A Review on Vocabulary Tests of High Frequency English Words
Main Article Content
Abstract
Vocabulary assessment plays a ctitical role in language education for EFL learners, educators and researchers. The article introduces and analyzes four English receptive vocabulary tests of high frequency words, including Vocabulary Levels Test, Vocabulary Size Test, Computer Adaptive Test of Size and Strength and New General Service List Test. Based on the review of the four tests, it provides practical suggestions for choosing an appropriate test to assess the vocabulary knowledge of EFL learners in Vietnam as well as implications for building new vocabulary tests to meet the demand of English language teaching and learning practices as well as the research needs in the field of language education in Vietnam.
Keywords:
Receptive vocabulary, vocabulary tests, high frequency words, language education.
References
[1] N. Schmitt, T. Cobb, M. Horst, D. Schmitt, How much Vocabulary is Needed to use English? Replication of van Zeeland and Schmitt (2012), Nation (2006) and Cobb (2007), Language Teaching, Vol. 50, No. 2, 2017, pp. 212-226.
[2] I. S. P. Nation, How many High Frequency Words are there in English, Language, Learning and Literature: Studies Presented to Hakan Ringbom, Abo Akademi University, Abo: English Department Publications, Vol. 4, 2001, pp. 167-181.
[3] L. H. Lin, B. Morrison, The Impact of the Medium of Instruction in Hong Kong Secondary Schools on Tertiary Students’ Vocabulary, Journal of English for Academic Purposes, Vol. 9, No. 4, 2010, pp. 255-266.
[4] A. Zareva, P. Schwanenflugel, Y. Nikolova, Relationship between Lexical Competence and Language Proficiency: Variable Sensitivity, Studies in Second Language Acquisition, Vol. 27, No. 4, 2005, pp. 567-595.
[5] B. Laufer, Lexical Thresholds for Reading Comprehension: What they are and How they can be Used for Teaching Purposes, Tesol Quarterly, Vol. 47, No. 4, 2013, pp. 867-872.
[6] T. Stoeckel, P. Bennett, A Test of the New General Service List, Vocabulary Learning and Instruction, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2015, pp. 1-8.
[7] D. V. Vu, E. Peters, Vocabulary in English Language Learning, Teaching, and Testing in Vietnam: A review, Education Sciences, Vol. 11, No. 9, 2021, p. 563.
[8] J. Read, Assessing Vocabulary, Cambridge University Press, 2000.
[9] N. Schmitt, Size and Depth of Vocabulary Knowledge: What the Research Shows, Language Learning, Vol. 64, No. 4, 2014, pp. 913-951.
[10] T. S. Paribakht, M. Wesche, Vocabulary Enhancement Activities and Reading for Meaning in Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition, Second Language vVocabulary Acquisition: A Rationale for Pedagogy, Vol. 55, No. 4, 1997, pp. 174-200.
[11] N. Schmitt, C.B. Zimmerman, Derivative word forms: What do Learners Know?, TESOL Quarterly, Vol. 36, No. 2, 2002, pp. 145-171.
[12] I. S. P. Nation, Learning Vocabulary in Another Language, Cambridge University Press, 2013.
[13] N. Schmitt, Researching vocabulary: A Vocabulary Research Manual, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010.
[14] S. A. Webb, A. C. S. Chang, Second Language Vocabulary Growth, RELC Journal, Vol. 43, No. 1, 2012, pp. 113-126.
[15] T. C. N. Le, P. Nation, A Bilingual Vocabulary Size Test of English for Vietnamese Learners, RELC Journal, Vol. 42, No. 1, 2011, pp. 86-99.
[16] T. M. H. Nguyen, S. Webb, Examining Second Language Receptive Knowledge of Collocation and Factors that Affect Learning, Language Teaching Research, Vol. 21, No. 3, 2017, pp. 298-320.
[17] T. N. Y. Dang, Vietnamese Non-English Major EFL University Students' Receptive Knowledge of the Most Frequent English Words, VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, Vol. 36, No. 3, 2020, pp. 1-11.
[18] D. V. Vu, N. C. Nguyen, An Assessment of Vocabulary Knowledge of Vietnamese EFL Learners, presented at The 20th English in Southeast Asia Conference, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 2019.
[19] C. D. Nguyen, Lexical Features of Reading Passages in English-language Textbooks for Vietnamese High-school Students: Do they Foster both Content and Vocabulary Gain?, RELC Journal, Vol. 52, No. 3, 2021, pp. 509-522.
[20] P. M. Meara, Vocabulary in a Second Language (Vol. 2. Specialized Bibliography 4), London: Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research (CILT), 1987.
[21] S. McLean, B. Kramer, The Creation of a New Vocabulary Levels Test, Shiken, Vol. 19, No. 2, 2015, pp. 1-11.
[22] I. S. P. Nation, Teaching and Learning Vocabulary, Boston, MA: Heinle and Heinle, 1990.
[23] I. S. P. Nation, Learning Vocabulary in Another Language, Cambridge University Press, 2001.
[24] N. Schmitt, D. Schmitt, C. Clapham, Developing and Exploring the Behaviour of Two New Versions of the Vocabulary Levels Test, Language Testing, Vol. 18, No. 1, 2001, pp. 55-88.
[25] S. Webb, Y. Sasao, O. Ballance, The Updated Vocabulary Levels Test: Developing and Validating Two New Forms of the VLT, ITL-International Journal of Applied Linguistics, Vol. 168, No. 1, 2017, pp. 33-69.
[26] J. Read, Measuring the Vocabulary Knowledge of Second Language Learners, RELC Journal, Vol. 19, No. 2, 1988, pp. 12-25.
[27] T. Kamimoto, Local Item Dependence on the Vocabulary Levels Test Revisited, Vocabulary Learning and Instruction, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2014, pp. 56-68.
[28] B. Culligan, A Comparison of Three Test Formats to Assess Word Difficulty, Language Testing, Vol. 32, No. 4, 2015, pp. 503-520.
[29] N. Schmitt, P. Nation, B. Kremmel, Moving the Field of Vocabulary Assessment Forward: The Need for More Rigorous Test Development and Validation, Language Teaching, Vol. 53, No. 1, 2020, pp. 109-120.
[30] I. S. P. Nation, D. A. Beglar, Vocabulary Size Test, The Language Teacher, Vol. 31, No. 7, 2007, pp. 9-13.
[31] H. Karami, The Development and Validation of a Bilingual Version of the Vocabulary Size Test, RELC Journal, Vol. 43, No. 1, 2012, pp. 53-67.
[32] D. Beglar, A Rasch-based Validation of the Vocabulary Size Test, Language testing, Vol. 27, No. 1, 2010, pp. 101-118.
[33] B. Laufer, C. Elder, K. Hill, P. Congdon, Size and Strength: Do We Need Both to Measure Vocabulary Knowledge?, Language Testing, Vol. 21, No. 2, 2004, pp. 202-226.
[34] B. Laufer, Z. Goldstein, Testing Vocabulary Knowledge: Size, Strength, and Computer Adaptiveness, Language Learning, Vol. 54, No. 3, 2004, pp. 399-436.
[35] T. A. Levitzky, B. Laufer, Z. Goldstein, The New Computer Adaptive Test of Size and Strength (CATS): Development and Validation. Language Assessment Quarterly, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2019, pp. 345-368.
[36] C. Browne, The New General Service List: Celebrating 60 years of Vocabulary Learning, The Language Teacher, Vol. 37, No. 4, 2013, pp. 13-16.
[37] T. Stoeckel, T. Ishii, P. Bennett, A Japanese-English Bilingual Version of the New General Service List Test, JALT Journal, Vol. 40, No. 1, 2018, pp. 5-21.
[38] T. Stoeckel, S. McLean, P. Nation, Limitations of Size and Levels Tests of Written Receptive Vocabulary Knowledge, Studies in Second Language Acquisition, Vol. 43, No. 1, 2021, pp. 181-203.
[2] I. S. P. Nation, How many High Frequency Words are there in English, Language, Learning and Literature: Studies Presented to Hakan Ringbom, Abo Akademi University, Abo: English Department Publications, Vol. 4, 2001, pp. 167-181.
[3] L. H. Lin, B. Morrison, The Impact of the Medium of Instruction in Hong Kong Secondary Schools on Tertiary Students’ Vocabulary, Journal of English for Academic Purposes, Vol. 9, No. 4, 2010, pp. 255-266.
[4] A. Zareva, P. Schwanenflugel, Y. Nikolova, Relationship between Lexical Competence and Language Proficiency: Variable Sensitivity, Studies in Second Language Acquisition, Vol. 27, No. 4, 2005, pp. 567-595.
[5] B. Laufer, Lexical Thresholds for Reading Comprehension: What they are and How they can be Used for Teaching Purposes, Tesol Quarterly, Vol. 47, No. 4, 2013, pp. 867-872.
[6] T. Stoeckel, P. Bennett, A Test of the New General Service List, Vocabulary Learning and Instruction, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2015, pp. 1-8.
[7] D. V. Vu, E. Peters, Vocabulary in English Language Learning, Teaching, and Testing in Vietnam: A review, Education Sciences, Vol. 11, No. 9, 2021, p. 563.
[8] J. Read, Assessing Vocabulary, Cambridge University Press, 2000.
[9] N. Schmitt, Size and Depth of Vocabulary Knowledge: What the Research Shows, Language Learning, Vol. 64, No. 4, 2014, pp. 913-951.
[10] T. S. Paribakht, M. Wesche, Vocabulary Enhancement Activities and Reading for Meaning in Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition, Second Language vVocabulary Acquisition: A Rationale for Pedagogy, Vol. 55, No. 4, 1997, pp. 174-200.
[11] N. Schmitt, C.B. Zimmerman, Derivative word forms: What do Learners Know?, TESOL Quarterly, Vol. 36, No. 2, 2002, pp. 145-171.
[12] I. S. P. Nation, Learning Vocabulary in Another Language, Cambridge University Press, 2013.
[13] N. Schmitt, Researching vocabulary: A Vocabulary Research Manual, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010.
[14] S. A. Webb, A. C. S. Chang, Second Language Vocabulary Growth, RELC Journal, Vol. 43, No. 1, 2012, pp. 113-126.
[15] T. C. N. Le, P. Nation, A Bilingual Vocabulary Size Test of English for Vietnamese Learners, RELC Journal, Vol. 42, No. 1, 2011, pp. 86-99.
[16] T. M. H. Nguyen, S. Webb, Examining Second Language Receptive Knowledge of Collocation and Factors that Affect Learning, Language Teaching Research, Vol. 21, No. 3, 2017, pp. 298-320.
[17] T. N. Y. Dang, Vietnamese Non-English Major EFL University Students' Receptive Knowledge of the Most Frequent English Words, VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, Vol. 36, No. 3, 2020, pp. 1-11.
[18] D. V. Vu, N. C. Nguyen, An Assessment of Vocabulary Knowledge of Vietnamese EFL Learners, presented at The 20th English in Southeast Asia Conference, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 2019.
[19] C. D. Nguyen, Lexical Features of Reading Passages in English-language Textbooks for Vietnamese High-school Students: Do they Foster both Content and Vocabulary Gain?, RELC Journal, Vol. 52, No. 3, 2021, pp. 509-522.
[20] P. M. Meara, Vocabulary in a Second Language (Vol. 2. Specialized Bibliography 4), London: Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research (CILT), 1987.
[21] S. McLean, B. Kramer, The Creation of a New Vocabulary Levels Test, Shiken, Vol. 19, No. 2, 2015, pp. 1-11.
[22] I. S. P. Nation, Teaching and Learning Vocabulary, Boston, MA: Heinle and Heinle, 1990.
[23] I. S. P. Nation, Learning Vocabulary in Another Language, Cambridge University Press, 2001.
[24] N. Schmitt, D. Schmitt, C. Clapham, Developing and Exploring the Behaviour of Two New Versions of the Vocabulary Levels Test, Language Testing, Vol. 18, No. 1, 2001, pp. 55-88.
[25] S. Webb, Y. Sasao, O. Ballance, The Updated Vocabulary Levels Test: Developing and Validating Two New Forms of the VLT, ITL-International Journal of Applied Linguistics, Vol. 168, No. 1, 2017, pp. 33-69.
[26] J. Read, Measuring the Vocabulary Knowledge of Second Language Learners, RELC Journal, Vol. 19, No. 2, 1988, pp. 12-25.
[27] T. Kamimoto, Local Item Dependence on the Vocabulary Levels Test Revisited, Vocabulary Learning and Instruction, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2014, pp. 56-68.
[28] B. Culligan, A Comparison of Three Test Formats to Assess Word Difficulty, Language Testing, Vol. 32, No. 4, 2015, pp. 503-520.
[29] N. Schmitt, P. Nation, B. Kremmel, Moving the Field of Vocabulary Assessment Forward: The Need for More Rigorous Test Development and Validation, Language Teaching, Vol. 53, No. 1, 2020, pp. 109-120.
[30] I. S. P. Nation, D. A. Beglar, Vocabulary Size Test, The Language Teacher, Vol. 31, No. 7, 2007, pp. 9-13.
[31] H. Karami, The Development and Validation of a Bilingual Version of the Vocabulary Size Test, RELC Journal, Vol. 43, No. 1, 2012, pp. 53-67.
[32] D. Beglar, A Rasch-based Validation of the Vocabulary Size Test, Language testing, Vol. 27, No. 1, 2010, pp. 101-118.
[33] B. Laufer, C. Elder, K. Hill, P. Congdon, Size and Strength: Do We Need Both to Measure Vocabulary Knowledge?, Language Testing, Vol. 21, No. 2, 2004, pp. 202-226.
[34] B. Laufer, Z. Goldstein, Testing Vocabulary Knowledge: Size, Strength, and Computer Adaptiveness, Language Learning, Vol. 54, No. 3, 2004, pp. 399-436.
[35] T. A. Levitzky, B. Laufer, Z. Goldstein, The New Computer Adaptive Test of Size and Strength (CATS): Development and Validation. Language Assessment Quarterly, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2019, pp. 345-368.
[36] C. Browne, The New General Service List: Celebrating 60 years of Vocabulary Learning, The Language Teacher, Vol. 37, No. 4, 2013, pp. 13-16.
[37] T. Stoeckel, T. Ishii, P. Bennett, A Japanese-English Bilingual Version of the New General Service List Test, JALT Journal, Vol. 40, No. 1, 2018, pp. 5-21.
[38] T. Stoeckel, S. McLean, P. Nation, Limitations of Size and Levels Tests of Written Receptive Vocabulary Knowledge, Studies in Second Language Acquisition, Vol. 43, No. 1, 2021, pp. 181-203.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.