Institut suprieur des langues de Tunis Dpartement dAnglais

The effects of formal and informal exposure to English on receptive vocabulary knowledge among the levels of 1st and 3rd year students of English in ISLT.

By: Yousra Selmi

2011

Introduction

Within the field of EFL teaching, several researchers postulate that vocabulary is of a great importance in developing the 4 language skills (Richards & Renandya 2002). Vocabulary knowledge is a necessary indicator, among others, of successful learning of a language since whole sections of international tests, like the TOEFL, the IELTS etc., are devoted to test it. Testing vocabulary plays a crucial role in assessing EFL proficiency (Zimmerman 2004). In fact, Vocabulary is a core component of language proficiency and provides much of the basis for how well learners speak, listen, read and write (Richards & Renandya 2002) put simply how well learners communicate. In the process of communication, an EFL learner should be able to understand the speaker thanks to their receptive vocabulary. Actually, Receptive words are those which readers understand but which they do not necessarily use (Nunan 1991). In this perspective, various researchers associate vocabulary with comprehension and view improvement in comprehension as a primary goal of vocabulary instruction (McKeown & Curtis 1987). Since vocabulary is needed to achieve comprehension and communication, it is necessary to emphasize quality ISLT EFL teaching and to have better achievers in terms of receptive vocabulary size. In this study, the effects of learners exposure to English (inside and outside English classes) on their receptive vocabulary size will be investigated. This study is significant because it seeks fostering vocabulary learning and limiting the number of students with impoverished vocabulary knowledge and with vocabulary-related communication problems. If exposure to English is found to enhance vocabulary size, then it may be useful to raise students and teachers awareness of what they need to do in order for the student to reach a broader receptive vocabulary size. Teachers can, for example, make their students aware of the importance of vocabulary in reading comprehension and in communication. They may also

encourage students to do intensive readings at home, to watch English T.V. programs, to listen to English songs, communicate in English with classmates, friends etc

The status of vocabulary in the curriculum The status of vocabulary in the curriculum has been changing according to approaches of teaching. Vocabulary was hardly considered during the 1960s when the structuralist approaches were applied to teaching, basically in audiolingualism. Focus was on the form of the language, i.e. grammar was emphasized at the expense of other components of the language. Grammar was taught heavily to promote accuracy. However, when the communicative approach emerged in the 1980s, the status of vocabulary became enhanced because there was a shift of emphasis from accuracy to fluency and appropriateness, from form to meaning (Nunan 1991; Richards & Renandya 2002; Shmitt 2000).

Receptive Vocabulary size Several attempts have been made to decide on the size of the receptive vocabulary of English by using dictionaries and frequency counts (Goulden, Nation & Read 1990). The number of words known by college students and adults, for example, ranges from 3,000 words to 216,000 words (Fries and Traver 1960; Lorge and Chall 1963; Diller 1978, cited in Nation and Read 1990). These attempts were quite divergent in terms of their estimates. Thorndike 1924, Lorge and Chall 1963 account for this divergence by referring to the methodological problems involved in measuring vocabulary size (Goulden, Nation & Read 1990). When using dictionary estimates, one may face the problem of what to consider a word and whether proper nouns and affixes should count as words (Goulden, Nation & Read 1990; Shmitt 2000). The method of frequency counts was based on different researchers views of minimum adequate speech vocabulary with which a learner should be equipped. West (1960) developed a list of

1,200 words based on a frequency count of the 2,000 most frequent words of English (Nunan 1991). Ogden 1930 and Richards 1943 developed another list of basic English vocabulary that contained a less number of words; 850 words. These lists were criticized for they restrict the comprehension of the learners to one surface meaning for each word as Carter and McCarthy (1988) demonstrated. Besides, using these lists would yield under- equipped learner who need a much more extensive receptive vocabulary to be able to deal with the authentic language (Nunan 1991).

Exposure to English Exposure can be formal or informal or a mixture of the two. Formal exposure includes the number of years of instruction of English that students have received in an EFL context, as in the Tunisian educational system as well as the extent to which the students are presented to linguistic English materials during English classes. However, informal exposure is the extent to which the students have contact with sources that are presented in English outside English classes such as everyday communication in ESL contexts, watching English T.V. channels, chatting in English, reading English books, magazines and newspapers Previous research (Parry 1993, Lin 2004, Suling 2005) show that learners who experience more exposure to a language are usually more proficient than others who are less exposed to that language. ESL learners, who integrate in the immediate context of the native language, are more proficient in that language than others who experience less exposure to it (Parry 1993, cited in Shmitt 2000; Lin 2004; Suling 2005). Therefore, vocabulary, as a component of language, is also promoted by exposure to the target language. In fact, Explicit vocabulary instruction, even at its best, cannot produce substantial gains in overall vocabulary size or in reading comprehension. Major progress toward these goals can be attained only be increasing incidental vocabulary learning (McKeown & Curtis 1987). Therefore, to assure a higher quality of

teaching and to yield better achievers in the English language and English vocabulary in particular, one should consider the effects of exposure to English on learning. As a result, if exposure to English yields positive effects on the receptive vocabulary size of the learners, it may be necessary for learners of English as a foreign language to be exposed to English. The present study aims to check whether formal and informal exposure of ISLT 1st and 3rd year students to English promotes their receptive vocabulary size. The following questions are raised: 1) To what extent does formal exposure to English promote receptive vocabulary knowledge? 2) To what extent does informal exposure to English promote receptive vocabulary knowledge? 3) How significant is progress in the level among ISLT students of English in improving receptive vocabulary knowledge?

Methodology section

Informants This study is based on a comparison between 2 groups in terms of level. The groups will be selected from 1st and 3rd year students of English at ISLT through a stratified random sampling. The population size is 237 for 1st year students and 377 for 3rd year students. To obtain proportionate groups, 15% of the students from each population are going to participate: 35 students from 1st year and 56 from 3rd year. Research instruments Data will be collected through the use of 2 instruments which are English language exposure scale as a self report and Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) as a measure of receptive vocabulary. These tests are chosen for they are designed and recommended to measure the degree of exposure to English and receptive vocabulary. Both tests will be distributed at the same time. 1. The English language exposure scale The English language exposure scale, developed by Magno et al. (2009), is a semi structured frequency scale. This scale is originally devised to measure the degree of formal and informal exposure of Taiwanese college students to English. The scale is going to be modified so that it aims at measuring the degree of formal and informal exposure of Tunisian college students to English, therefore promoting validity for the present study. English language exposure scale originally comprises 23 statements which are sorted into 4 sections: home, friends, school and media. In each section, the degree of exposure to English is to be measured. For instance, the following table provides one example of statements from each section respectively. The informants are expected to rate these statements, based on their experience, from always to never.

Always often o My parents talk in English. o My friends speak in English. o My teachers speak in English. o I chat online in English.

sometimes rarely

never

After applying some changes, the scale now is made up of 21 statements that are classified into 3 sections: friends, school and media. Each section comprehends respectively 5, 5, 13 statements. First, the section home which originally contains statements such as English is spoken at home and I converse in English among my family is omitted from the scale because this section is relevant to Taiwanese ESL context, not to Tunisian EFL context. In other words, Taiwanese students are exposed to English in their immediate environment while Tunisian students learn English in a formal context i.e. in a classroom. Second, 3 statements are added to the friends section such as I communicate with friends who speak English, I converse with foreigners using English. These items are added in order to elicit more information about the students exposure to English and to achieve some balance among the sections. (see appendix A). In order to obtain accurate responses, the informants will be asked to rate each statement on a five point scale from always to never by ticking the column that best corresponds to their situation. The scale does not take more than 5 minutes. Information about the respondents which are gender, nationality, age and school were replaced by name and class level to serve the aim of the study through comparing the students receptive vocabulary size in relation to their exposure to English on the one hand, and to the class level on the other hand.

2. Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT)

Vocabulary Levels Test, designed by Nation (1990), is a recognition test which is considered to be a highly recommended standard test of measuring receptive vocabulary (Nation, 1990, cited in Mochida, A. & Harrington, M. 2006). VLT was tested by many researchers such as Cameron (2002) who believes that The Vocabulary Levels Test offers a useful research and pedagogic tool in additional language learning contexts, yielding an overall picture of receptive vocabulary learning across groups (Cameron, 2002). From this perspective, VLT promotes reliability. In the present study, it is necessary to find out to what extent 1st and 3rd year students of English master high frequency words, and know low frequency words. Administering the same test to both groups allows a direct comparison of test performance among 1st and 3rd year students of English and at the same time among students with different degrees of exposure to English. The test comprises 5 word frequency levels which range from high frequency words to low frequency words. The 2.000 word level and the 3.000 word level are high frequency words. The 5.000 word level is between high and low frequency words. The Academic Word Level is high frequency words for university students and the 10.000 word level is low frequency words. Each level of them contains 36 words to be defined as well as 18 items, i.e., 18 definitions. The respondents will be asked to match three out of the six words on the left with the definitions given on the right. The test does not take more than 15 minutes (see appendix B).

Cited works

Goulden, R., Nation, P & Read, J. (1990). How large can a receptive vocabulary be? Victoria University of Welligton.

Retrieved from: http://www.victoria.ac.nz/ McKeown, M. G. & Curtis, M. E. (1987). The Nature of vocabulary acquisition. US: Routledge Retrieved from: http://books.google.com/ Lin, P.T. (2004). The relationship between learners informal exposure to English outside English classes and their achievement in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) English result. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Retrieved from: http://www.fp.utm.my/ Magno, C., Kirk, M. Lajom, J. A., Regodon, J. R & Bunagan, K.S. (2009). Assessing the level of English language exposure of Taiwanese College students in Taiwan and the Philippines, Asian EFL Journal. Retrieved from: http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/ Mochida, A. & Harrington, M. (2006). The Yes/No Test as a Measure of Receptive Vocabulary Knowledge. Retrieved from: http://www.eric.ed.gov/ Nation. P. (1990). Vocabulary Levels Test. Retrieved from: http://www.lextutor.ca/ Nunan, D. (1991). Language teaching methodology. UK: Prentice Hall International

Richards, J.C. & Renandya, W. A. (2002). Methodology in language teaching: an anthology of current practice. UK: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from: http://books.google.com/

Suling,Y. (2005). The effect of exposure to meaning of unknown vocabulary on reading comprehension in the target language of second year Chinese College students, Celea journal. Retrieved from: http://www.elt-china.org/ Zimmerman, K. J. (2004). The role of vocabulary size in assessing second language proficiency. Brigham Young University. Retrieved from: http://eurosla.org/

Appendix
A) English language exposure scale Name: Class level:

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I am Yousra Selmi, a masters student. I am carrying out a study about the effects of students exposure to English on their receptive vocabulary knowledge. This scale aims at finding out the degree of your exposure to English. Your answers will be used for purely research purposes. Thank you for your cooperation. Read each item and tick the column that best corresponds to your situation. It will not take you more than 5 mins.

Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never 1. My local friends speak English. 2. I talk with my friends using English. 3. I communicate with friends who speak English. 4. I converse with foreigners using English. 5. When Im talking to my friends, I dont speak English. 6. My teachers speak English. 7. The activities in my school are conducted in English. 8. My classmates speak English. 9. My school encourages students to speak English. 10. The medium of instruction used in the classroom is English. 11. I chat online in English. 12. I send text messages in English. 13. I receive text messages in English. 14. I browse web pages that are written in English. 15. I listen to songs in English. 16. I watch movies in English. 17. I watch TV shows in English. 18. I read magazines written in English. 19. I read newspapers written in English. 20. I read books written in English. 21. The information I read around is in English.

B) Vocabulary Levels Test

Name: Class level:

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I am Yousra Selmi, a masters student. I am carrying out a study about the effects of students exposure to English on their receptive vocabulary knowledge. This vocabulary test aims at measuring your receptive vocabulary knowledge. Your answers will be used for purely research purposes. Thank you for your cooperation. Match three of the six words on the left with the definitions given on the right. Write the number of each word next to its meaning. The test will not take you more than 15 mins.

1. original 2. private 3. royal 4. slow 5. sorry 6. total

1. apply complete first not public 2. elect 3. jump 4. manufacture 5. melt 6. threaten 1. accident keep away from sight have a bad effect on something ask 2. choice 3. debt 4. fortune 5. pride 6. roar 1. birth 2. dust 3. operation 4. row 5. sport 6. victory choose by voting become like water make

1. blame 2. hide 3. hit 4. invite 5. pour 6. spoil 1. basket 2. crop 3. flesh 4. salary 5. temperature 6. thread money paid regularly for doing a job heat meat

having a high opinion of yourself something you must pay loud, deep sound

being born game winning

1. administration 2. angel 3. front 4. herd managing business and affairs spirit who serves God group of

1. bench 2. charity 3. fort 4. jar 5. mirror part of a country help to the poor long seat

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animals 5. mate 6. pond 1. coach 2. darling a thin, flat piece cut from something person who is loved very much sound reflected back to you

6. province

1. marble 2. palm 3. ridge 4. scheme 5. statue 6. thrill inner surface of your hand excited feeling plan

3. echo 4. interior 5. opera 6. slice 1. discharge 2. encounter 3. illustrate 4. knit 5. prevail 6. toss

1. annual use pictures or examples to show the meaning meet throw up into the air 2. blank 3. brilliant 4. concealed 5. definite 6. savage happening once a year certain wild

1. alcohol 2. apron 3. lure 4. mess 5. phase 6. plank 1. apparatus cloth worn in front to protect your clothes stage of development state of untidiness or dirtiness

1. circus 2. jungle 3. nomination 4. sermon 5. stool 6. trumpet 1. bruise speech given by a priest in a church seat without a back or arms musical instrument

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2. compliment

3. revenue 4. scrap 5. tile 6. ward 1. blend 2. devise 3. embroider 4. hug 5. imply 6. paste

set of instruments or 2. exile machinery money received by the 3. ledge government expression of 4. mortgage admiration 5. shovel 6. switch 1. desolate hold tightly in 2. fragrant your arms plan or invent 3. gloomy mix 4. profound 5. radical 6. wholesome

agreement using property as security for a debt narrow shelf dark place on your body caused by hitting

good for your health sweet-smelling dark or sad

1. affluence 2. axis 3. episode 4. innovation 5. precision 6. tissue 1. configuration 2. discourse 3. hypothesis 4. intersection 5. partisan 6. propensity introduction of a new thing one event in a series wealth

1. deficiency 2. magnitude 3. oscillation 4. prestige 5. sanction 6. specifition 1. anonymous shape speech theory 2. indigenous 3. maternal 4. minimum 5. nutrient 6. modification 1. coincide without the writer's name least possible amount native swinging from side to side respect lack

1. elementary

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2. negative 3. static 4. random 5. reluctant 6. ultimate

of the beginning 2. coordinate stage not moving or changing 3. expel final, furthest 4. frustrate 5. supplement 6. transfer

prevent people from doing something they want to do add to send out by force

1. acquiesce 2. contaminate work at something without serious intentions accept without protest make a fold on cloth or paper

1. blaspheme 2. endorse 3. nurture 4. overhaul 5. skid 6. straggle give care and food to speak badly about God slip or slide

3. crease 4. dabble 5. rape 6. squint 1. auxiliary 2. candid 3. dubious 4. morose 5. pompous 6. temporal 1. dregs 2. flurry 3. hostage

1. anterior full of self 2. concave importance helping, 3. interminable adding support bad-tempered 4. puny 5. volatile 6. wicker 1. auspices worst and most useless parts of 2. casualty anything natural liquid 3. froth present in the small and weak easily changing endless

being away from other people someone killed or injured 15

4. jumble 5. saliva 6. truce

mouth confused mixture

4. haunch 5. revelry 6. seclusion

noisy and happy celebration

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