Defining and Assessing Lexical Proficiency

Defining and Assessing Lexical Proficiency PDF

Author: Agnieszka Leńko-Szymańska

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2019-11-05

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13: 100071179X

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This comprehensive account of performance-based assessment of L2 lexical proficiency analyzes and compares two of the primary methods of evaluation used in the field and unpacks the ways in which they tap into different dimensions of one model of lexical competence and proficiency. This book builds on the latest research on performance-based assessment, which has most recently pointed to the application of more quantitative measures to L2 data, to systematically explore the qualitative method of using human raters in assessment exercises and the quantitative method of using automatic computation of statistical measures of lexis and phraseology. Supported by an up-to-date review of the existing literature, both approaches’ unique features are highlighted but also compared to one another to provide a holistic overview of performance-based assessment as it stands today at both the theoretical and empirical level. These findings are exemplified in a concluding chapter, which summarizes results from an empirical study looking at a range of lexical and phraseological features and human raters’ scores of over 150 essays written by both L2 learners of English and native speakers. Taken together, the volume challenges existing tendencies within the field which attempt to use one method to validate one another by demonstrating their capacity to indicate very different elements of lexical proficiency, thereby offering a means by which to better conceptualize performance-based assessment of L2 vocabulary in the future. This book will be of interest to students and researchers working in second language acquisition and applied linguistics research, particularly those interested in issues around assessment, vocabulary acquisition, and language proficiency.

Language Proficiency

Language Proficiency PDF

Author: L.A. Arena

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-06-29

Total Pages: 198

ISBN-13: 1489908706

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Louis A. Arena University of Delaware Newark, DE This monograph contains select, revised, and invited papers which deal with the topic, Language Proficiency: Defining, Teaching, and Testing. This topic was the theme of the eighth annual symposium held at the University of Delaware. The papers contained in this volume are invited papers or were originally scheduled for presentation and/or presented at the eighth annual Delaware Symposium on Language Studies. The papers combine research con ducted in the areas of teaching, testing, and defining second language pro ficiency within the profession of applied linguistics. They are divided into three principal sections: "Applied Linguistics and Language Pro ficiency", "Language Proficiency in Reading and Writing", and "Testing for Language Proficiency". In Part I, Paul Angelis' "Applied Linguistics: Realities and Projections re the Teaching Profession'; sketches a historical portrait of Applied Linguistics, its definition, presence, and role in the profession that teaches second language proficiency. Angelis concludes that Applied Linguistics is still a young discipline in terms of substance, organization, and strategy, and that these three components will determine the prospects for the future of applied linguistics re the teaching profession. The next six papers address the issue of second language proficiency from various points of view. Kensaku Yoshida's essay "Knowing vs Believing vs Feeling: Studies on Japanese Bilinguals" concludes that some Japanese bilinguals are actually not necessarily bilingual because they very often face problems requiring other kinds of proficiency, i. e.

Lexical Diversity and Language Development

Lexical Diversity and Language Development PDF

Author: D. Malvern

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2004-05-28

Total Pages: 262

ISBN-13: 0230511805

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Vocabulary richness, including lexical diversity and use of rare words, has an important role in assessing proficiency, diagnosing progress and testing theory in the study of language development. This book reviews different methods for quantifying how vocabulary is deployed in spontaneous speech and writing, before introducing an alternative approach which can assess overall lexical diversity, measure morphology development and compare the development of different word classes. The new approach is illustrated by its application to first and second language learners.

Assessing English for Professional Purposes

Assessing English for Professional Purposes PDF

Author: Ute Knoch

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2019-09-10

Total Pages: 216

ISBN-13: 1000651932

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** WINNER OF ILTA/SAGE Best Book Award 2020 ** Assessing English for Professional Purposes provides a state-of-the-art account of the various kinds of language assessments used to determine people’s abilities to function linguistically in the workplace. At a time when professional expertise is increasingly mobile and diverse, with highly trained professionals migrating across national boundaries to apply their skills in English-speaking settings, this book offers a renewed agenda for inquiry into language assessments for professional purposes (LAPP). Many of these experts work in high-risk environments where communication breakdowns can have serious consequences. This risk has been identified by governments and professional bodies, who implement language tests for gate-keeping purposes. Through a sociological lens of risk and responsibility, this book: provides a detailed overview of both foundational and recent literature in the field; offers conceptual tools for specific purpose assessment, including a socially oriented theory of construct; develops theory and practice in key areas, such as needs analysis, test development, validation and policy; significantly broadens the scope of the assessment of English for professional purposes to include a range of assessment practices for both professionals and laypeople in professional settings. Assessing English for Professional Purposes is key reading for researchers, graduate students and practitioners working in the area of English for Specific Purposes assessment.

Complexity, Accuracy and Fluency in Learner Corpus Research

Complexity, Accuracy and Fluency in Learner Corpus Research PDF

Author: Agnieszka Leńko-Szymańska

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Company

Published: 2022-12-15

Total Pages: 335

ISBN-13: 9027257337

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This volume illustrates the high potential of learner corpus investigations for research into the CAF triad by presenting eleven original learner corpus-based studies which are set within solid theoretical frameworks, examine learner corpora with state-of-the-art analytical techniques and yield highly interesting findings. The volume’s major strength lies in the range of issues it undertakes and in its interdisciplinary thematic novelty. The chapters collectively address all three dimensions of L2 performance related to different linguistic subsystems (i.e. lexical, phraseological and grammatical complexity and accuracy, along with fluency) as well as the interactions among these constructs. The studies are based on data drawn from carefully compiled learner corpora which are analysed with the help of diverse corpus-based methods. The theoretical discussions and the empirical results shall contribute to the advancement of the fields of SLA and writing and speech research and shall inspire further investigations in the area of the CAF triad.

Corpus Linguistics for Writing Development

Corpus Linguistics for Writing Development PDF

Author: Philip Durrant

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2022-11-30

Total Pages: 217

ISBN-13: 1000790320

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Corpus Linguistics for Writing Development provides a practical introduction to using corpora in the study of first and second language learners’ written language over time and across different levels of proficiency. Focusing on development in the use of vocabulary, formulaic language, and grammar, this book • discusses how corpus research can contribute to our understanding of writing development and to pedagogical practice; • reviews a range of corpus techniques for studying writing development from the perspectives of vocabulary, grammar, and formulaic language and interrogates the methodological bases of those techniques; and • guides readers to perform practical analyses of learner writing using the R open-source programming language. Aimed at the novice researcher, this book will be key reading for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students in the fields of education, language, and linguistics. It will be of particular interest to those interested in first or second language writing, language assessment, and learner corpus research.

Corpora for Language Learning

Corpora for Language Learning PDF

Author: Peter Crosthwaite

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2024-04-23

Total Pages: 280

ISBN-13: 1040009271

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This volume presents a diverse range of expertise and practical advice on corpus-assisted language learning, bridging the gap between corpus research and actual classroom practice. Grounded in expert discussions and interviews, the book offers an extensive exploration into the intricacies of corpus-based language pedagogy, addressing its challenges, benefits, and potential drawbacks while demonstrating the power of data-driven learning (DDL) tools, including AntConc, WordSmith Tools, and CorpusMate. The book navigates the complexities of integrating DDL into mainstream educational systems, showcasing real-world applications for teaching. The authors bring together cutting-edge, international perspectives on this topic in dialogue with those using such techniques in their classroom practice. Both a rigorous academic resource and a hands-on guide for practitioners, this book is recommended reading for educators, researchers, or anyone wanting to upskill themselves in learning to harness the power of data in language pedagogy in primary, secondary, tertiary, or other professional contexts.

Vocabulary and the Four Skills

Vocabulary and the Four Skills PDF

Author: Jon Clenton

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2020-07-05

Total Pages: 238

ISBN-13: 1000074625

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This edited volume provides a single coherent overview of vocabulary teaching and learning in relation to each of the four skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking). Each of the four sections presents a skill area with two chapters presented by two leading experts in the field, relating recent advances in the field to the extent that each skill area relates differently to vocabulary and how this informs pedagogy and policy. The book opens with a summary of recent advances in the field of vocabulary, and closes by drawing conclusions from the skill areas covered. The chapters respond to emerging vocabulary research trends that indicate that lexical acquisition needs to be treated differently according to the skill area. The editors have chosen chapters to respond to recent research advances and to highlight practical and pedagogical application in a single coherent volume.

Global Perspectives on Project-Based Language Learning, Teaching, and Assessment

Global Perspectives on Project-Based Language Learning, Teaching, and Assessment PDF

Author: Gulbahar Beckett

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2019-10-08

Total Pages: 281

ISBN-13: 0429786956

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This volume provides a comprehensive account of project-based language learning (PBLL) which showcases key theoretical approaches, empirical research, technological tools, and research-based frameworks to help further PBLL implementation and research. Taking its cue from the conclusions drawn from project-based learning more broadly, which point to the impact of project-based work on learning and development, discourse socialization, subject engagement, and collaborative skills, the book highlights how these discussions might be extended and enhanced within the context of language learning. The volume begins with discussions of philosophical and theoretical models of PBLL and is followed by case studies from contributors from a range of learning contexts and geographic regions which demonstrate these models in practice, with a focus on the implementation of technology in such instances. The book also introduces resources for aligning projects with government standards in the classroom but also frameworks for researching and assessing PBLL. This comprehensive collection is essential reading for students and researchers in language learning and teaching, language education, curriculum design, and applied linguistics.