Vocabulary Test Research Articles

A study on enhancing EFL students’ vocabulary proficiency via TikTok

TikTok can be used for many purposes, including for mastering English vocabulary. This study aims to determine the improvement of EFL students’ English vocabulary ability after being taught vocabulary using TikTok videos. This study used a quasi-experimental design with a total of 178 Grade VII EFL students from a state junior high school in northern Sumatra. In this study, the sample consisted of two groups, totaling 61 students, which were then divided into two groups: the experimental group and control group. In collecting the data, the researchers conducted vocabulary tests in both the pre- and post-tests. The results revealed that the students’ average pre-test score in the experimental group was 66.44, while the average of the students’ pre-test scores in the control group was 65.77, indicating similar initial achievements. However, the mean post-test score of the experimental group after being taught vocabulary using TikTok videos remarkably increased to 91.39, while the mean post-test score of the control group was 79.99. Furthermore, the SPSS result also showed that the t-score of the post-test in the experimental and control groups was 5.83, at the 5% level of significance (= 0.05), which was out of the limits of 1.96 and 1.96. Therefore, the acceptance of the alternative hypothesis suggests that teaching vocabulary through the TikTok application has a significant positive impact on vocabulary proficiency. Therefore, EFL teachers are encouraged to selectively incorporate TikTok videos into their vocabulary teaching approaches.

An Investigation of the Effects of Dialogic Reading Program Applied in Children s Homes on Children s Language Development

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of dialogic reading education given to care staff working in children's homes on the language development of children in need of protection and the views of care staff on dialogic reading. The study was designed using the explanatory sequential mixed method in which quantitative and qualitative research methods were used together. The study group consisted of 9 children aged 5-8 years living in children's homes and 6 care staff responsible for their care. Girls and boys live in separate homes, and the average age of the children is 6 years and 7 months. One of the participating care staff members is male, and the remaining five are female. The ages of the participating staff range between 35 and 40. First, dialogic reading training was given to a total of six care staff members working in two different care homes. The training was completed in two sessions. After the training, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test was administered to the children in the children’s homes as a pre-test. The care staff who completed the training were asked to read books to the children for four weeks using the dialogic reading technique. After the application, the same test was administered as a post-test. Following the quantitative data collection, qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with the care staff. As a result of the study, a significant difference was found between the pre-test and post-tests of the children who received dialogic reading. In addition, the participant staff stated that dialogic reading increased children's interest in book, developed various skills in children, and contributed to their professional development. This study recommends that care staff in children's homes receive training on dialogic reading and that this method be integrated into daily practice. Additionally, future studies with larger sample sizes and control groups should be conducted, and early interventions for language development in early childhood should be prioritized.

Kompetencja leksykalna nastoletnich użytkowników języka polskiego jako odziedziczonego i ojczystego w ujęciu komparatywnym

Lexical competence of teenage heritage and native users of Polish has never been the subject of a comprehensive comparison. The first extensive empirical data were gathered by the Jagiellonian University research team in the project Heritage and native language – a comparison of language competences of teenage Polish and heritage learners. In the first stage of the present study, vocabulary tests of the two groups were analyzed. The results showed few differences in receptive knowledge, but in productive knowledge heritage users lagged behind. Therefore, in the second stage, selected essays were compared in terms of their vocabulary profiles. It was found that native and heritage language users’ lexical profiles differ markedly, to the considerable disadvantage of heritage users. Polish educators responsible for the schooling of migrant children must be aware of this, as too often heritage speakers who enter home schools after (re)immigration are treated as if there were native users. This however, as this research has clearly shown, is by no means the case.

Key issues and considerations in measuring vocabulary growth: A methodological review

Despite the substantial expansion in vocabulary research since the 1980s, we still know very little about how vocabulary develops over time and what factors influence this development. This methodological review discusses key issues and considerations in vocabulary breadth growth assessment to help advance research in this area. The review begins by discussing general issues in vocabulary assessment such as sampling rate and the effect of cognates. This is followed by an overview and an evaluation of common vocabulary breadth tests. The review ends with recommendations for choosing vocabulary tests for vocabulary growth research.

USING WORD WALL TO IMPROVE EFL STUDENTS' VOCABULARY ACHIEVEMENT AT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

One component of learning English is vocabulary mastery. Teachers can develop lessons to increase student's vocabulary achievement by using media that is interesting and fun such as Word Wall. The aim of the research was to improve the students’ vocabulary achievement using Word Wall. The setting of this research was at one of secondary school in Banyuwangi, East Java, Indonesia. The present study applied Classroom Action Research (CAR). The data were collected from the vocabulary test and observation. The previous students’ vocabulary mean score was 60. The result from vocabulary test after the action showed that the mean score was 76.2. The result showed that there were significant improvement on students’ vocabulary achievement compared to the students’ vocabulary mean score before using Wordwall media. The result of observation checklist also showed significant improvement from meeting to meeting. In meeting 1, 45.5% actively participated during the teaching and learning process. In meeting, 2, 55% of students participated actively. In meeting 3 and 4, the percentage of students who actively participated in wordwall based vocabulary teaching and learning improved from 60.8% to 90%. The findings suggest that the use of Word Wall as media can significantly improve EFL students’ vocabulary achievement.

The Effect of Age of First Exposure on Vocabulary, Mean Length of Utterance, Morphosyntactic Accuracy, and Semantic and Sentence-Level Patterns in the First 2 Years of French Second-Language Learning by Preschool- to Adolescent-Age Mandarin Speakers.

Bilingual assessment is particularly difficult in the very first period of children's second language (L2) exposure. This exploratory, longitudinal study examined L2 learning after 1 and 2 years of L2 exposure by young immigrants and how it is affected by their age at first exposure to the L2 (AoE). Participants were 18 immigrants ranging in age from 2;11 to 14;2 (years;months), all within their first year in Montreal at Time 1, enrolled in a French school or day care, and from a Mandarin first language background. Participants were tested again a year later. Measures included receptive and expressive French vocabulary tests and conversational language samples analyzed using traditional measures of mean length of utterance (MLU) and morphological accuracy as well as novel measures of semantic and sentence-level patterns. Performance was relatively high already at Time 1 and increased significantly at Time 2 in both vocabulary and MLU. At Time 2, vocabulary scores were below normative values, whereas MLU was within expected values relative to monolingual and simultaneous bilinguals for the majority of the participants. However, higher MLUs were accompanied by more instances of both semantic errors and creative semantic strategies. French performance was strongly related to AoE; with amount of exposure equivalent, older participants outperformed the younger ones on MLU and vocabulary. Semantic errors and creative uses were strongly predicted by AoE; however, morphological accuracy and number of agrammatical utterances were not. This initial period of French learning involved a rapid growth spurt for most of the participants. We argue that the pattern observed, particularly among the older children, constitutes an early stage of L2 learning characterized by long utterances that are also frequently hard to understand as speakers encounter challenges and use creative strategies in their attempt to convey meaning. Comparison with normative reference bases for monolinguals and bilinguals with greater cumulative L2 exposure who have similar MLUs should be done with much caution during this early period.

The Role of Working Memory Capacity in L2 Vocabulary Learning Among Saudi EFL Students

Acquiring a second language (L2) involves complex cognitive processes, where working memory (WM) plays a crucial role. This study investigates the relationship between WM capacity and L2 vocabulary acquisition among 100 Saudi EFL learners, focusing on first-year university students. Utilizing the Automated Operation Span Task (AOSPAN) to measure WM capacity and a custom-designed vocabulary test, the study found significant correlations between WM capacity and vocabulary retention, immediate recall, and usage in context. The experimental group, which received WM training, outperformed the control group across all measures. These findings underscore the importance of WM in L2 vocabulary learning and suggest that WM training can enhance vocabulary acquisition. The study's implications for educational practices are discussed, highlighting the potential for integrating WM training into language curricula to support learners' vocabulary development. This research contributes to understanding cognitive factors in L2 learning and provides practical recommendations for educators to enhance vocabulary teaching strategies for learners with varying WM capacities.

Teaching Idiomatic Expressions Through Storytelling Based on Narrative Thinking

The purpose of this paper is to observe how efficiently idiomatic expressions are taught through storytelling based on narrative thinking. Storytelling is an enjoyable technique, and it is believed that students can learn cultural and historical knowledge from idiomatic expressions. Therefore, the combination of storytelling and idiomatic expressions can be an effective method for teaching sporadic EFL learners who struggle with consistent English study. Five working adult learners were selected as participants and provided with idiomatic expressions from YouTube Shorts. After 12 weeks, they took four tests: vocabulary, idiomatic expression translation, idiomatic expression memorization, and grammar. Additionally, participants’ responses were collected through a survey. Results showed that all participants performed excellently on the vocabulary test. The translation of idiomatic expressions was successful, with four participants achieving perfect scores and one missing only one item. In the idiomatic expression memorization test, all participants demonstrated good results. In the grammar test, they showed notable proficiency. In response to open-ended questions, all participants agreed that learning English with idiomatic expressions through storytelling was enjoyable. Based on these results, this study suggests that learning idiomatic expressions can enhance the interest and engagement of sporadic learners.

The Impact of Video Games on Vocabulary Acquisition Among Young Learners in Kurdistan Region of Iraq

This study investigated the impact of video games on vocabulary acquisition among young learners of English as a second language in the Kurdistan region of Iraq-Erbil.The sample consisted of 74 male and female students, aged 12, who were studying English at a public school in the Kurdistan Region. The present study employed a quantitative, quasi-experimental design, where an experimental group received video game-based instruction, while a control group was taught using traditional methods. The results showed that the experimental group experienced an important development in their vocabulary test scores compared to the control group, indicating the effectiveness of video games in enhancing vocabulary acquisition. The study also found that the benefits of video game-based instruction were consistent across participants, regardless of their initial proficiency levels in English and information technology. Furthermore, the study revealed no significant differences in the vocabulary gains between male and female students. The findings suggest that incorporating video games into language learning curricula can be a valuable strategy to support the vocabulary development of young learners in the Kurdistan region. The study provides insights for educators, policymakers, and researchers regarding the integration of technology-based learning approaches in language education.

The Impact of ChatGPT on Vocabulary Learning in L3 German Class

Although technology is an established issue in applied linguistics, integrating chatbots, particularly ChatGPT into language learning, especially third-language (L3) learning, is a novel and mystic issue. To demystify this integration, the current study explores the role of ChatGPT in enhancing vocabulary learning, which makes up the skeleton of language, in L3 German class since multilingualism is becoming a norm nowadays. The participants of this exploratory qualitative case study, who are A1-level German learners, are three university students. They read and analyse five different ChatGPT-created texts and adapt the topic of texts to themselves via ChatGPT in which they are supposed to incorporate theme-related keywords throughout five weeks. Data is gathered through semi-structured interviews, vocabulary tests, and reflective journals. Grounded theory was conducted to analyse the data. The findings provide insights into the participants’ academic achievement through cognitive and affective dimensions. Pedagogical implications are discussed.

The "what" and "when" of language input to children: Linguistic and temporal predictors of vocabulary in 3-year-olds.

The quantity, quality, and complexity of language input are important for children's language development. This study examined how the detailed timing of this input relates to children's vocabulary at 3 years of age in 64 mother-child dyads (male = 28; female = 36; White = 69%, Black = 31%). Acoustical analysis of turn taking in mother-child dialogue found that more consistently timed maternal responses (lower response latency variability) were associated (r = .42, p < .001) with higher vocabulary (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, third edition) scores. In mothers with consistently timed responses, the complexity (mean length of utterance) of their child-directed speech significantly predicted (r = .53, p = .002) their children's vocabulary. This suggests that predictably timed contingent maternal responses provide an important learning cue that supports language development beyond the content of language input itself. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Residual and enduring effects of cannabis use on cognitive and psychomotor function: A study of adults during unrestricted cannabis use, short-term abstinence, and protracted abstinence.

The impact of cannabis on cognitive and psychomotor function is important to understand, given the role of the endocannabinoid system in these critical processes. The literature has shown robust acute negative effects of cannabis on cognition and psychomotor skills during intoxication, and to a lesser degree, persisting effects following short-term abstinence up to 4 weeks. However, whether these decrements resolve after long-term cessation of use remains unclear. We evaluated cognitive and psychomotor function in 31 adults with current cannabis use during unrestricted use (UNR) and after a 3-day abstinence (RES), 23 adults with former cannabis use (> 90 days abstinent; FU), and 58 nonusing controls (CON) using the cognition and motor batteries of the National Institutes of Health Toolbox. Linear mixed models showed no significant differences in cognitive and motor performance between UNR, RES, and FU groups. Group effects emerged such that CON outperformed UNR on the Oral Reading Recognition Test, and CON outperformed both UNR and RES on the Picture Vocabulary Test. In terms of psychomotor function, FU, RES, and UNR performed better than CON on the Grip Strength Test. In this comprehensive examination of cognitive and psychomotor performance in adults with cannabis use with 3 days to > 90 days of abstinence, our results indicated that the cognitive impacts of chronic, heavy cannabis use are observable during short-term abstinence but remit after > 90 days of abstinence. This highlights widespread impacts of cannabis use abstinence across cognitive and psychomotor domains. Future studies are needed to evaluate whether these effects are also observable with use reduction, as opposed to abstinence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Retrieval practice and word learning in children who are hard of hearing

Purpose Many children who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) show poorer auditory word-learning skills than children with typical hearing (TH). The goal of this study was to test the effect of retrieval practice on word learning in children who are hard of hearing (HH). Method Twenty-six TH children and 16 children who are HH completed a speech perception and a vocabulary test, and a rapid word-learning game to learn new words under no retrieval, immediate retrieval, and spaced retrieval conditions. Result Linear mixed-effect models revealed that learning condition and time predicted 48% of the variance in word recognition, and age predicted 15% of word recall variance. We observed no differences in word recognition and recall between TH children and children who are HH. Children learned and remembered more words in the immediate and spaced retrieval practice conditions than in the no retrieval condition. Conclusion Retrieval practice is more effective for word learning and retention than passive exposure (no retrieval). Clinical and educational practices for children who are DHH could combine explicit instruction using targeted exposures and retrieval of new words with naturalistic approaches. Future studies should assess retrieval practice in real-life interventions to inform clinical and educational practices.

Declarative and Automatized Phonological Vocabulary Knowledge: Recognition, Recall, Lexicosemantic Judgment, and Listening‐Focused Employability of Second Language Words

AbstractThis study revisits the roles of different aspects of phonological vocabulary knowledge in second language (L2) listening. Japanese learners of English (n = 114) completed the TOEIC Listening test and three phonological vocabulary tests assessing (a) ability to recognize the meanings of aural forms (meaning recognition), (b) ability to recall the meanings of aural forms (meaning recall), and (c) ability to spontaneously judge the appropriate use of word meanings in sentential contexts (lexicosemantic judgment task [LJT]). Among the three measures, the LJT best predicted the participants’ ability to access the target words during real‐life L2 listening comprehension of monologues and conversations (measured via TOEIC). Structural equation modeling demonstrated that the LJT was distinct from both meaning recognition and recall and revealed their different associations with listening comprehension scores. In line with the skill acquisition theory, we propose that the LJT reflects automatized knowledge, whereas meaning recognition and recall represent declarative knowledge.

Resilience in multicultural classrooms: School relationships can protect the school adjustment of immigrant, refugee and non-immigrant children.

According to the risk and resilience perspective, protective factors can attenuate the effect of risks and challenges on children's adjustment. For immigrant and refugee children, supportive relationships in the new context can be particularly beneficial. We expected that supportive school relationships play a protective role for the school adjustment of first-generation immigrant and refugee and non-immigrant children, by moderating the effect of one acculturative challenge (i.e., school language proficiency). We investigated the moderating roles of teacher-child and peer relationship quality on the association between German language proficiency and school adjustment (i.e., school achievement and belongingness) among first-generation immigrant and refugee and non-immigrant children. We recruited n = 278 fourth grade children (Mage = 10.47, SDage = .55, 53.24% female; 37% first-generation immigrant and refugee children). Questionnaires assessed children's reported teacher-child and peer relationship quality and school belongingness. One vocabulary test measured children's German proficiency. School achievement was assessed by their grade point average (GPA) and by a reading comprehension test. To investigate our hypotheses, we performed path analyses. Teacher-child relationship mitigated the effect of German proficiency on children's reading comprehension among all children and on GPA among immigrant and refugee children only. Peer relationship buffered the negative effect of German proficiency on school belongingness. Teacher-child and peer relationship quality can be beneficial for the school adjustment of both first-generation immigrant and refugee children and non-immigrant children.

High-gamma modulation language mapping and cognitive outcomes after epilepsy surgery.

We evaluated changes in cognitive domains after neurosurgical lesioning of cortical sites with significant high-gamma power modulations (HGM) during a visual naming task, although these sites were found language-negative on standard-of-care electrical stimulation mapping (ESM). In drug-resistant epilepsy patients who underwent resection/ablation after stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG), we computed reliable change indices (RCIs) from a battery of presurgical and 1-year postsurgical neuropsychological assessments. We modeled RCIs as a function of lesioning even one HGM language site, number of HGM language sites lesioned, and the magnitude of naming-related HGM. The analyses were adjusted for 1-year seizure freedom, operated hemispheres, and the volumes of surgical lesions. In 37 patients with 4455 SEEG electrode contacts (1839 and 2616 contacts in right and left hemispheres, respectively), no ESM language sites were lesioned. Patients with lesioning of even one HGM language site showed significantly lower RCIs for Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), working memory, and verbal learning immediate (VLI) scores. RCI declines with higher number of HGM language sites lesioned were seen in PPVT (slope [β] = -.10), working memory (β = -.10), VLI (β = -.14), and letter-word identification (LWI; β = -.14). No neuropsychological domains improved after lesioning of HGM language sites. Significant effects of the HGM magnitude at lesioned sites were seen on working memory (β = -.31), story memory immediate (β = -.27), verbal learning recognition (β = -.18), LWI (β = -.16), spelling (β = -.49), and passage comprehension (β = -.33). Because working memory was significantly affected in all three analyses, patients with maximal working memory decline were examined post hoc, revealing that all such patients had HGM naming sites lesioned in the posterior quadrants of either hemisphere. HGM language mapping should be used as an adjunct to ESM in clinical practice and may help counsel patients/families about postsurgical cognitive deficits.

The Effects of the Virtual Background on French as a Second Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning

The purpose of this research was to investigate how the use of green screen technology affects vocabulary acquisition in LOTE (languages other than English) learners, particularly Chinese students learning French as a second foreign language. Two groups (a control group and an experimental group) with a total of 58 students participated in the study. Data were collected through in-class and delayed vocabulary tests, learning questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews. The study results demonstrate significant benefits in terms of providing an authentic learning experience, improving understanding, increasing motivation, and facilitating interaction. The results also confirm the technology’s effectiveness in enhancing both immediate and long-term vocabulary retention. The effectiveness is particularly evident for location-related words, as the technology provides visual context that facilitates recall of these words, which may not have easily retrievable mental images compared to more concrete words with tangible references. Further research can also be undertaken to compare the impact of virtual background on vocabulary retention with other immersive technologies. Nevertheless, virtual backgrounds are likely to be a cost-effective and accessible tool that can already offer promising improvements in learning outcomes and can be easily implemented with existing software like Zoom (5.2.0 or higher) and Tencent Meeting (1.3.0 or higher).

Young Chinese Language Learners’ L2 Motivational Self System and Learning Achievement in Chinese Literacy Acquisition

ABSTRACT This study investigated the impact of young Chinese second language learners’ motivation on their Chinese literacy acquisition. Based on the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS), 188 Grade 5 ethnic minority students in Hong Kong were assessed. They completed an L2MSS questionnaire, a Chinese oral vocabulary test, and Chinese literacy measures, which covered Chinese character reading, spelling, reading comprehension, and sentence writing. Structural equation modelling results showed that the L2MSS tripartite predictors—ideal L2 self, ought-to L2 self, and learning experience—predicted the students’ intended learning effort and literacy achievement, controlling for oral vocabulary. The ought-to self had the strongest total effect on effort and achievement, while the ideal self had a substantial effect on the learning experience and indirectly contributed to effort. This study argues that young learners’ perceived social expectation significantly influenced their motivation to learn to read and write Chinese. Their identification as fluent Chinese readers and writers generated positive learning experiences that were conducive to literacy learning.

How Listening YouTube Song Habit Influences Students’ Vocabulary Mastery: A Correlational Study

Vocabulary mastery is essential for students to be able to communicate well in English. However, some students still struggle memorizing new words and identifying vocabulary meanings. This study aims to determine the correlation between students' habits of listening to English YouTube songs and their vocabulary mastery. The research used a quantitative correlational approach involving 24 tenth-grade students at SMA N 1 SUWAWA. The data collection was done using a questionnaire about listening habits to English songs and a vocabulary test. The data analysis was performed using the Pearson Product Moment formula. The result showed that there is a moderate positive correlation between the habit of listening to English YouTube songs and the mastery of vocabulary of SMA N 1 Suwawa tenth-grade students (r = 0.529). This indicates that the more intense the students' habit of listening to English YouTube songs, the better their vocabulary mastery. Listening habit contributes 27.98% to the mastery of vocabulary. Based on these results, it can be concluded that there is a moderate correlation between listening habit to English YouTube songs and vocabulary mastery of tenth grade students at SMA N 1 Suwawa. The more students listen to English songs, the better they master vocabulary.Keywords: listening Habit, YouTube song, vocabulary mastery

Parental report of vocabulary in 3- to 6-year-old Polish children: Reliable but not valid.

For over 30 years, parental reports have been used to study the vocabulary of children under 4 years of age. Research exploring parental checklists as a measure of vocabulary in older children is very limited. Typically, authors of parental checklists report the reliability of the developed tools but do not explore validity in terms of the agreement between parental assessments and the children's actual word knowledge. We aimed to explore the reliability and validity of a parental checklist for assessing vocabulary in children aged between 3 and 6 years. Furthermore, we aimed to evaluate the agreement between indirect (parental checklist) and direct (picture naming and picture recognition tasks) assessments of children's vocabulary. A group of 94 typically developing monolingual Polish-speaking children aged between 3 and 6 years were first directly tested onsite with picture naming and picture recognition tasks (Cross-Linguistic Lexical Tasks). Subsequently, the participants' parents completed an online checklist containing the same set of 128 items and marked all the words that they had ever heard in their child's spontaneous speech. The parental checklist demonstrated very high internal consistency. The scores of the parental checklist and vocabulary tasks were moderately correlated. We compared the total number of words marked by parents and the number of items correctly identified by children in the picture naming and picture recognition tasks. In picture naming, we found no difference between the children's scores and the number of words selected by parents. However, parents selected significantly fewer words than children correctly recognised in the picture recognition task. When data were analysed at the level of individual items (i.e., whether parents selected exactly the same items that children answered correctly), we found that the level of agreement was low. The level of agreement correlated negatively with the children's vocabulary; that is, the more words a child knew, the lower the agreement between the direct measure and the parental checklist. Parental checklists should be used with caution in children aged between 3 and 6 years, especially if the assessed children have a large vocabulary and if item analysis is planned. Such checklists may be of more use in younger children or in children with limited vocabulary. What is already known on the subject Parental checklists are commonly used to assess the vocabulary of children younger than 4 years of age. Previous research has indicated that parental checklists are reliable in terms of internal consistency and valid in terms of predictive and convergent validity. What this paper adds to the existing knowledge This study introduces a parental checklist designed for assessing the vocabulary of monolingual Polish-speaking children aged between 3 and 6 years. Statistical analyses reveal that while the parental checklist exhibits high reliability, and the scores on the checklist correlate with direct measures of vocabulary, the agreement between parental reports and direct vocabulary measures (i.e., validity) is notably low, particularly when examining individual test items. What are the clinical implications of this work? These findings underscore the importance of exercising caution when using parental vocabulary checklists with children aged between 3 and 6 years. These checklists can serve as a replacement for direct vocabulary tests only when the general/overall score is needed. However, when specific words are the subject of interest, parental reports may not be a valid measure.