ERIC Number: EJ920505
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 28
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1345-8353
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Assessing the Role of Depth and Breadth of Vocabulary Knowledge in Reading Comprehension of Iranian EFL Learners
Rashidi, Nasser; Khosravi, Negar
Journal of Pan-Pacific Association of Applied Linguistics, v14 n1 p81-108 2010
This study was conducted to investigate the extent to which scores on depth and breadth of vocabulary knowledge as two dimensions of vocabulary knowledge would contribute to predicting the EFL learners' reading performance with a minimum vocabulary size of 3000 word families and also to find out the difference, if any, between the reading comprehension performance of two groups as having high and low depth and breadth of vocabulary knowledge. All instruments (Word-Associate Test (WAT) (Read, 1993) measuring depth of vocabulary knowledge (DVK), Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) (Nation, 1983) measuring Vocabulary Size (VS), and Reading Comprehension Test (RC) were administered together within the same session to 38 Iranian senior university students. Then the gathered data were analyzed by a Pearson correlation and two independent t-tests. Results revealed that (a) the interrelations among DVK, VS, and RC were high and positive; (b) depth of vocabulary knowledge provided a significant contribution to the prediction of reading comprehension; and (c) the students who had stronger depth and breadth of vocabulary knowledge performed better on reading comprehension. These findings provided empirical support for the importance of depth of vocabulary knowledge in reading comprehension. Regarding this, the necessity of incorporating this aspect into EFL programs and activities is desirable. (Contains 7 tables.)
Descriptors: Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary Development, Foreign Countries, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Language Tests, Associative Learning, College Students, Correlation
Pan-Pacific Association of Applied Linguistics. Department of English, Namseoul University, 21 Maeju-ri, Seonghwan-eup, Cheonan-city, Choongnam, Korea 330-707. Tel: +82-2-3290-1995; e-mail: paalkorea@yahoo.co.kr; Web site: http://www.paal.kr/journal/journal.asp
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Iran
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A