Choosing lexically appropriate texts: Vocabulary mastery level or text-range vocabulary size?

Title
Choosing lexically appropriate texts: Vocabulary mastery level or text-range vocabulary size?
Publication Date
2025-05-19
Author(s)
Tan Ha, Hung
Nguyen, Duyen Thi Bich
McLean, Stuart
Matthews, Joshua
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2260-2331
Email: jmatth28@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:jmatth28
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
University of Hawaii, College of Languages, Linguistics, and Literature, Department of Second Language Studies
Place of publication
United States of America
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/70503
Abstract

Ensuring classroom reading materials align with learners’ lexical knowledge is crucial, often requiring teachers to infer vocabulary knowledge from vocabulary test performance. However, the best approach to match learners with lexically appropriate texts based on vocabulary test scores remains unclear. This study compared two methods: vocabulary mastery level and text-range vocabulary size. A meaning-recall vocabulary levels test and a reading comprehension test were administered to 304 tertiary-level Vietnamese learners of English. Learners were alternatively grouped based on either vocabulary mastery level (no mastery, 1000-word mastery, or 2000-word mastery) or text-range size (1000, 2000, or 3000-word knowledge). Analysis revealed that the text-range vocabulary size approach provided a more accurate means of matching learners with comprehensible texts. These findings offer valuable insights for teachers and researchers in English language education, highlighting practical strategies for selecting reading materials that best support learners’ comprehension and language development.

Link
Citation
Reading in a Foreign Language, 37(1), p. 1-19
Start page
1
End page
19
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

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