Exploring the relationship between productive vocabulary knowledge and second language oral ability

Uchihara, T. and Kazuya, Saito (2019) Exploring the relationship between productive vocabulary knowledge and second language oral ability. The Language Learning Journal 47 (1), pp. 65-75. ISSN 0957-1736.

Abstract

The current study investigated the extent to which L2 learners’ productive vocabulary knowledge could predict multiple dimensions of spontaneous speech production. A total of 39 EFL participants with varying L2 proficiency levels first completed a productive vocabulary knowledge task (Lex30). Their spontaneous speech, elicited via a series of picture description task, was then assessed for comprehensibility (i.e., ease of understanding), accentedness (i.e., linguistic nativelikeness), and fluency (i.e., speech rate). The findings showed that the productive vocabulary scores significantly correlated with L2 fluency, but not with comprehensibility or accentedness. Such results might indicate that more proficient L2 learners, as indicated by their productive vocabulary scores, might be able to speak spontaneously without too many pauses and repetitions, and at a faster tempo. Finally, future research directions will be discussed with a focus on the relationships between vocabulary knowledge and speaking.

Metadata

Statistics

DownloadsShow export options

Export as XMLJSONCSV

Activity Overview

6 month trend

1,194Downloads

6 month trend

243Hits

Additional statistics are available via IRStats2.

Archive Staff Only (login required)

Edit/View Item