The Correlation Study on the Relationship Between the Depth of Vocabulary Knowledge and Comprehensive Ability

Xinyue ZHANG, Yujiao PAN, Xiaoqi XU

Abstract


This paper examines the correlation between English as a second language (ESL) learners’ depth of vocabulary knowledge and their comprehensive ability. Two tests, including the word associate test and CET4 paper, are given to the participants to assess what depth of vocabulary knowledge could add to the prediction of comprehensive ability, and whether the degree of this predictive power is the same among different level learners. The results from the scores indicate that depth of vocabulary knowledge has a positive correlation with the comprehensive ability, and this predictive contribution becomes bigger with the increased level of the comprehensive ability. Depth of vocabulary knowledge plays a fundamental role in these ESL learners’ comprehensive ability.

Keywords


Depth of vocabulary knowledge; Comprehensive ability; Vocabulary acquiring for E

Full Text:

PDF

References


Cronbach, L. J. (1942). An analysis of techniques for diagnostic vocabulary testing. Journal of Educational Research. 36, 206-217.

Chappelle, C. (1998). Construct definition and validity inquiry in SLA research. In L. Bachman & A. Cohen (Eds.), Interfaces between second language acquisition and language testing research (pp.32-70). Cambridge: CUP.

Haastrup, K., & Henriksen, B. (2000). Vocabulary acquisition: Acquiring depth of knowledge through network building. International Journal of Applied Linguistics. 10, 221-240.

Henriksen, B. (1999). Three dimensions of vocabulary development. Studies in Second Language Acquisition , 21, 303–317.

Laufer, B. (1986). Possible changes in attitude towards vocabulary acquisition research. International Review of Applied Linguistics, 24, 69- 75.

Laufer, B., & Nation, P. (1995). Vocabulary size and use: Lexical richness in L2 written production. Applied Linguistics, 16, 307- 22.

Laufer, B., & Elder, E. (2004). Size and strength: Do we need both to measure vocabulary knowledge? Language Testing, 21, 202.

Meara, P. (1980). Vocabulary acquisition: A neglected aspect of language learning. Language Teaching and Linguistics, 13(2), 221-246.

Meara, P., & Buxtion, P. (1987). An alternative to multiple choice vocabulary test. Language Testing. 4, 142-151.

Mezynski, K. (1983). Issues concerning the acquisition of knowledge: effects of vocabulary training on reading comprehension. Review of Educational Research, 53, 253-279.

Nation, I. (1990). Teaching and learning vocabulary. New York: Newbury House Publishers.

Nation, I. (2001). Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Palmberg, R. (1990). Improving Foreign Languages Learners’ Vocabulary Skill. Palmberg RELC Joural. 21(1), 1-10.

Qian, D. (1998). Depth of vocabulary knowledge: assessing its role in adults’ reading comprehension in English as a second language (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Toronto.

Qian, D. (1999). Assessing the roles of depth and breadth of vocabulary knowledge in reading comprehension. Canadian Modern Language Review. 56, 282–308.

Qian, D. (2002). Investigating the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and academic reading performance: an assessment perspective. Language Learning, 52, 513–36.

Read, J. (1989). Towards a Deeper Assessment of Vocabulary Knowledge. Paper Presented at the 8th World Congress of Applied Linguistics. Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics.

Read, J. (1993). The development of a new measure of l2 vocabulary knowledge. Language Testing, 10, 355–71.

Read, J. (1998). Validating a test to measure depth of vocabulary knowledge. Validation in Language Assessment. 41–60.

Read, J. (2000). Assessing vocabulary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Richards, J. C. (1976). The role of vocabulary teaching. TESOL Quarterly, 10, 77–89.

Schedl, M., Thomas, N., & Way, W. (1995). An investigation of proposed revisions to section 3 of the TOEFL test. Research Report, 47.

Schmitt, N., & Meara, P. (1997). Researching vocabulary through a word knowledge framework: Word associations and verbal suffixes. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 19(1), 17-36 .

Vanniarajan, S. (1997). An Interactive Model of Vocabulary Acquisition. Applied Language Learning, 8(2), 182-216.

Wesche, M., & Paribakht, T. S. (1996). Assessing second language vocabulary knowledge: Depth versus breadth. Canadian Modern Language Review, 53, 13-40.

Huang, Q. (2002). An empirical study of high school English students with vocabulary acquisition. Journal of PLA University of Foreign Languages, (4), 73-76.

Huang, X. P. (2003). Research on the vocabulary depth test with CET 4. Foreign Language Teaching Abroad, (3), 48-53.

Liu, S. L. (2001). On second language vocabulary acquisition and development depth features. Foreign Language Teaching and Research, (6), 436-444.

Liu, S. L. (2002). Dimension development and acquisition patterns of English vocabulary knowledge. Journal of PLA University of Foreign Languages, (2), 66-69.

Li, X. (2007). Study on the relations between vocabulary, vacabulary depth and comprehensive language ability. Foreign Language Teaching and Research, (5), 352-359.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/n

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c)




Share us to:   


 

Online Submissionhttp://cscanada.org/index.php/sll/submission/wizard


Reminder

How to do online submission to another Journal?

If you have already registered in Journal A, then how can you submit another article to Journal B? It takes two steps to make it happen:

1. Register yourself in Journal B as an Author

Find the journal you want to submit to in CATEGORIES, click on “VIEW JOURNAL”, “Online Submissions”, “GO TO LOGIN” and “Edit My Profile”. Check “Author” on the “Edit Profile” page, then “Save”.

2. Submission

Go to “User Home”, and click on “Author” under the name of Journal B. You may start a New Submission by clicking on “CLICK HERE”.


We only use three mailboxes as follows to deal with issues about paper acceptance, payment and submission of electronic versions of our journals to databases: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

 Articles published in Studies in Literature and Language are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY).

 STUDIES IN LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE Editorial Office

Address: 1055 Rue Lucien-L'Allier, Unit #772, Montreal, QC H3G 3C4, Canada.
Telephone: 1-514-558 6138 
Website: Http://www.cscanada.net; Http://www.cscanada.org 
E-mail[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Copyright © 2010 Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture