Therefore, this study aims to investigate L2 word learnability in order to understand the roles of word knowledge aspects (form, meaning and usage) both receptively and productively and their impact on the ease or difficulty of learning a second language vocabulary. The results of the study showed the hierarchy of L2 word learning ability of Thai high school participants.
INTRODUCTION
- Background of the study
- Purpose of the research
- Scope of the research
- Significance of the study
- Definitions of key terms
- Organization of the study
The purpose of the current study was to examine the learnability of words (form, meaning and usage) and to examine the relationship between different aspects of word knowledge among Thai high school students. Understanding the learnability of L2 words will provide a clearer picture of the different aspects of a word and their roles in vocabulary acquisition and development.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Definition of word knowledge
- Receptive and productive knowledge of a word
Definition of word learnability
Word learning is defined as the ability to learn a word by understanding the conceptual role of the word. Understanding the role of word knowledge can aid in effective word recognition and/or recall.
Measuring word knowledge
- Measures of word knowledge
The ease or difficulty of learning a word therefore depends on the roles of the word itself. A selective design is used to measure which specific vocabulary items are the focus of the assessment. Recognition refers to the ability to demonstrate understanding of the meaning of a word by choosing another word with the same connotation.
All target words in each set of vocabulary batteries should be presented in the same part of speech to avoid making suggestions about word category association. The lexical items consist of different numbers of suffixes depending on the internal morphological structure of the word. Based on Schmitt (2010) and Laufer and Nation (1995), the Lexical Frequency Profile (LFP) is one of the most widely used frequency-based, free productive tests of vocabulary knowledge.
Previous research on word knowledge
For example, Sukying (2017) studied the relationship between receptive and productive prefix knowledge and vocabulary size in an EFL context. The study examined the strength of the relationship between affix knowledge and vocabulary size in Thai EFL learners (high school students). The results showed a relatively positive relationship between Thai EFL learners' receptive and productive knowledge and their receptive and productive vocabulary size.
Moreover, Sukying (2019) also conducted a follow-up study focusing on receptive and productive affix knowledge among EFL learners. The study examined the extent to which receptive and productive affix knowledge contribute to vocabulary size in the EFL context. Students showed different levels of knowledge of the affix, and there was a close relationship between receptive and productive knowledge of the affix.
Rationale for selecting the aspects of a word for the current study
Currently, most studies have focused on only one or two aspects of word knowledge. Knowledge of form-meaning is the links that connect or relate words to each other in the form and meaning of a word. Linking knowledge of word form and word meaning is an initial phase of learning a new word.
Before the production of a word, students first recognize the comprehensive meaning of a word (Laufer & Goldstein, 2004). Knowledge of word combinations can also be used to measure the ability to use a word and is the final stage of learning a word. To summarize, a word knowledge framework can be used to better understand the roles of different aspects of a word.
Summary of the current study
Based on Nation's (2013) one-word framework, the current study defines receptive knowledge of a word as the recognition of a word, while productive knowledge of a word is the ability to recall and recognize a word in context produce. The idea that eighteen different tests (each aspect may require separate receptive and productive measures) are required to measure a student's knowledge of a word is daunting. The current study aims to investigate receptive and productive word learning with different aspects of a word.
Receptive knowledge of word form is assessed by the Word Segmentation Test (WST), while productive knowledge of word form is measured by the Affix Elicitation Test (AET). Receptive knowledge of word meaning is assessed by the L2 Translation Test (L2TT), and productive knowledge of word meaning is measured by the L1 Translation Test (L1TT). Furthermore, the measures of word knowledge developed and tested in the current study are intended as research instruments that can be used to examine students' receptive and productive word knowledge within the context of research design.
RESEARCH METHODS
- Participants and setting
- Research instruments
- The Word Segmentation Test (WST)
- The Affix Elicitation Test (AET)
- The L2 Translation Test (L2TT)
- The L1 Translation Test (L1TT)
- The Collocation Recognition Test (CRT)
- The Productive Collocation Recall Test (PCRT)
- Selecting the prompt words for the current study
- Data collection procedure
- Data analysis
- Summary
- Results of the pilot test
This shows that the relationship between different aspects of a word is useful for L2 word learning. The findings of the present study indicated that L2 word learning ability requires different types of comprehensive knowledge of a word. Multiple closely related aspects of word knowledge positively influence L2 learners' development of vocabulary learning.
The findings of the current study showed that the receptive and productive aspects of the word were positively correlated. Analysis of the present findings indicated that different difficulty levels of word knowledge should be acquired. It is difficult to capture the eighteen aspects of the word using the vocabulary of knowledge.
RESULTS
L2 word knowledge in Thai EFL learners
This section answers Research Question 1: To what extent does knowledge of form, meaning and use of a word influence L2 word learnability in Thai EFL learners. Specifically, the WST performance (71.49%) was higher than the AET performance (19.98%) in word form knowledge. A repeated-measures ANOVA with a Greenhouse-Geisser correction showed that the mean scores for receptive and productive knowledge of word form on the WST and AET performance differed significantly (t p < 0.001), with a large effect size ( η² = 4.590) .
The analysis showed that there were significant differences between all the different word measures, indicating that there are different problems for different aspects of a word. Overall, participants had higher mean performance on the receptive measures of a word than on the productive measures of word knowledge. This suggests that productive knowledge of a word is more difficult to acquire than receptive knowledge of a word.
Relationship between word knowledge aspects
The results of the correlation analysis showed that the tests were highly correlated, revealing medium to high correlations between all six tests. Correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between different aspects of a word: form, meaning and usage. Results of participants' performance on the word knowledge measure indicated that the correlation between receptive and productive word knowledge approached r=0.30 for each measure.
Notably, there was also a relatively positive relationship between receptive and productive knowledge of a word, suggesting that receptive knowledge can promote productive knowledge in learning a word.
Summary
Therefore, the present study examined the learnability of L2 words to better understand the relationship between word knowledge aspects and their impact on the ease or difficulty of a word's learnability in Thai EFL learners. The students' performance showed that the word knowledge function was the most difficult level to reach. The form of word knowledge seems to be the easiest to achieve, followed by meaning and usage.
Note that the hierarchy of word knowledge learning is complicated when comparing form and meaning. Indeed, understanding the role of word knowledge will facilitate the understanding and generation of word knowledge (form, meaning, use). In conclusion, several aspects of word knowledge together are more useful in vocabulary acquisition than knowledge alone.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Discussion of the current study
- Introduction
- Word learnability in Thai EFL learners
- The relationship between word knowledge aspects
Conversely, the AET reflects a learner's ability to recall and retrieve the form of a word and a learner's ability to produce correct affixation. The meaning of a word may require an understanding of the lexical components to recognize the definition of the word. However, the meaning of a word may be necessary to understand the sentence more than the morphemes.
The correlation analysis also revealed a significant positive correlation between several aspects of word knowledge, both receptive and productive. This suggests that a combination of different interrelated knowledge about a word is required to improve the learning ability of English words. That is, if Thai EFL learners understand the roles of word knowledge, they can learn a word without difficulty.
Conclusion of the current study
This can be accounted for for word knowledge, which requires varying cognitive and metacognitive loads (Bauer & Nation, 1993). Word learnability facilitates vocabulary acquisition and development and is therefore beneficial for English language learning. Therefore, if learners are able to produce lexical components and understand the roles of word knowledge, they will learn a word without difficulty.
Thus, vocabulary acquisition is an ongoing process as students acquire deep and thorough lexical knowledge.
Implications for vocabulary learning
- Theoretical contribution
- Methodological contribution
- Pedagogical contributions
A groundbreaking battery of word knowledge tests was developed to take into account the aspect of word parts, the aspect of the connection between form and meaning, and the aspect of word combinations. Instruction should explicitly teach the comprehensive concept of word knowledge to improve the depth and breadth of word knowledge. Alternatively, the implication of the current research could potentially advance policy in English pedagogy.
It will be better if there is vocabulary teaching and learning in Thai EFL learners, such as creating a vocabulary knowledge course in the English curriculum. Concretely, knowledge of form and meaning has already been taught in the English teaching context. As such, it will be useful in promoting the aspect of use in vocabulary teaching and learning.
Limitations for the current research
Given that the battery has been shown to be reliable and valid, researchers and test developers should consider how to expand its potential research applications. Specifically, the learnability of L2 words is useful in developing a learner's vocabulary and enabling effective English language learning. Also, vocabulary knowledge, which is called the foundation of English language learning, can have a positive effect on other sub-skills of the English language.
L2 word learning is one of the effective alternative options in developing Thai EFL learners' vocabulary acquisition. Similarly, the level of education was limited to upper secondary school; therefore, the results cannot be generalized to other educational levels.
Recommendations for future research
Concluding remarks
An investigation of vocabulary size of Thai freshmen and its relation to years of English study. Vocabulary Testing: Questions for Test Development with six example tests of vocabulary size and depth. The relationship between receptive and productive affix knowledge and vocabulary size in an EFL context.
