Knowledge-Based Vocabulary Lists

Barry O'Sullivan

ISBN 10: 1800504144 / ISBN 13: 9781800504141

Verlag: Equinox Publishing Ltd Jan 2024, 2024

Beschreibung

Neuware - In teaching second language (L2) vocabulary, it is useful to have a way of prioritizing words to teach from among the multitude available. Word frequency, i.e. how often various words appear in written and spoken discourse, has typically been used to inform the emphasis taken. This volume explores the need for word lists based on direct tests of learner knowledge to inform L2 pedagogy.The Knowledge-based Vocabulary Lists (KVL) are introduced, and a description of the theoretical and practical basis for their development is given, highlighting pedagogical and assessment situations in which it is beneficial to know whether learners are likely to be able produce and correctly spell the words they know. A focus on L2 learners of English from Chinese, German, and Spanish L1 backgrounds resulted in three ranked lists of English-language word knowledge. The comparative probabilities of learners from these language backgrounds knowing each word are presented, and the correspondence with existing information about word frequency, word acquisition sequence, and word difficulty is explored. The KVL provide one of the few evidence-based descriptions of L2 form-recall vocabulary knowledge available to teachers and researchers.

Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 9781800504141

Bibliografische Details

• Titel: Knowledge-Based Vocabulary Lists
• Verlag: Equinox Publishing Ltd Jan 2024
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2024
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN-10: 1800504144
• ISBN-13: 9781800504141
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Zustand: Neu

Über diesen Titel

Inhaltsangabe

In teaching second language (L2) vocabulary, it is useful to have a way of prioritizing words to teach from among the multitude available. Word frequency, i.e. how often various words appear in written and spoken discourse, has typically been used to inform the emphasis taken. This volume explores the need for word lists based on direct tests of learner knowledge to inform L2 pedagogy.

The Knowledge-based Vocabulary Lists (KVL) are introduced, and a description of the theoretical and practical basis for their development is given, highlighting pedagogical and assessment situations in which it is beneficial to know whether learners are likely to be able produce and correctly spell the words they know. A focus on L2 learners of English from Chinese, German, and Spanish L1 backgrounds resulted in three ranked lists of English-language word knowledge. The comparative probabilities of learners from these language backgrounds knowing each word are presented, and the correspondence with existing information about word frequency, word acquisition sequence, and word difficulty is explored. The KVL provide one of the few evidence-based descriptions of L2 form-recall vocabulary knowledge available to teachers and researchers.

Über die Autorinnen und Autoren

Norbert Schmitt is Emeritus Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Nottingham, specializing in second language vocabulary issues. He directed the project from a lexical perspective, and carried out the main data analysis.

Dr. Karen Dunn is a Senior Researcher in measurement and evaluation at the British Council. She holds a PhD in Applied Social Statistics and Masters in Language Studies. The focus of Karen's PhD research was on using Explanatory Item Response Theory to investigate word difficulty for L2 learners of English. In additional to operational test concerns, her current research interests include scoring validity of reading reordering tasks, assessing language test dimensionality, and linking motivational profiles to proficiency outcomes.

Barry O'Sullivan is Head of Assessment Research and Development, the British Council, London, Visiting Professor of Language Assessment at the University of Reading, and Advisory Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.