to be a complex construct and, accordingly, there exist numerous ways to evaluate a L2 learner's vocabulary knowledge. These assessments are generally billed as tests of vocabulary size (i.e., number of words known) or depth (i.e., how well words are known) of either receptive or productive vocabulary knowledge. However, inconsistencies persist in how existing assessments are characterized, leading to sometimes contradictory claims over what these tests are measuring. This state of affairs leads to concerns with the construct validity of the tests in question. In the current study, we contribute to these ongoing discussions with a focus on tests that target productive vocabulary knowledge in L2 English. Four vocabulary tests (three productive, one receptive) were administered to a group of Francophone learners of English, and results were analyzed using an exploratory factor analysis. This analytic approach led to the identification of two underlying constructs, which we labeled receptive vocabulary knowledge and productive vocabulary knowledge, respectively. These results highlight the importance of the crucial distinction between receptive and productive knowledge in the conceptualization of the overall construct of vocabulary knowledge.

Using Digital Flashcards to Enhance Thai EFL Primary School Students’ Vocabulary Knowledge

There is growing evidence in L2 vocabulary research that digital flashcards facilitate learners’ vocabulary learning and development. Several studies also suggest that deliberate vocabulary teaching is critical for successful language learning. Hence, the primary goal of this study was to investigate whether the use of digital flashcards could improve English vocabulary knowledge of the form-meaning link in Thai primary school children in an EFL context. The study also explored Thai primary school students’ attitudes toward using digital flashcards in vocabulary learning. The participants were 120 Thai primary school students who were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental participants were taught using digital flashcards, while the control group received no unique treatments. Four measures of vocabulary knowledge were used to assess the participants’ vocabulary learning. A five-point Likert scale questionnaire was also used to explore the students’ attitudes toward digital flashcards. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The results showed that although both cohorts significantly improved their receptive and productive knowledge of L2 vocabulary, the students in the experimental group performed significantly better than students in the control group. These results indicate that digital flashcards are an effective method to facilitate vocabulary learning in Thai primary school learners. The analysis of the questionnaires also showed that learners had a very positive attitude towards the use of digital flashcards. These findings reaffirm the efficacy and value of visual and sound images, such as digital flashcards, in vocabulary learning. Implications for practitioners and suggestions for further studies are also addressed. 
  

‘Look, I can speak correctly’: learning vocabulary and pronunciation through websites equipped with automatic speech recognition technology

Speaking skills generally receive little attention in traditional English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms, and this is especially the case in secondary education in Indonesia. A vocabulary deficit and poor pronunciation skills hinder learners in their efforts to improve speaking proficiency. In the present study, we investigated the effects of using two language learning websites, I Love Indonesia (ILI) and NovoLearning (NOVO). These websites are equipped with Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) technology, with each website providing different types of immediate feedback. We measured written receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge of 40 target words before and after the intervention in which 146 students practiced with these two ASR-based websites, and compared it to that of a control group (n = 86). The ASR-based websites successfully helped students enhance their receptive vocabulary. Twenty-four students participated in a spoken pre-and post-test pronouncing the same 40 target words. We successfully developed an approach to measure pronunciation skills which showed that the treatment groups outperformed the control group. Our results indicate that our technology is successful in improving vocabulary and pronunciation skills.

Productive vocabulary knowledge of pre-service teachers as a predictor of writing performance: basis for English syllabi And instructional modules improvement

Although a growing body of research has indicated that writing performance is determined by the writer’s level of vocabulary knowledge, the relationship between the two still needs to be validated as it has strong pedagogical implication. This study aimed at investigating the productive vocabulary knowledge of pre-service teachers as a predictor of writing performance which serves as basis for English syllabi and instructional modules improvement. Seventy-seven (77) students from different year levels were assessed on their productive vocabulary knowledge using vocabulary profiler along four frequency levels:  1st 1,000 words of high frequency, 2nd 1, 000 words least frequently used, Academic World List (AWL), and Off-list. They were also evaluated on their writing performance in terms of organization, content and mechanics. The study found that the productive vocabulary knowledge of the pre-service teachers was limited to the levels with high frequency words. Findings also indicate that their writing performance (good) was affected by their productive vocabulary test performance. Furthermore, the productive vocabulary knowledge of students was the same regardless of sex, age and year level. Meanwhile, except for sex variations were observed in writing performance along age and year level.  

Relationship among EFL reading comprehension, silent reading rate, vocabulary, and reading motivation

As a subset of the large-scale research on several issues related to EFL reading comprehension and instruction, this study investigates the potential relationship among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) reading comprehension, silent reading rate, vocabulary knowledge (i.e., receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge), and reading motivation (i.e., intrinsic and extrinsic reading motivation), as well as the relative contribution of each of these factors to EFL reading comprehension. Data were collected through a reading comprehension and rate test, receptive and productive vocabulary tests, and a reading motivation questionnaire administered to university level EFL learners enrolled in a state university in Turkey. Findings indicated a positive, moderately significant correlation between receptive and controlled productive vocabulary knowledge (p < 0.05) and a weak but significantly positive correlation between silent reading rate and reading motivation (p < 0.05). Findings also showed that silent reading rate and intrinsic reading motivation significantly predicted EFL reading comprehension (p < 0.05). Implications for pedagogy and suggestions for future EFL reading research are discussed.

Measuring attrition of L2 productive vocabulary knowledge over the summer vacation

For many teachers and administrators, the degree to which attrition over summer vacation represents a threat to instructed language acquisition remains unclear. In a previous study, Kramer et al. (2019) looked at receptive vocabulary knowledge attrition oversummer vacation, found no evidence of attrition using these measures, and called for future research to instead use tests of productive vocabulary knowledge which is more likely to be forgotten. Therefore, in this study we investigate the amount of summer attrition among Japanese university students(N = 81) and any mediation in that attrition attributable to digital paired-associate vocabulary studying, extensive reading, or experience travelling abroad. The results indicate that although there was no significant group difference in pre- and post-test productive vocabulary scores, a small but significant relationship was found between digital paired-associate vocabulary studying and vocabulary test score

Second language vocabulary teaching and learning: A commentary on four studies for the JALT vocabulary SIG

Four papers by Brandon Kramer, Tohru Matsuo, Aaron Sponseller, Young Ae Kim, Suzuka Nishiyama, and Stuart McLean, Stuart Benson and Naheen Madarbakus-Ring, Michael McGuire and Jennifer Larson-Hall, and Atsushi Mizumoto, Geoffrey Pinchbeck, and Stuart McLean were presented in the morning session of the 2021 Vocabulary SIG Symposium held in Kyoto, Japan, on 04 December 2021. As discussant, it was my pleasure to comment on each of the papers. The fours studies were investigations of the attrition of productive vocabulary knowledge, the lexical composition of two English for Academic Purposes (EAP) textbooks, the relationship between high-frequency multi-word sequences, speech rate, and listening perception, and the use of various word lists with the New Word Level Checker. After reviewing and summarising each study in this paper, I present suggestions for further developing the studies and expanding the research agenda of each study.

Comparing the Effects of Different Post-Listening Output Tasks on Second Language Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition: Revisiting the Involvement Load Hypothesis

Abstract Based on the Involvement Load Hypothesis, the present study investigated the differential effects of three post-listening output tasks (gap-filling, translation, and sentence-making) on immediate acquisition and retention of such vocabulary dimensions as productive knowledge of orthography, receptive recall of meaning and form, and productive knowledge of grammatical functions. Ninety second-year English majors were divided into three groups to finish listening plus one of the post-listening tasks. The results showed that the post-listening output tasks had positive effects on immediate acquisition of productive vocabulary knowledge, partially in agreement with the Involvement Load Hypothesis. However, the effects on vocabulary knowledge retention were found to be largely inconsistent with the Involvement Load Hypothesis. The finding thus challenges this hypothesis in that involvement load is not the only determining factor and suggests that the theoretical construct of involvement load should be constructed with more caution.

Exploring the evolution in oral fluency and productive vocabulary knowledge during a stay abroad

Exploring the evolution in oral fluency and productive vocabulary knowledge during a stay abroad

The associations between working memory and the effects of multimedia input on L2 vocabulary learning

Abstract The efficient use of working memory (WM) increases the potential of a learner’s cognitive abilities in learning through multimedia. The present study aims to explore the role of working memory in vocabulary learning through multimedia input. In particular, we explore the possible associations between two components of WM – executive WM and phonological short-term memory (PSTM) – and the effects of three types of input conditions (Definition + Word information + Video, Definition + Word information, and Definition) on second language (L2) vocabulary learning. A total of 95 students completed learning under the three conditions and took two WM tests: a reading span test, which measures complex executive WM, and a non-word span test, which gauges PSTM. We administered a vocabulary knowledge test, which included receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge, immediately and after two weeks. Our findings, based on repeated-measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), support the pronounced effects of the Definition + Word information + Video condition in vocabulary learning and retention, as well as the significant role of complex and phonological WM in vocabulary learning and retention under the three conditions. Theoretical and pedagogical implications concerning the role of WM in vocabulary learning through multimedia input are discussed.

Learning semantic and thematic vocabulary clusters through embedded instruction: effects on very young English learners’ vocabulary acquisition and retention

AbstractResearch has suggested an interference effect for words taught in semantic clusters due to the semantic links connecting the words. Thematic clustering of vocabulary is an alternative method of presenting new words to second language (L2) learners. However, what is known about the effects of semantic and thematic clustering has been uncovered through the recruitment of adult learners, with little research conducted with very young learners. Moreover, language textbooks and curriculums for very young learners continue to structure vocabulary semantically. Embedded instruction using storybook contexts has been suggested as a suitable context-based vocabulary teaching technique although knowledge of its effects is limited. To investigate this claim, a quasi-experimental within-subjects design was used to investigate whether embedded instruction could differentially affect very young L2 learners’ learning of new vocabulary taught in either semantic or thematic clusters (N = 38) compared to a control (N = 15). The findings suggest that embedded instruction is beneficial for very young L2 learners’ vocabulary learning regardless of the clustering type. Participants gained and retained over time considerable receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge for both semantic and thematic clustered words, indicating that embedding vocabulary in storybook contexts may reduce the potential for interference between target words in semantic clusters.

Creative Imitation: An Answer to the Fundamental Issue of L2 Learning

Abstract This paper reports on a study on the effects of reading-writing integrated tasks on vocabulary learning and explored the differential roles of creative construction and non-creative construction in promoting lexical learning. Participants were 90 first-year English majors, randomly assigned to two experimental groups (continuation and retelling) and one control group, with 30 students in each group. Results showed that the continuation group generated a substantial amount of creative construction and produced significantly more instances of creative imitation than the retelling group. The continuation group outperformed the retelling group for both receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge gain and retention, but differences were only significant in terms of productive vocabulary retention. Finally, productive vocabulary knowledge retention among the continuation group was significantly and positively correlated with creative imitation (meaning creation coupled with language imitation), but not with linguistic alignment per se. As productive vocabulary knowledge constitutes the learner ’ s ability to use lexical knowledge to express ideas in dynamic contexts, the findings afforded evidence that creative imitation could be the answer to the fundamental issue of L2 learning (i.e., mapping static language onto dynamic idea expression). The pedagogical implications as well as future research directions are also discussed.

The Study on Students' Vocabulary Size

This study intends to know the vocabulary size of English Department Students in eight semesters. The population of this research is all students in English Department, specifically in eight semesters (class of 2013). This research used purposive sampling in taking the samples, and there are 21 students as the sample obtained from 122 students as the population. The method of this research is quantitative method. The instruments which the researcher used in collecting the data are fix test to measure how large students’ vocabulary size, that divided into two test; Receptive Vocabulary Size Test (RVST) and Productive Vocabulary Size Test (PVST). In analyzing the data, it is used numerical descriptive statistic to describe students’ vocabulary mastery first, and then calculate the vocabulary size. The result of this research shows that students’ receptive and productive vocabulary size were 3,110 words and 1,841 words respectively or in general around 4,905 words,with the receptive vocabulary knowledge was higher than productive vocabulary knowledge. However, it has shown a low result for the students who learned English for about eight semesters, it should be more than that.

Effect of MALL on the Acquisition of Receptive and Productive Knowledge of L2 Vocabulary by Iranian EFL Learners: The Case of Telegram

Effect of MALL on the Acquisition of Receptive and Productive Knowledge of L2 Vocabulary by Iranian EFL Learners: The Case of Telegram

Mobile-assisted vocabulary learning: Investigating receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge of Chinese EFL learners

AbstractConsiderable research has been conducted on the advancement of mobile technologies to facilitate vocabulary learning and acquisition in a second language (L2). However, whether mobile platforms lead to a comprehensive mastery of both receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge has seldom been addressed in previous literature. This study investigated English vocabulary learning from engagement with mobile-based word cards and paper word cards in the context of the Chinese university classroom. A total of 85 undergraduate students were recruited to take part in the study. The students were divided into two groups, a mobile learning group and a paper-based learning group, and tested on two word knowledge components: receptive knowledge of the form–meaning connection and productive knowledge of collocations. Both the digital and non-digital word cards enhanced L2 vocabulary learning, and the results showed that the mobile application (app) promoted greater gains than physical word cards.

Task-induced involvement load, vocabulary learning in a foreign language, and their association with metacognition

This study examined the effects of involvement load-based tasks on vocabulary learning in a foreign language, as well as the extent to which task effects are predicted by learners’ metacognition (i.e. metacognitive knowledge and regulation). A total of 120 Chinese university students of English as a foreign language (EFL) were randomly assigned to four task conditions: (1) reading; (2) reading + gap-fill; (3) reading + writing; and (4) reading + writing with the use of a digital dictionary. The Vocabulary Knowledge Scale was adapted to measure condition effects. The Metacognitive Awareness Inventory was used to examine learners’ metacognitive knowledge and regulation. Results revealed that the group of learners who completed reading + writing tasks with the use of a digital dictionary demonstrated the best performance in acquiring receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge, followed by the reading + writing group, the reading + gap-fill group, and, finally, the reading only group. Multiple regression analysis supported the predictive effects of metacognitive regulation on task-based vocabulary learning. Structural equation modelling presented an overall profile of task-based vocabulary learning and metacognition. Based on the findings, we proposed a framework to understand the relationship between learners’ metacognition, task type, and L2 vocabulary learning.

Input Modality and Working Memory Capacity : Effects on the Acquisition of Receptive and Productive Vocabulary Knowledge

Input Modality and Working Memory Capacity : Effects on the Acquisition of Receptive and Productive Vocabulary Knowledge

Vocabulary size and depth as predictors of second language speaking ability

This article investigates the contribution of vocabulary size and depth to second language (L2) speaking proficiency as well as its two dimensions of fluency and lexical resource. To this end, 46 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners took the Word Associates Test (WAT), Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT), Lex30, and the speaking tasks of International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Results of multivariate and ridge regression analyses indicated that (a) the three measures of vocabulary could jointly have a significant contribution to the prediction of the overall speaking ability as well as its two aspects of fluency and lexical resource; (b) receptive vocabulary size, as measured through the VLT, had a unique prediction of the overall L2 speaking proficiency; (c) receptive vocabulary depth could not predict any of the dependent variables; (d) productive vocabulary knowledge was predictive of the fluency and coherence dimension of L2 speaking; and (e) receptive vocabulary size could uniquely predict the lexical dimension of L2 speaking. The results are interpreted in order to provide a range of pedagogical implications.