Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: español como lengua extranjera

Resumen:

Despite its widespread use, the efficacy of written corrective feedback (WCF) in foreign language teaching remains a subject of debate. Furthermore, methodological challenges involved in its study, especially concerning vocabulary development, have resulted in contradictory and inconclusive findings in the field. This article assesses the effects of five WCF formats on the lexical development of 21 C1-level adult learners of second language (L2) Spanish in a real classroom setting. On one hand, we analysed four different tasks written by the participants, totaling 84, in terms of lexical sophistication, diversity, density, and accuracy. On the other hand, for every lexical error found, we annotated and tracked its type, the WCF format provided by the teacher, and whether it was subsequently corrected or repeated by the participants....

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: influencia de la L1

Resumen:

The study aimed to explore the evidence of first language (L1) mediation in second language (L2) word associations and the L2 learner-related factors affecting the extent of L1 mediation with the following approaches. First, different from previous research, word association tests (WATs) embraced both receptive and productive word associations in the study. Second, different from word-related variables such as cognates vs. non-cognates in previous research, the study examined learner-related factors. Third, it examined whether the methodological difference (receptive vs. productive test formats) may affect the extent of L1 mediation in L2 access. A total of 108 Chinese English learners varying in proficiency, learning experiences, input and motivation participated in WATs using 24 stimulus words. The results suggested, (1) from the...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: disponibilidad léxica

Resumen:

Lexical availability studies provide valuable insights into learners’ breadth and depth of controlled productive vocabulary, and structure of their lexicon. Yet, little is known about the performance of different-L1 learners on different prompts. Likewise, this study compared the available lexicon of three different-L1 groups of learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) (L1-Persian, L1-Arabic, and L1-Turkish) to explore whether first language (L1) background and type of prompt (concrete vs. abstract) yield quantitative and qualitative differences in retrieving available lexicon. An online New Vocabulary Levels Test and a lexical availability task were administered to 116 tertiary different-L1 EFL learners. Studying concrete and abstract prompts would uncover the intricate cognitive processes in word processing and retrieval, and...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: study abroad/estudios en el extranjero

Resumen:

The present study investigates the effects of two subsequent learning contexts, formal instruction (FI) at home and a 3-month stay abroad (SA), on vocabulary acquisition in English as a foreign language (EFL) writing and speaking. Data were collected from 30 Catalan/Spanish learners of English before and after each learning period using a written composition and an oral interview. These samples were examined in terms of quantitative measures of lexical proficiency in the domains of diversity, sophistication, density and accuracy. Native-speaker baseline data were also obtained through the same tasks for comparison purposes. Results reveal that SA is particularly beneficial for written productive vocabulary, and less so for oral, and that progress occurs especially in lexical diversity. FI, however, shows a modest effect on the...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: enseñanza/aprendizaje de lenguas

Resumen:

The selection of lexical units for pedagogy and research has been a contentious issue in second language (L2) vocabulary studies; however, many investigations have lacked classroom-based research. This mixed-methods quasi-experimental study examined the effects of teaching word families on vocabulary acquisition among adolescent first-language (L1) Chinese English-as-a-foreign-language learners. The quantitative component employs a quasi-experimental research design with 2 groups: an experimental group—the word-families group (n = 44)—which received structural elaboration instruction on 50 target words from the course textbook along with their inflected and derived forms, and a comparison group—the individual-word-forms group (n = 49)—which received semantic elaboration instruction focused on individual word forms and their meanings....

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: enseñanza/aprendizaje de vocabulario

Resumen:

Although research shows that second language (L2) learners have major difficulties in developing their productive vocabulary skills, little research has been conducted on how to facilitate productive mastery of learned words. With this in mind, this study investigated the effects of task type and repetition frequency on improving receptive word knowledge to productive mastery. The 146 university students enrolled in an EFL course were assigned to four groups, each doing a different form of vocabulary exercises (multiple-choice, gap-filling, sentence translation and sentence writing) for 12 successive weeks. The 18 targets the participants knew receptively were divided into three sets that were repeated two, four and six times respectively. Productive knowledge of the targets was measured two weeks after the treatment. The results...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: comprensión lectora

Resumen:

While online lexical analysis tools can help reading teachers determine whether materials are suitable for their students of English as a second language, one aspect of the analysis that teachers may be unsure how to approach is proper names. It is commonly assumed in second language (L2) vocabulary and reading research that proper names are known, though there is little empirical support for this assumption. This study investigates how L2 readers handle proper names in continuous text. Japanese readers of English ( N = 49) were given texts of varying difficulty, and asked to mark any unknown vocabulary. Choosing from marked vocabulary, participants listed items to check in a dictionary. It was found that participants did mark proper names as unknown vocabulary. A Chi-square test of independence indicated a significant dependence...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: revisión bibliográfica

Temas: adquisición de segundas lenguas

Resumen:

This study set out to investigate the relationship between L2 vocabulary knowledge (VK) and second-language (L2) reading/listening comprehension. More than 100 individual studies were included in this meta-analysis, which generated 276 effect sizes from a sample of almost 21,000 learners. The current meta-analysis had several major findings. First, the overall correlation between VK and L2 reading comprehension was .57 ( p .01) and that between VK and L2 listening was .56 ( p .01). If the attenuation effect due to reliability of measures was taken into consideration, the ‘true’ correlation between VK and L2 reading/listening comprehension may likely fall within the range of .56–.67, accounting for 31%–45% variance in L2 comprehension. Second, all three mastery levels of form–meaning knowledge (meaning recognition, meaning recall,...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: adquisición de segundas lenguas

Resumen:

Spacing is a crucial factor in foreign language word pair learning. However, findings regarding optimal spacing in this domain have been inconsistent. Therefore, adopting a treatment-immediate-delayed post-test design, the current study investigated the optimal spacing for both receptive and productive word knowledge across different test timings during foreign language word pair learning. A convenience sampling method was used to recruit 152 pre-intermediate English learners to participate in this study. The study manipulated spacing schedules (equal, expanded, and contracting) and examined their effects on receptive and productive word knowledge in immediate and delayed post-tests. The results revealed an advantage for contracting spacing for both receptive and productive word knowledge in the immediate post-test. However, for...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: AICLE/CLIL

Resumen:

This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the nature and the patterns of lexical growth in content and language integrated learning (CLIL) and non-CLIL learners across three successive academic years. To pursue the purpose of the study a total of 110 female students of six classes in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades in both bilingual and monolingual schools in Tehran, Iran, were selected. The experimental group included 50 students, while the control group included 60 students. Receptive and productive vocabulary sizes of three grades from both environments were compared using the Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) and the Productive Vocabulary Levels Test (PVLT). The results indicated that learners’ receptive and productive vocabulary sizes in both CLIL and non-CLIL groups are below 1,000 words, according to the results of the 2k VLT and 2k PVLT...

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