<p>The main purpose of this paper was to construct and try out a test that could measure the size of both the receptive and productive vocabulary. This was a joint project, done by three students at the C-level in English in 1997. Before the test was constructed the students looked into previous investigations and different test methods used. The project group chose the Yes/No method as their test format. 23 students in their second year of their education at a theorectical programme in upper secondary school and 16 adult students at Komvux took the test in this paper. The results of the test taken by the students showed that it is impossible for a language teacher to construct a reliable and valid test for measuring vocabulary size using the Yes/No method.</p>

The main purpose of this paper was to construct and try out a test that could measure the size of both the receptive and productive vocabulary. This was a joint project, done by three students at the C-level in English in 1997. Before the test was constructed the students looked into previous investigations and different test methods used. The project group chose the Yes/No method as their test format. 23 students in their second year of their education at a theorectical programme in upper secondary school and 16 adult students at Komvux took the test in this paper. The results of the test taken by the students showed that it is impossible for a language teacher to construct a reliable and valid test for measuring vocabulary size using the Yes/No method.

abstract: The present research study investigated the effects of 8 versions of a computer-based vocabulary learning program on receptive and productive knowledge levels of college students. The participants were 106 male and 103 female Korean EFL students from Kyungsung University and Kwandong University in Korea. Students who participated in versions of the vocabulary learning program with target-word based sentences as well as definitions tended to perform better on receptive and productive vocabulary assessments than those who participated in versions of the program with definitions of words only. Furthermore, results indicated that the difference in receptive scores from immediately after the program to one week later showed a higher drop-rate than the difference in productive scores. In addition, female learners performed receptively better than male learners in post and one-week delayed tests, but significant gender difference failed to occur for the productivity measure. Overall, these results emphasized the importance of productive vocabulary knowledge for better retention of English vocabulary words. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Educational Technology 2013

In this thesis, the usage of iconic expressions, or sound symbolic expressions, is investigated in Swedish child-directed speech during the first two years of life. Furthermore, it is explored whether there is an effect of the usage of sound symbolism on productive vocabulary at 2;0 years. Ten monolingual Swedish and typically-developing children and their parents were selected at the ages of 0;3, 0;6, 0;9, 1;0, 1;3, 1;6, 1;9 and 2;0 years. The sound symbolic expressions were extracted, classified and analysed. One finding is that sound symbolic expressions are used by all parents in varying degrees from sparsely to abundantly. On average 0,9 sound symbolic expressions were used per minute by all parents. There was no significant effect of the usage of sound symbolism on productive vocabulary. Nevertheless, this work shows that iconicity is used in early childhood and might be a part of the register child-directed speech. Further studies should investigate more thoroughly the effect of iconicity on language acquisition. / I denna studie undersöktes ikoniska, eller ljudsymboliska, uttryck i svenskt barnrikat tal under barnets första två levnadsår. Utöver detta testades det om det fanns någon effekt av användning av ljudsymbolik på barnets produktiva ordförråd vid 2;0 år. Tio enspråkiga svenska och typiskt-utvecklade barn och deras föräldrar valdes ut vid 0;3, 0;6, 0;9, 1;0, 1;3, 1;6, 1;9 och 2;0 år och de ljudsymboliska uttrycken extraherades, klassificerades och analyserades. Ett resultat var att alla föräldrar använde sig av ljudsymboliska uttryck; varierande från lite till mycket. I genomsnitt användes det 0,9 ljudsymboliska uttryck per minut av alla föräldrarna. Ingen signifikant effekt på det produktiva ordförrådet kunde hittas. Trots detta så visar detta arbete att ikonicitet används under den tidiga barndomen och att ikonicitet kanske är en del av talstilen ‘barnriktat tal’. Framtida forskning kan undersöka ikonicitetens påverkan på språkinlärning mer ingående. / Modelling infant language acquisition from parent-child interaction (MINT)

Because of the globalization of society, English as a foreign language (EFL) has become easier to access through internet and outside school English activities, so called “extramural English activities” (EEA). Previous research indicates a positive relation between pupils’ EFL vocabulary development and EEA (Sundqvist, 2009). This development may influence teachers’ lesson planning, because of pupils’ wide span of interests and the resulting different levels of EFL vocabulary. The focus of this degree project is on year five teachers’ perception of pupils’ EEA and their level of vocabulary. We investigate there is a relationship between those variables, and how teachers are bridging the gap between pupils’ EEA and classroom activities. Further on, different theories of motivation and vocabulary, and previous research are presented and used in the analysis of collected data. The data was collected qualitatively through six interviews with teachers in year five. The results indicate that the teachers, to some extent know what kind of EEA the pupils are interested in. Teachers’ perceptions of the pupils’ level of EFL vocabulary correlated to some extent with their EEA. To bridge the gap between pupils’ EEA and enhancing motivation in EFL classrooms, some teachers tried to include pupils’ experiences in their teaching. Further on, these conclusions are discussed in relation to previous research. Finally, this degree project may motivate teachers to explore the EEA habits of their pupils.

The study measures the productive vocabulary size of Grade 6 English Second Language learners and teachers in 16 township schools in Gauteng Province. Data from learners (n-881) and teachers (n-19) were collected by testing the participants with versions C and A respectively of the Productive Vocabulary levels Test of Controlled ability. In addition, samples of learners’ written work were examined. Interviews and lesson observations with a sample of teachers were conducted to triangulate the data. Using SPSS version 23, means for each word level were calculated. The ANOVA, t-tests and post hoc tests were performed. Bonferroni corrections were applied. Results indicate that both learners and teachers have not mastered the vocabulary at the levels tested. The results also indicate that poor vocabulary teaching methods and poverty contribute to poor vocabulary development among learners. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Applied Linguistics)

This thesis investigates emblem use exploratory in parent-child interaction. Emblems are conventional gestures with a verbal equivalent. The aim of this study was to answer if emblem use facilitates language acquisition. Formulaic gestures – fixed gestures accompanying songs – were examined as a subgesture of emblems. 20 children and their parents’ emblem use were recorded when interacting freely at seven age points: 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 months. Emblem use was correlated to the children’s productive vocabulary at 30 months. The results showed that parental emblem use at 24 months and child emblem use at 15 months predicted child productive vocabulary at 30 months. T-tests showed how emblem production of children in a lower productive vocabulary group differed from children in a higher productive vocabulary group. A difference between the children of the lower productive vocabulary group and the children of the higher productive vocabulary group emblem use was also found at 15 months, indicating emblem use being important in language acquisition. Formulaic gestures did not correlate to child productive vocabulary. Emblem use developed along with child age and probably inherently with word production. Parents adjust their emblem use to the child’s age and/or possibly language skills, suggesting that child-directed gesturing occurs in parent-child interaction. / Den här studien undersöker emblemanvändning explorativt i förälder-barninteraktion. Emblem definieras som konventionella gester med en verbal motsvarighet. Målet i denna studie var att undersöka om emblemanvändning underlättar språktillägnande. Fasta gester – gester tillhörande sånger – undersöktes som en underkategori till emblem. 20 barn och deras föräldrar spelades in när de interagerade fritt vid sju ålderspunkter: 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 och 24 månader vilket också korrelerades med barnets produktiva ordförråd vid 30 månader. Resultaten visade att föräldrars emblemanvändning vid 24 månader och barns emblemanvändning vid 15 månader korrelerade med barnens ordförråd vid 30 månader, vilket indikerar att emblemanvändning vid dessa ålderspunkter förutsäger ordförrådets storlek några månader senare. T-tester visade att emblemproducering hos barn skiljde sig åt mellan gruppen med barn med lägre produktivt ordförråd och gruppen med barn med högre produktivt ordförråd. Vid 15 månader fanns också en signifikant skillnad mellan grupperna vilket indikerar att emblem spelar en viktig roll vid språktillägnandet. Fasta gester visade ingen korrelation med barnets språkutveckling. Barnens emblemproduktion utvecklades med åldern och troligtvis tillsammans med ordproduktion. Föräldrar verkar justera sitt emblemanvändande till barnets ålder och/eller språkkunskaper, vilket indikerar att ett barnriktat gestikulerande finns vid förälder-barn interaktion. / Modelling child language acquisition from parent-child interaction (MINT: MAW 2011:007)

Keywords: Advanced learners, bilingual students, vocabulary, student vocabulary size, case study, receptive vocabulary, productive vocabulary Secondary-school teachers at Czech schools are encountering an increasing number of students who are significantly ahead of their peers. These students are either bilinguals or advanced learners. Regardless of the students' proficiency, the Czech education system enforces these students to keep attending further English classes, which often positions their teacher before a burdening question of what to teach these students. Scientific research postulates that a potential weakness of the said type of students could be vocabulary. This hypothesis was verified in this thesis, with the aid of Paul Nation VLT and Laufer & Nation Productive Vocabulary tests. The second goal of this thesis was to set a typical profile of advanced-learner and bilingual student through a survey. Results from the tests confirmed a significant deficiency in all of twelve test-subjects' productive vocabulary. Receptive vocabulary tests nonetheless revealed large receptive vocabulary size with eleven of tested subjects. Based on these findings, the recommended method for students this advanced is to allow them more autonomy, particularly through extensive reading, and to assign them...

In many international schools where English is the language of learning and teaching there are large percentages of students whose first language is not English. Many of these students may have low vocabulary levels which inhibits their chances of taking full advantage of their education. Low vocabulary levels can be a particular problem for students in mainstream classes where fluent English speaking teachers are using English to teach content areas of Mathematics, Science and History. Not only do students have to comprehend the low-frequency, academic and technical vocabulary pertaining to the subject, but they also need to know the higher frequency vocabulary that makes up general English usage. If students’ vocabulary levels fall too far below the vocabulary levels with which their teachers are speaking, then their chance of comprehending the topic is small, as is their chance of succeeding in their subjects. This study has two broad aims. Firstly, I have set out to assess the English vocabulary levels of students at an international school where English is the language of learning and teaching. The majority of students at this school do not have English as their first language. The second aim of this study is to explore the vocabulary profile of the teachers’ spoken discourse at the research school. By gaining a better understanding of the nature of teacher discourse – specifically the percentage of high, mid and low-frequency vocabulary, as well as academic vocabulary that they use – English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers will be in a stronger position to identify what the vocabulary learning task is and be able to assist students in reaching the vocabulary levels necessary to make sense of their lessons. This study revealed a large gap between the generally low vocabulary levels of ESL students and the vocabulary levels spoken by their teachers. As a result the need for explicit vocabulary instruction and learning is shown to be very important in English medium (international) schools, where there are large numbers of students whose first language is not English. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Applied Linguistics)

Research has shown that the extent of students' vocabulary in the language of learning and teaching, as an important component of overall language proficiency, plays a crucial role in reading and academic success, whether students are studying through their mother tongue or not. This study compares the vocabulary size of Grade 7 English second language immersion students with that of their English mother tongue classmates, focusing primarily on receptive vocabulary. Two aspects of immersion that South African children may experience are identified: length and quality. It is assumed that the longer the immersion, and the richer the immersion environment, the more positive the effect on vocabulary size will be. Overall results suggest that length has a slightly stronger effect on receptive vocabulary size than quality, though both are generally positive, and that most immersion students are beginning to develop a basic receptive vocabulary size comparable with that of their English mother tongue peers. / Linguistics / (M.A. (Linguistics))