Keywords
Vocabulary variation, vocabulary comparison, first language (l1) influence, placement test, second language vocabulary, vlt, vocabulary size, receptive vocabulary
Abstract
Because most–if not all–intensive English programs (IEP) assign students to specific levels based on a placement test that does not involve any form of explicit vocabulary testing, some degree of variation in lexical knowledge of students within an individual class should not be surprising. However, very little research has ever quantified this variation. The current study fills the gap in this important area of TESOL research by investigating vocabulary variation among intermediate-level students at one IEP. Participants (N=79) were split into two main proficiency groups, high intermediate (N=28) and low intermediate (N=51). The 2K, 3K, and 5K levels from the Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) were used as a vocabulary measure. In this study, VLT scores were analyzed by proficiency level and by students' original individual classes (N=7). The results revealed considerable vocabulary variation. In some instances, vocabulary size varied by 900 word families per student. First language influence was also investigated by comparing the largest two language groups in the sample, Arabic (N= 28) and Spanish (N=12). Spanish-speaking students significantly outperformed the Arabic speaking students in all vocabulary measures (except for the 2K level). The study, therefore, raises questions about the approaches used in teaching a class that has both Spanish and Arabic speakers. Implications and suggestions for further studies are discussed.
Notes
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Graduation Date
2015
Semester
Spring
Advisor
Folse, Keith
Degree
Master of Arts (M.A.)
College
College of Arts and Humanities
Department
Modern Languages
Degree Program
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Format
application/pdf
Identifier
CFE0005569
URL
http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0005569
Language
English
Release Date
May 2015
Length of Campus-only Access
None
Access Status
Masters Thesis (Open Access)
STARS Citation
Alkhofi, Anas, "Comparing the Receptive Vocabulary Knowledge of Intermediate-level Students of Different Native languages in an Intensive English Program" (2015). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 48.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/48