Item response theory (IRT) encompasses a broader class of measurement models than is commonly appreciated by practitioners in educational measurement. For measures of vocabulary and its development, we show how psychological theory might in certain instances support unipolar IRT modeling as a superior alternative to the more traditional bipolar…

Successful vocabulary acquisition hinges on the harmonious interplay of various factors. Despite some studies that have been conducted to examine the direct effect of self-regulation on vocabulary learning, few of them tapped into the relationship among self-regulation, motivational beliefs, vocabulary learning strategies and vocabulary…

Research shows that targeted interventions for language comprehension and production benefit the development of English language proficiency and literacy skills of English Learner (EL) students. Despite this, many ELs in the United States do not receive such academic support, as few programs are designed to address the needs of ELs. Educational…

This study examines whether children acquiring Tseltal (Mayan) demonstrate a noun bias -- an overrepresentation of nouns in their early vocabularies. Nouns, specifically concrete and animate nouns, are argued to universally predominate in children's early vocabularies because their referents are naturally available as bounded concepts to which…

The current study set out to examine to what degree age of acquisition (AOA), defined as a learner's first intensive exposure to a second language (L2) environment, mediates the final state of postpubertal, spoken vocabulary attainment. In Study 1, spontaneous speech samples were elicited from experienced Japanese users of English (n = 41) using…

Most deaf children have hearing parents who do not know a sign language at birth and are at risk of limited language input during early childhood. Studying these children as they learn a sign language has revealed that timing of first-language exposure critically shapes language outcomes. But the input deaf children receive in their first language…

The present study investigates bilinguals' capacity to rapidly establish memory traces for novel word forms in a second language (L2), as a function of L2 linguistic proficiency. A group of Chinese-English bilinguals with various English proficiency levels were presented with a reading-aloud task, consisting of 16 pseudowords and 16 English words…

Shifting demographics in K-12 schools have increased Spanish-speaking Multi-Language Learners' (MLLs') enrollment across the United States. While literacy variations between MLLs and proficient English speakers have been studied predominantly with upper elementary students, there remains a need for more exploration among early elementary…

This study investigates the effectiveness of translation-based learning in enhancing vocabulary retention, comprehension, and learner confidence across different proficiency levels among English language learners. While the use of translation in language learning has been debated, research on its impact at varying proficiency levels remains…

Knowledge of derivational affixes makes an important contribution to second language learners' success when reading. Yet while the effects of some learner variables (L2 proficiency, L1 background) have been investigated, there has been little research addressing the effects of varying characteristics of affixes on their acquisition. The goal of…

Academic vocabulary is necessary for university students. Vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) assist students to enhance their vocabulary knowledge and should be examined in accordance with their dynamic nature (Gu, 2020). Dynamic assessment (DA) is considered an alternative assessment that simultaneously and systematically assesses and teaches…

Research Findings: This study investigated the effectiveness of a home-based intervention in increasing the intrinsic reading motivation and Chinese oral vocabulary of minority South Asian children in Hong Kong. A quasi-experiment was conducted with 78 children (M[subscript age] = 51.54 months; control: 37 children, intervention: 41 children) and…

As the global educational landscape undergoes rapid transformation, "Education 4.0" emerges as a cutting-edge paradigm that harnesses advanced technologies to revolutionize the learning process. This study investigates the impact of Education 4.0 on improving English proficiency among engineering students in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Using a…

This paper examines the effectiveness of vocabulary activation strategies in enhancing the speaking proficiency of English as Second Language (ESL) learners in rural areas. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by ESL learners in these regions, the study investigates how targeted vocabulary knowledge strategies can improve oral communication. A…

The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and challenges of using monolingual dictionaries among second-year technical students at the Technical Institute of Research in Basrah. The research employed a quasi-experimental design, and the required data was collected from 120 students who were categorized as upper intermediate learners based…