Describes an easy-to-administer test of productive vocabulary that requires subjects to produce a set of word association responses to a small set of stimulus words. Argues that such a test might tap the extent of nonnative speakers' productive vocabulary more effectively than other tests in current use. (Author/VWL)

Discusses how to tackle the problem of determining a meaningful score for yes-no tests used to measure the size of receptive vocabulary. Signal Detection Theory is applied, and a new more accurate index is suggested. (Author/VWL)

Focusing on the relationship between performance on reading tests and dictionary use, this study confirms a previous finding that dictionary availability does not significantly affect test scores; it does, however, lengthen test completion time. The authors discuss experimental conditions, test item types, usability of particular dictionary types,…

This volume contains a set of experimental English language vocabulary tests designed to be used with learners of English as a Second Language (ESL). The tests are graded into 6 levels of difficulty and there are 20 tests at each level. Teachers can use the tests to provide a rough lexical profile of individual students, or to monitor the progress…

Examined the foreign-language-learning abilities of 14- to 15-year olds in Britain, Germany, and Greece. Comparison of results from tests of students' foreign vocabulary knowledge indicated that British students had only one-third to one-half of the foreign language vocabulary knowledge of Greek and German students. They also spent less time…

English-as-a-Second-Language students in Japan were tested at the beginning and the end of the school year to examine changes in word associations and grammatical suffix knowledge. Results showed an average vocabulary gain of 330 words, a poor knowledge of the allowable suffixes for the verbs learned, and 19 to 25 percentage points more receptive…