The development of a measure of lexical organisation : the association vocabulary test
The background of this research lies in the increasing concern, in the field of vocabulary testing, for finding new ways of approaching the assessment of vocabulary knowledge in L2 learners from a more qualitative perspective. The two main approaches to vocabulary testing are reviewed: those focussing on the assessment of overall vocabulary size, and those interested in assessing vocabulary in depth. This research begins by attempting to design a test procedure which is sensitive to both these approaches, the Association Vocabulary Test (AVT). The AVT presents the testees with pairs of words, associated or not. They have to recognise whether there is a strong semantic link between them. We claim that this task is highly informative of both quantity and quality of vocabulary knowledge. On the one hand, large numbers of words are tested. On the other, the task may elicit knowledge of word concept, different meanings, associations, collocations and uses in language. The main purpose of this research is to test these claims and to develop the test to satisfactory levels of reliability and validity. In the first group of studies, the AVT is experimental and analysed thoroughly. The first results indicate that reliability
Vives Boix, C.
The development of a measure of lexical organisation : the association vocabulary test. The background of this research lies in the increasing concern, in the field of vocabulary testing, for finding new ways of approaching the assessment of vocabulary knowledge in L2 learners from a more qualitative perspective. The two main approaches to vocabulary testing are reviewed: those focussing on the assessment of overall vocabulary size, and those interested in assessing vocabulary in depth. This research begins by attempting to design a test procedure which is sensitive to both these approaches, the Association Vocabulary Test (AVT). The AVT presents the testees with pairs of words, associated or not. They have to recognise whether there is a strong semantic link between them. We claim that this task is highly informative of both quantity and quality of vocabulary knowledge. On the one hand, large numbers of words are tested. On the other, the task may elicit knowledge of word concept, different meanings, associations, collocations and uses in language. The main purpose of this research is to test these claims and to develop the test to satisfactory levels of reliability and validity. In the first group of studies, the AVT is experimental and analysed thoroughly. The first results indicate that reliability
development measure_lexical organisation association vocabulary_test background lie increase concern field vocabulary testing find new_way approach assessment vocabulary_knowledge learner qualitative perspective two_main approach vocabulary_test review focussing assessment overall vocabulary size interested assess vocabulary depth begin attempt design_test procedure sensitive approach association vocabulary_test avt avt present pair word associate not recognise whether strong semantic link them claim task highly informative quantity_quality vocabulary_knowledge one_hand large_number word test task may elicit knowledge word concept different meaning association collocation use language main_purpose test_claim develop test satisfactory level reliability validity first group study avt experimental analyse thoroughly first indicate reliability