Productive Vocabulary Research Articles

Supplementing the Involvement Load Hypothesis with vocabulary-use knowledge improves mobile-assisted language learners’ productive vocabulary

Over the past two decades, the Involvement Load Hypothesis (ILH) has become a popular buzzword in the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Although applications of the ILH can improve students’ learning of productive vocabulary, this effect appears to be transitory. Students’ learning of productive vocabulary often fades over time, as shown in delayed productive vocabulary tests. To address this problem, the present study investigated the effect of supplementing the ILH with vocabulary-use knowledge on students’ productive vocabulary performance. We designed two WeChat applets, namely Applet 0.0 and Applet 1.0. The design of Applet 0.0 was based solely on the ILH, whereas Applet 1.0 was guided by the ILH supplemented with vocabulary-use knowledge, with the latter consisting of grammatical functions (the grammatical patterns that a word can fit into), collocations (other words that appear together with a word), and constraints on use (the situations in which a word is used). Fifty-one English foreign language undergraduates were assigned to a control group (CG) or an experimental group (EG). Both groups completed a weekly paragraph-writing task as they learned vocabulary with the applets (the CG used Applet 0.0 and the EG used Applet 1.0). The results suggested an advantage for the ILH supplemented with vocabulary-use knowledge over the ILH alone for productive vocabulary performance. Moreover, mobile-assisted language learners’ language proficiency levels did not influence the effectiveness of the ILH (with or without vocabulary-use knowledge) on productive vocabulary performance. The EG students’ perceptions of the WeChat-mediated Mobile-Assisted Language Learning approach are also discussed.

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.

Influence of Narrow Reading and Narrow Reading Plus Morphological Awareness Training on Vocabulary Development

The present study sought to investigate the effects of narrow reading and a combination of narrow reading and morphological awareness training on intermediate Chinese college English learners’ vocabulary acquisition and retention. To these ends, 54 Chinese college English as foreign language learners (EFL) were randomly divided into three groups—a narrow reading group (NR group); a narrow reading plus morphological intervention group (NRMI group), and a control group (CR group). The two experimental groups read the same five thematically-related expository passages over 5 weeks with the NRMI group receiving extra morphological training; while the CR group read five texts on different topics over the same period of time. Linear mixed model analysis results indicated that while two treatment groups performed significantly better than the CR group on both receptive and productive vocabulary tests, the NRMI group improved the most in vocabulary learning.

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.

Imperatives in Heritage Spanish: Lexical Access and Lexical Frequency Effects

Along with declaratives and interrogatives, imperatives are one of the three major clause types of human language. In Spanish, imperative verb forms present poor morphology, yet complex syntax. The present study examines the acquisition of (morpho)syntactic properties of imperatives in Spanish among English-speaking heritage speakers of Spanish. With the use of production and acceptability judgment tasks, this study investigates the acquisition of verb morphology and clitic placement in canonical and negative imperatives. The results indicate that the acquisition of Spanish imperatives among heritage speakers is shaped by the heritage speakers’ productive vocabulary knowledge, lexical frequency and syntactic complexity. Indeed, most of the variability in their knowledge was found in their production of negative imperatives: heritage speakers show a rather stable receptive grammatical knowledge while their production shows signs of variability modulated by the heritage speakers’ productive vocabulary knowledge and by the lexical frequency of the verb featured in the test items.

The Effects of Multimodal Teaching on English Vocabulary Knowledge of Thai Primary School Students

It is increasingly prevalent in digital learning and teaching strategies for discerning a global perspective on creating the student learning experience. Multimodality is an emergent phenomenon that may influence how digital learning is designed, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic in which immersive learning environments, such as a virtual learning platform, were employed. This immersive platform may assist learners in engaging in, paying attention to, and reflecting on their learning. This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of multimodal teaching on primary school learners&amp;rsquo; English vocabulary and their attitude toward the learning environment. The participants were 59 primary school students in the northeastern part of Thailand. They were divided into two groups: experimental and control groups. The former consisted of 33 students, while the latter comprised 26. Following Nation&amp;rsquo;s (2013) word knowledge framework, two tests were developed to measure participants&amp;rsquo; receptive and productive knowledge of the words. L2 vocabulary scholars validated the tests, and the reliability of the tests was checked using Cronbach&amp;rsquo;s alpha coefficient. The questionnaire was also developed to explore the participants&amp;rsquo; attitudes toward using multimodal teaching methods to improve their vocabulary knowledge. The results showed that although both groups increased their vocabulary knowledge, the statistical analysis revealed that the multimodal teaching technique significantly enhanced participants&amp;rsquo; receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge. The results also indicated that primary school participants had a positive attitude toward using multimodal teaching methods to improve their vocabulary knowledge. The current study suggests that the multimodal teaching method effectively improves Thai primary school learners&amp;rsquo; receptive and productive word knowledge and helps them learn new vocabulary.

The relationship between L2 vocabulary knowledge and reading proficiency: The moderating effects of vocabulary fluency

In this study, we ascertain the links between the four dimensions of L2 vocabulary knowledge and L2 reading proficiency and the moderating effects of vocabulary fluency. For this purpose, 312 EFL Chinese university student volunteers were recruited from six majors at one tertiary university in Southeast China, and they took a series of vocabulary tests and the IELTS reading test. SEM and PING’S SINGLE INDICATOR INTERACTION methods were adopted to analyze the collected test data. The results indicated that (a) receptive lexical knowledge has a much closer link with reading proficiency than productive vocabulary knowledge; (b) among the four dimensions of L2 vocabulary knowledge, receptive vocabulary depth has a closer connection with reading proficiency than receptive vocabulary breadth; (c) vocabulary fluency has a substantial moderating effect on the connection between L2 vocabulary and reading proficiency; and (d) multiple regression analysis verifies that whole-word knowledge explains 49% of the variance in L2 reading testing grades. We discuss theoretical and instructional implications, focusing on the role of the four dimensions of L2 vocabulary knowledge in the vocabulary assessment criteria for developing L2 reading proficiency.

From potential words to actual words: A pronunciation-integrated teaching model to facilitate productive oral vocabulary development

Facilitating the transformation of vocabulary from receptive to productive can be challenging for second language (L2) teachers. Although some studies have focused on understanding activities that promote productive vocabulary in written modes (e.g., Teng &amp; Xu, 2022), little is known about the effect of activities on productive vocabulary in spoken modes. To fill this gap, this paper presents an innovative pronunciation-integrated teaching model to facilitate productive oral vocabulary development. Pronunciation training and vocabulary teaching are typically seen as distinct areas of teaching English as a Second Language; yet, in the context of developing productive vocabulary to be used in speaking, they are highly complementary. Therefore, the innovativeness of the model presented here is the integration of pronunciation training into vocabulary-focused. The teaching model is helpful because it provides teachers with a practical guide for the creation of activities that can be used for classroom teaching of productive oral vocabulary.

From potential words to actual words: A pronunciation-integrated teaching model to facilitate productive oral vocabulary development

Facilitating the transformation of vocabulary from receptive to productive can be challenging for second language (L2) teachers. Although some studies have focused on understanding activities that promote productive vocabulary in written modes (e.g., Teng &amp; Xu, 2022), little is known about the effect of activities on productive vocabulary in spoken modes. To fill this gap, this paper presents an innovative pronunciation-integrated teaching model to facilitate productive oral vocabulary development. Pronunciation training and vocabulary teaching are typically seen as distinct areas of teaching English as a Second Language; yet, in the context of developing productive vocabulary to be used in speaking, they are highly complementary. Therefore, the innovativeness of the model presented here is the integration of pronunciation training into vocabulary-focused. The teaching model is helpful because it provides teachers with a practical guide for the creation of activities that can be used for classroom teaching of productive oral vocabulary.

The effectiveness of combining the keyword mnemonic with retrieval practice on L2 vocabulary learning in Taiwanese EFL classes

Previous research suggests that combining the keyword mnemonic and retrieval practice produces significant benefits for L2 vocabulary learning, but only for the receptive aspect. This study examines the effectiveness of combining the two methods for productive L2 vocabulary learning. Forty-two 8th-grade Taiwanese EFL learners participated in a four-week instructional treatment. They were divided into three groups with a similar spread of English vocabulary sizes. The learning materials consisted of 21 English words unknown to the participants and equally divided into three sets of equivalent difficulty. Three learning conditions (combined method, retrieval practice, and control) were rotated for each group so that each condition was applied to each set of words one time by one of the three groups. A productive vocabulary test was designed to measure the retention of the words at three different time points after the treatment. Repeated measures ANOVAs revealed that the combined method performed similarly to retrieval practice in the immediate and the one-week delayed posttests but significantly outperformed retrieval practice in the four-week delayed posttest. The predicted superiority of using the combined method over retrieval practice alone in the productive aspect of EFL vocabulary learning over the longer term was confirmed in the present study.

Exploring the relationship between extramural English, self-efficacy, gender, and learning outcomes: A mixed-methods study in a Norwegian upper-secondary school

This article reports on a mixed-methods study regarding the extent to which the extramural English (EE), external attributions, self-efficacy (concerning EFL reading, speaking, writing, and listening skills), and gender of 42 students, learning English as a foreign language (EFL) in a Norwegian upper-secondary school, predicted their EFL learning outcomes. Data on participants’ EE (receptive and productive), external attributions, and self-efficacy were collected through a questionnaire and language diaries, while their learning outcomes were measured through a language proficiency test, mock exam, in-depth project, and receptive and productive vocabulary tests. The data revealed several interesting findings, including participants’ receptive EE statistically significantly and negatively predicting their productive vocabulary test scores, whereas their writing self-efficacy and attributions to specifically literature, TV, and film statistically significantly and positively predicted them. Moreover, neither receptive nor productive EE was found to mediate the relationship between self-efficacy, external attributions, and learning outcomes.

The Impact of Image-Driven Stimuli on Malaysian Young Learners’ Receptive and Productive Vocabulary

In Malaysia’s present scenario, competency in English is not a surety despite it being part of the curriculum from the very start of primary education. In view of the importance of lexical knowledge in language development and the hypothesised superiority of pictorial stimuli, the present study tested the effectiveness of an image-driven intervention for receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge development among Malaysian Year 1 students. A quasi-experimental design was utilised, involving Experimental and Control groups (totalling 159 participants). Three tiers of testing were administered – pre-testing, post-testing to measure for recall, and delayed post-testing for retention. The Experimental group experienced five imagedriven sessions designed for lexical development (one session per week, 30 minutes per session). The Control group was not accorded the same treatment. Approximately 90% of the participants belonged to the B40 (Bottom 40%) group – the group with the lowest income level in Malaysia. Despite the lack of statistical significance, our findings on the whole show development with respect to the participants’ lexical knowledge after experiencing the image-driven intervention, with raw scores clearly indicating receptive and productive vocabulary improvement at both the recall and retention stages. The study’s findings extend the current knowledge base, especially within the Malaysian domain which suffers from an unfortunate lack of similar studies focusing on lower primary learners. Also, the results appear promising (with only five treatment sessions) and pave the way for more research concerning the effectiveness of the intervention among young ESL/EFL learners.

A Longitudinal Study of Swedish Upper Secondary School Students’ Vocabulary Development

The importance of vocabulary is stressed as a central aspect of language learning. The aim of this investigation1 was to study how lexical input from a textbook and use of individual vocabulary notebooks affected Swedish upper secondary school students’ vocabulary acquisition by answering the three following research questions: What frequency levels are represented in the vocabulary taught in the textbook? To what extent does the productive vocabulary knowledge of the group, as measured by the Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT), change after exposure to the textbook? To what extent did the students benefit from the vocabulary notebooks? Firstly, a corpus of texts from the textbook was created and analysed to establish the frequency levels of the vocabulary in the corpus. Laufer and Nation’s Vocabulary Levels Test was then used to establish the group’s productive vocabulary knowledge. Lastly, the effectiveness of the vocabulary notebook was examined. The results indicate that the particular textbook was well-suited in terms of frequency levels and the students’ knowledge of K3 words improved, but the vocabulary notebook was not found to be effective.

Maternal cortisol levels in third trimester and early language development: A study of 1093 mother-child pairs from the Odense Child Cohort.

Language development during early childhood is considered an important marker of fetal neurodevelopment. Prenatal cortisol exposure plays a critical role in maturation of the fetal brain; however, the effect on offspring language development needs further investigation. In this prospective observational study we aimed to evaluate the association between maternal third trimester cortisol and early longitudinal offspring language development in the Odense Child Cohort (OCC) and to test whether there were sex differences in the association. The study cohort included 1093 mother-child dyads (570 boys and 523 girls). Fasting morning serum (s-) cortisol was collected from third trimester (gestational week 26-28) pregnant women and measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Offspring receptive and productive vocabulary assessments by MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories parent reports were completed every third month from children age 12-37 months. Levels of cortisol were higher in women carrying a girl (858 ± 214 nmol/L) than in women carrying a boy (820 ± 222 nmol/L). Higher third trimester maternal cortisol levels showed a positive association with development of productive vocabulary in boys at age 12-21 months (OR = 1.23, SE = 0.07, p = .005) and age 22-37 months (OR = 1.09, SE = 0.06, p = .967). Higher maternal cortisol levels in the third trimester were positively associated with receptive vocabulary in girls at 12-21 months of age (OR = 1.16, SE = 0.05, p = .002). Maternal third trimester s-cortisol levels were positively associated with early language development in children at age 12-37 months.

VOCABULARY JOURNALS AS AN INDEPENDENT LEARNING TOOL FOR L2 VOCABULARY IMPROVEMENT

Vocabulary learning is an incremental and ongoing process that has an indispensable value in language acquisition allowing foreign language learners to convey their thoughts and communicate. Receptive vocabulary fosters comprehension of reading and listening, whereas productive vocabulary promotes speaking and writing skills. The focus of this study is the productive vocabulary of learners. Particularly, it is shown that in incidental vocabulary learning, the involvement load is of great importance. The three factors that influence the involvement load are need, search, and evaluation. In the case study conducted within the framework of the present research, the relevance of these three factors is brought to light and highly emphasized. The study aims to present how vocabulary journals influence vocabulary enhancement and to show the participants’ experience of implementing a vocabulary journal as a tool for intentional and autonomous learning. The research methods applied in the study include vocabulary size test, productive vocabulary test, implementing vocabulary journal technique, post-tests for measuring vocabulary knowledge of the participants, and an interview.

Model‐based feedback for L2 writing revision: The role of vocabulary size and language aptitude

AbstractAlthough the utility of model‐based feedback is well documented, little is known about which factors modulate its effectiveness. The current study investigated the extent to which learner differences in receptive and productive vocabulary sizes, as well as differences in their language aptitude (measured by the LLAMA test), mediated the effects of using models as a written corrective feedback (WCF) tool. Sixty Korean learners of English (ages 18–21) were divided into an experimental and a control group. They all completed an argumentative writing task. Before revising their texts, the experimental group received model texts to compare their first draft, while the control group self‐corrected their errors without a model. Subsequently, all 60 participants took the LLAMA and vocabulary size tests. The model group's revisions showed significant improvements in vocabulary, content, and organization compared to the control group. The results also showed that learners’ receptive and productive vocabulary sizes significantly predicted the effectiveness of model‐based feedback.

The Correlation between Vocabulary Knowledge and English Language Proficiency at Undergraduate Level

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between undergraduate English language students' vocabulary knowledge and language proficiency. The population of the study was the English department students at the University of Lahore. The sample was taken from the fifth to eighth semesters using cluster sampling. Through a vocabulary test, the size of the productive vocabulary, the size of the receptive vocabulary, and the depth of knowledge of the vocabulary were all found to significantly correlate with speaking performance. In multiple regression analyses, vocabulary knowledge was found to be the cause of 26% of the variance in speaking proficiency. The sig. (two-tailed) coefficient of the relationship between the two factors, and a correlation coefficient R value of 0.784 at the 0.05 level of significance was deemed strong. It expected that there was a strong positive connection between the vocabulary information and understudies language capability. The regression explains a consolidated effect of vocabulary knowledge on students' language proficiency. Vocabulary knowledge is positively correlated with language proficiency, according to the findings. Pedagogical implications and suggestions for future research are presented on the basis of the findings of the study.

Vocabulary skills of bilingual children: The evidence for context‐dependent performance

AbstractMost bilingual children often display greater proficiency and preference for one of their two languages. Researchers refer to this asymmetry as language dominance. However, despite being possible to determine the overall language dominance in bilinguals, there may be substantial flexibility in their language use. In particular, the relative ease of using each language may depend on the sociolinguistic context and the language of the interlocutor which may affect the ease of accessing words in a given language. In the present work, we investigate whether and how the sociolinguistic context in an International English medium school influences bilingual children's vocabulary production. Specifically, we examine whether bilingual first‐grade children's expressive vocabulary skills vary as a function of the linguistic context (Home/School) and the language (English/Spanish) of their conversational partner. Results showed that contextual factors interacted with child's language performance. The participants' ability to name objects in Spanish was affected by the conversational partner's language, and their ability to name Home‐context words varied by language. The findings of this investigation highlight the importance of considering sociolinguistic factors when evaluating bilingual children's language skills.

Investigating Lexical Errors in Written and Spoken Productions among University Students of Business English

This study investigated the types and frequency of lexical errors made by university students of Business English in their writing and spoken production. The participants were 50 undergraduate students from a business school at the University of Ibn Zohr, Morocco. A comprehensive language assessment was conducted to measure their vocabulary size, productive vocabulary knowledge, and language proficiency. Their written essays and spoken interviews were analyzed using James' Taxonomy of Lexical Errors (1998). The results showed that the most frequent types of lexical errors made by the participants were word Distortions (46%), followed by Misformation (33%), and finally Confusion of Sense Relation (18%). The study also found a significant correlation between vocabulary size and productive vocabulary knowledge with the number and types of lexical errors made by the participants. The findings have implications for language teaching and learning, suggesting that more attention should be given to vocabulary instruction and practice to reduce lexical errors in Business English communication.