Measuring the Vocabulary Knowledge of Second Langauge Learners

Abstract

There is renewed recognition these days of the importance of vocabulary knoweldge for second language learners. This means that it is often necessary to find out, for diagnostic and for research pur poses, how many words are known by particular learners. In order to measure vocabulary size, we need to deal with three methodological problems: defining what a word is; selecting a suitable sample of words for testing; and determining the criterion for knowing a word. A first attempt to produce a diagnostic test of this kind for EAP learners is represented by the Vocabulary Levels Test, which uses a matching format to measure knowledge of words at five frequency levels. The development of the test is outlined, followed by an analysis of the results obtained from a group of learners at Victoria University. Another approach, the checklist, is proposed as an alter native testing format. The literature on the checklist is reviewed, with particular reference to methods of controlling for the tendency of learners to overrate their knowledge of the words.