Vocabulary Growth Research Articles

Early vocabulary in two varieties of South American Spanish: Quantitative and qualitative differences

This article presents a cross-cultural comparison of the size and composition of the expressive vocabulary of young children speaking two dialectal varieties of South American Spanish. Ninety-one Peruvian and 91 Argentinian toddlers (mean age: 22.5 months), matched on gender, age and maternal education, were assessed through the respective adaptations of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories. Results revealed a vocabulary growth compatible with a spurt in both groups. A marginally significant country-by-gender interaction indicated that while Argentinian children exhibited an accelerated lexical growth before age 2;0 regardless of gender, only Peruvian girls did so; Peruvian boys presented a more gradual and later increase. We also found between-group qualitative differences in vocabulary composition: Argentinian toddlers with vocabularies of up to 100 words exhibited a significantly higher proportion of Nouns, while Peruvian children, especially those with a lexical mass under 50 words, had a higher percentage of Social words. Both findings are discussed in terms of possible cross-cultural differences linked to input quality and early interactions, and avenues for further research are proposed.

Executive function skills account for a bilingual advantage in English novel word learning among low-income preschoolers

The current study compared economically disadvantaged bilingual and monolingual preschoolers’ performance on an English novel word learning task and examined whether children’s executive function (EF) skills account for differences in novel word learning performance across groups. In total, 39 English monolinguals and 35 Spanish–English bilingual preschoolers from low-income homes completed a battery of EF measures and the Quick Interactive Language Screener to gauge English novel word learning ability. Within a poverty context, bilingual preschoolers performed significantly better on measures of English novel word learning as compared with their monolingual peers. This bilingual advantage in novel word learning ability was mediated by short-term memory, but not inhibition or attention shifting, which indicates that gains in short-term memory may facilitate word learning in English for bilingual preschoolers from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. These findings have important practical implications for interventions designed to promote English vocabulary growth for low-income bilingual children.

Free access to multilingual digital books: a tool to increase book reading?

The objective of the study was to examine how providing access to multilingual digital picture books affected the reading habits and language development of children from bilingual families. The study included 41 children aged 4–5 from two schools whose parents spoke a heritage language distinct from the environmental language (Dutch), and had a low level of education. The children were randomly assigned to two groups - one with access to digital books solely in the environmental language (Dutch) and the other with a choice between the environmental language and their heritage language. A general vocabulary test was administered before and after a six-week intervention period. The findings indicated that access to digital books motivated reading, with roughly one-third of the children reading a substantial number of books during the intervention. The availability of books in the heritage language did not lead to an increase in book reading. Given a choice, only a minority (33%) preferred to read in their heritage language. The conditions exhibited similar growth in vocabulary, but the study uncovered positive associations between the number of books and vocabulary development.

Using Simulation in International Business Correspondence Courses for China’s English-Major Undergraduates

This study reports an investigative study with 55 English-major participants in a Chinese university about using simulation in business English correspondence teaching. The study found that participants had strong needs in practical skills development and learning business English correspondence writing. The simulation approach was perceived to be effective and had positive learning outcomes in business communication skills development, motivation, confidence and vocabulary growth, business and language knowledge improvement, and more understanding about the business practice. The constraint factors in simulation included lack of business knowledge and vocabulary, ineffective group cooperation, and lack of understanding about the real-world business background.

THE ANALYSIS OF TEACHING VOCABULARY TO EFL THROUGH READING TESTS OF COLLEGE STUDENTS IN JAKARTA

Teaching vocabulary in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context is challenging. Incidental vocabulary learning is limited due to a lack of second language (L2) input, and most words are learned through classroom instruction. Overall, research has shown marginal L2 vocabulary growth in many EFL situations. Such research indicates a need for a more effective and ef?cient approach to teaching vocabulary in the EFL context. This chapter discusses how to optimise vocabulary learning in the EFL context. It touches on the following questions: Which words should be taught? How should vocabulary be taught? How many words do EFL learners need to know? What should a vocabulary-learning programme include? How can vocabulary learning be fostered given limited classroom time? Which activities might be useful in indirect vocabulary learning?.

A Corpus-Based Study on The Development Of the Javanese Language Among Multilingual Children In East Java

This paper seeks to examine multilingual children’s Javanese across different grades of primary schools with a focus on proficiency, vocabulary, and grammatical development. The data were partially taken from CBLING (Corpus of Bilingual Learners’ Languages), a corpus developed by Universitas Negeri Malang. Using AntConc as a corpus development tool, we measured Javanese proficiency using the Mean Length of Utterances (MLU) method. Our findings on the development of Javanese proficiency and vocabulary growth indicated insignificant improvement across grades. However, the average vocabulary density grows significantly from the first two lower grades to the three higher ones. In terms of grammar, hybrid words showing morphological blendings, such as mastekno or isikno were observed in the participants’ writings. Taken together, our findings are essential for teaching and learning Javanese as a regional home language and generating an important linguistic feature of 21st century multilingual children’s Javanese.
 Keywords: corpus study, Javanese language, multilingual children, East Java

Examination of Factors That Predict Receptive Vocabulary Knowledge of Children Who Attend Head Start Programs

Income-based childcare programs provide children access to developmentally appropriate and vocabulary-rich literacy experiences. For this study, participating Head Start Centers requested families complete a weekly home literacy log to encourage vocabulary-rich shared book reading activities in the home. Using participant characteristics, including literacy log competition, this study examined which factors adequately predicted vocabulary growth as measured by Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test–Fourth Edition standard scores. Results indicated that vocabulary increased significantly for children who were enrolled in participating Head Start Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) programs. Important predictors of the magnitude of vocabulary growth during an academic year included sex, language(s) spoken in the home, and completion of home literacy logs. Clinical implications of this study would warrant recommending home literacy logs as a component of holistic Head Start programming, as completion of literacy logs emerged as an important variable in predicting the magnitude of vocabulary growth second only to race and sex.

Testing theoretical explanations for heterogeneity in associations between a state quality rating and improvement system and prekindergarten children’s academic performance

The present study tests two complementary developmental theories regarding the fit between children’s skills and their environments within the context of a state Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). Specifically, we examine whether high-quality prekindergarten disproportionately benefits children based on their entering ability levels. The sample includes 684 children (48% female; Mage = 57.56 months) residing in a midwestern state who were eligible to receive child care subsidies and participated in an evaluation of state-funded prekindergarten during the 2015-2016 school year (cohort 1), 2016-2017 school year (cohort 2), or 2018-2019 school year (cohort 3). We implemented multilevel regression models with children nested in their respective classrooms and schools to investigate whether children in higher-rated prekindergarten programs on the QRIS experienced greater growth in math, literacy, and vocabulary from fall to spring if they entered with stronger executive function skills (i.e., foundational skills hypothesis), or if they entered with weaker skills in the same respective domain as the outcome (i.e., compensatory skills hypothesis) relative to children who attended programs that were lower-rated or unrated on the QRIS. Contrary to both hypotheses, only one significant interaction emerged indicating that children who attended prekindergarten programs rated as low-quality on the QRIS were more likely to have higher spring literacy performance if they began the year with stronger executive function skills. Implications for research and policy are discussed.

Caregiver sensitivity supported young children's vocabulary development during the Covid-19 UK lockdowns.

Previous studies have shown that caregivers' sensitive, responsive interactions with young children can boost language development. We explored the association between caregivers' sensitivity and the vocabulary development of their 8-to-36-month-olds during COVID-19 when family routines were unexpectedly disrupted. Measuring caregivers' sensitivity from home interaction videos at three timepoints, we found that children who experienced more-sensitive concurrent interactions had higher receptive and expressive vocabularies (N=100). Children whose caregivers showed more-sensitive interactions at the beginning of the pandemic showed greater expressive vocabulary growth six (but not 12) months later (n=58). Significant associations with receptive vocabulary growth were not observed. Our findings highlight the importance of sensitivity at a time when other positive influences on language development were compromised.

Relating the prosody of infant-directed speech to children's vocabulary size.

This study examines correlations between the prosody of infant-directed speech (IDS) and children's vocabulary size. We collected longitudinal speech data and vocabulary information from Dutch mother-child dyads with children aged 18 (N = 49) and 24 (N = 27) months old. We took speech context into consideration and distinguished between prosody when mothers introduce familiar vs. unfamiliar words to their children. The results show that IDS mean pitch predicts children's vocabulary growth between 18 and 24 months. In addition, the degree of prosodic modification when mothers introduce unfamiliar words to their children correlates with children's vocabulary growth during this period. These findings suggest that the prosody of IDS, especially in word-learning contexts, may serve linguistic purposes.

Preliminary data on the development of emotion vocabulary in typically developing children (5-13 years) using an experimental psycholinguistic measure.

Vocabulary of emotion is integral to emotional development and emotional intelligence is associated with improved mental health outcomes. Many language disordered groups experience emotional difficulties; Developmental Language Disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and autism. However, (as in the case of autism) research tends to focus on assessing recognition of emotional states, rather than exploring labeling skills. Where labeling is assessed, measures have focused on early-acquired vocabulary (happy, sad, angry) or self/parent reporting. To date, no objective assessment has been made of vocabulary of emotion across childhood. This study uses an experimental psycholinguistic measure, The Emotion Vocabulary: Expressive and Receptive ability measure (EVER) which includes two tasks (receptive vocabulary and word generation/expressive vocabulary). This measure has capacity to demonstrate vocabulary growth across age groups. 171 participants (5.0-13.11 years) completed The EVER Measure, alongside two closely matched standardized measures of basic language: BPVS (receptive vocabulary task) and CELF (word-association task). Assessments were completed online and en vivo (COVID testing restrictions dependent). As predicted, children's accuracy increased on both receptive and expressive emotion vocabulary tasks, in line with age at time of testing. EVER scores were significantly predicted by age and correlated with matched basic language scores. Secondary analysis provided preliminary findings on age of acquisition for specific emotion vocabulary items. The findings consequently demonstrate proof of concept for the use of The EVER Measure in assessing emotional vocabulary across childhood. This study provides important preliminary data on generating and recognizing emotion labels across typical child development. Critically, it extends current knowledge on emotion vocabulary acquisition into middle childhood, where linguistic ability is relatively mature. As such, findings have implications for research with potential clinical application in the assessment of older children, with either language or emotional differences or both. Findings demonstrate the need for a standardized tool, and its potential application in research and clinical practice is explored. A large-scale study offering proof of concept and reliability of The EVER Measure is indicated.

Variation in morpho-lexical development within and between diagnoses in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

While primary diagnosis is only one aspect of the presentation of a child with neurodevelopmental delay/disorder, the degree to which early expressive language reflects diagnostic divisions must be understood in order to reduce the risk of obscuring clinically important differences and similarities across diagnoses. We present original data from the New Zealand MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (NZCDI) from 88 English-speaking children aged 2;6 to 5;6 years receiving multidisciplinary intervention within a single family-centered program. The children had one of six pediatrician-assigned genetic or behaviorally determined diagnoses: Down syndrome (DS); motor disorders (cerebral palsy and developmental coordination disorder); global development delay; disorders of relating and communicating (R&C); other genetically defined diagnoses; or language delay due to premature (PREM) birth. Morphological and lexical development were compared within and across diagnostic groups, using both data visualization and mixed-effects modeling. Groups varied in the amount of variation within and between them, but only prematurity reached significance, in interaction with age, as a predictor of morpho-lexical scores. Further analysis of longitudinal data available from a subset of the sample (n = 62) suggested that individual trajectories of vocabulary growth could not be reliably predicted by diagnosis. Moreover, the distribution of word types (nouns, predicates, etc.) only distinguished PREM children with language delay from those with DS and those in the R&C group. There were strong similarities in early morpho-lexical development across these clinical populations, with some differences. These findings align with research and clinical approaches which accommodate individual variation within diagnosis, and broad similarities across diagnostic groups.

Speech Sound Development in 18-Month-Old Children With Sex Chromosome Trisomies.

This study aimed to describe speech sound development in a group of 18-month-old children with sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs), compared with a group of typically developing (TD) peers. Concurrent and longitudinal relationships between speech sound abilities and lexical development were examined. A group of 76 children aged 18 months, 38 children prenatally diagnosed with SCTs (12 with XXY, 12 with XYY, and 14 with XXX) and 38 TD children, participated in the study. From video recordings of semistructured naturalistic parent-child play sessions, quantitative and qualitative measures of speech sound development were collected (e.g., the number of consonants, type and place of articulation, and syllable structures used), and group differences were observed. The relationships between the number of consonants produced and vocabulary size at 18 and 24 months were assessed. At 18 months, children with SCTs used a significantly lower number of consonants than TD children. Qualitatively, children with SCTs used significantly fewer articulatory complex consonants (fricative/affricates) and a more restricted inventory of syllable structures. The number of consonants used was significantly correlated with lexical development at 18 months. Moreover, in the SCTs group (but not in the TD group), the children with lower speech sound development at 18 months showed a significantly smaller vocabulary growth between 18 and 24 months than those with higher speech-sound development. Toddlers with SCTs showed a significantly delayed speech sound development pattern rather than an atypical one. Children with SCTs with low speech sound development also showed lower vocabulary growth between 18 and 24 months of age. These results can be clinically relevant for follow-up and treatment planning for children with SCTs.

Scientific Style of Speech in Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language: General and Specific

The article deals with the dynamic process of mastering the scientific style of speech at the all stages of teaching Russian as a foreign language in universities of different profi les. The tendency towards the rapid growth of terminological vocabulary in all languages of the world is noted, with reference to significant facts from the history of the development of scientific style of speech worldwide and in Russia. It shows the transformations it has undergone, changing over time just as the language itself changes. The similarity of scientific descriptions in different languages is emphasised, and the sources and factors influencing the formation of the learner’s scientific consciousness are analysed. The role of language training in the process of studying the stylistic nature of language is revealed, and the linguodidactic potential of working with a scientific text through the triad “lexicon — construction — text” is described. Recommendations are given on ways to expand the traditional set of constructions at all stages of training and text selection, and the author’s “rule of four T’s” is substantiated. Types of exercises are provided, such as creating a plan, a reference scheme, assembling a coherent whole from paragraphs, performing compression, “anti-compression”, etc. The pedagogical experiment is described, which allowed answering the question: how do changes occur in mastering the fundamentals of scientific style in the Russian language among foreign students of different profiles? It is concluded that the scientific text, due to the uniqueness of sets of language formulas and patterns, becomes a powerful tool for understanding professional module disciplines. Working with scientific style allows the teacher to prepare the student for professional communication and contributes to the development of skills in using scientific style in oral and written forms.

The Effect of Music on Communication Ability: A Case of Vocabularies

Vocabulary growth predicts communication ability and communication without vocabulary is impossible. The study was done among 50 EFL learners to examine the effect of music-based instruction on their vocabulary retention and attitudes. They were divided into experimental and control groups. First, a pre-test was conducted to fulfill the homogeneity assumption. Then, the photo dictionary part of the “English for Schools Prospect 1” book was set to music and the experimental group underwent music-based practices. While the control group received audio-visual instruction. Immediately after the instructions, a 20-item test was given to the groups. Subsequently, a 9-item attitude scale was distributed among the teacher, observer, and groups. After two weeks, a long-term memory test was conducted between the two groups. Results presented that the experimental group significantly outscored in the short- and long-term memory tests compared with the control group. Moreover, results from the attitude scale indicated that they welcomed music-based instruction allowing more profound vocabulary learning and communication ability than the audio-visual practices.

THE ROLE OF CHECKING RETELLING IN TEACHING ENGLISH

Retelling is a very important strategy especially in the English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom. This study investigates the effectiveness of retelling as a reading strategy for university students of ESL. Three A2 level, two B1 level and three B2 level students participated in the study. They were divided into two groups (Group A and B) according to their English language competence and other factors. Their retelling outcomes including oral, and written during 2 months period were collected and analyzed. During the study, students were being taught stories and asked to retell the stories orally and/or in writing through creative activities. The results show an improvement in the story structure, length of the retelling, reading comprehension, and confidence. Major improvement in vocabulary growth was found. Self-evaluations and observation indicate that the participants enjoyed story readings, their attitude toward reading became more positive, and they gained self-confidence. The results suggest that retelling could be a potentially useful reading strategy for ESL learners when creative activities are used.

Spanish-speaking caregivers' use of referential labels with toddlers is a better predictor of later vocabulary than their use of referential gestures.

Variation in how frequently caregivers engage with their children is associated with variation in children's later language outcomes. One explanation for this link is that caregivers use both verbal behaviors, such as labels, and non-verbal behaviors, such as gestures, to help children establish reference to objects or events in the world. However, few studies have directly explored whether language outcomes are more strongly associated with referential behaviors that are expressed verbally, such as labels, or non-verbally, such as gestures, or whether both are equally predictive. Here, we observed caregivers from 42 Spanish-speaking families in the US engage with their 18-month-old children during 5-min lab-based, play sessions. Children's language processing speed and vocabulary size were assessed when children were 25 months. Bayesian model comparisons assessed the extent to which the frequencies of caregivers' referential labels, referential gestures, or labels and gestures together, were more strongly associated with children's language outcomes than a model with caregiver total words, or overall talkativeness. The best-fitting models showed that children who heard more referential labels at 18 months were faster in language processing and had larger vocabularies at 25 months. Models including gestures, or labels and gestures together, showed weaker fits to the data. Caregivers' total words predicted children's language processing speed, but predicted vocabulary size less well. These results suggest that the frequency with which caregivers of 18-month-old children use referential labels, more so than referential gestures, is a critical feature of caregiver verbal engagement that contributes to language processing development and vocabulary growth. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: We examined the frequency of referential communicative behaviors, via labels and/or gestures, produced by caregivers during a 5-min play interaction with their 18-month-old children. We assessed predictive relations between labels, gestures, their combination, as well as total words spoken, and children's processing speed and vocabulary growth at 25 months. Bayesian model comparisons showed that caregivers' referential labels at 18 months best predicted both 25-month vocabulary measures, although total words also predicted later processing speed. Frequent use of referential labels by caregivers, more so than referential gestures, is a critical feature of communicative behavior that supports children's later vocabulary learning.

Utilizing Blogs on ESL learners’ vocabulary learning through social constructivist theory: A descriptive study

During this period in history, the advancement of technology is developing at a fast pace, and it is becoming more important to every normal person. In particular, the smart phone, which is quickly becoming one of the most frequently used gadgets in ordinary life, is no longer considered a luxury commodity. Because of the COVID-19 epidemic, students are not required to utilise textbooks while studying. Beyond textbooks, there are numerous other media that may be used to advance an individual's education and development. The purpose of this research study is to investigate the effect of social media, namely Blogs, on the vocabulary acquisition of ESL students. A questionnaire was adopted for data collection from 60 people from different universities, and the results were analysed using a descriptive method. Following the responses given by the respondents, it was noticed that a lot of ESL learners believed that using Blogs to improve vocabulary development is beneficial since it raises the degree of involvement in studying. The current research investigates the use of social constructivist theory in the teaching of ESL learners. The purpose of this study report is to demonstrate the statistically significant impact of the use of Blogs on the growth of learners' vocabulary. Finally, the article concluded that, in light of the descriptive study, the social constructivist method is very significant in English language learning, particularly in vocabulary development.The following objectives were established for the study through Descriptive Method of Social Constructivist Theory of Learning Vocabulary:•To explore the relationship between the use of Blogs and an interest in ESL learners' vocabulary knowledge.•To identify the effect of Blogs on the development of English vocabulary among ESL learners by using social constructivist theory.•To examine the effect of using Blogs on students' capacity to improve their vocabulary usage.

The Representation of Vocabulary Knowledge Aspects in Saudi EFL Textbooks

Vocabulary growth is of great importance, and textbooks are the main sources of vocabulary learning for many EFL learners. Previous research has shown that learning vocabulary involves a mastery of several knowledge dimensions. Little research, however, has focused on vocabulary knowledge dimensions in EFL textbooks. It remains unclear how the different word knowledge dimensions are addressed in Saudi EFL textbooks and whether there is a variation among the textbooks in addressing the different dimensions. The present study aims to fill this gap by investigating how the different vocabulary knowledge dimensions are addressed in the local Saudi EFL textbooks. It investigates the activities in English textbooks that give attention to vocabulary to explore the amount of attention given to each dimension in a particular activity. To achieve this, all the 12 EFL textbooks used in primary and middle Saudi schools were analysed. Applying Nation’s (2013) framework of word knowledge, a total of 1181 activities were examined. The findings showed that textbooks for primary school levels place greater emphasis on form, followed by meaning and finally use, while in intermediate-level textbooks, the greatest attention is given to meaning, followed by use and then form. The results also reveal variations among the textbooks in the amount of attention given to the different vocabulary knowledge aspects. Pedagogical implications for textbook writers are suggested.

Developmental differences in EEG oscillations supporting the identification of novel word meaning from context

Implicit learning about new words by picking up on associative information in the contexts they appear in is an important aspect of vocabulary growth. The current study investigated the neural correlates that underlie how school-aged children and adolescents identify the meaning of novel words embedded within sentence contexts. Importantly, we examine how differences in the brain response to novel words and their context differ as a function of 1) explicit learning success, i.e., whether novel word meanings can be correctly estimated in isolation after a learning opportunity, and 2) individual differences in offline language aptitude as well as age across our cohort (N = 82; 8–16 years). Using a regression-based analysis, we identified the unique influence of these individuals difference metrics by using both measures within the same series of models. The most notable finding from our analysis was a frequency-specific dissociation between the way age and language abilities held relationships with task-relevant oscillatory activity during the novel word meaning task: language abilities associated with task-relevant changes in beta band activity during sentence processing, while age associated with task-relevant changes in theta band activity during pseudoword processing. These effects reflect the how the neural correlates of mapping semantic meaning from sentence contexts—an important skill for word learning—is uniquely influenced by the maturity of language abilities as well as age