字彙多寡與英語程度研究－－以台灣英語系學生為例

Vocabulary Size and General English Proficiency - Taiwan English Majors

Vocabulary size adequacy in a foreign language is well recognized by second language researchers to carry great importance for L2 learners in achieving academic purposes. While Laufer (1992) and Laufer & Nation (1995) assert that ESL learners need to achieve a 5000 word level in order to secure adequate comprehension in academic reading, Chen's findings (1999) indicate that in the Taiwanese university context, only four of the 58 English non-majors tested with the Vocabulary Level Tests (receptive version by Nation, 1990) achieve the 5000 word level. The present study extends Chen's study to examine 34 fourth year Taiwanese university English majors with similar questions: First, do these majors attain the 5000-word level, in terms of either receptive or productive vocabulary scores? Secondly, as an alternative benchmark (Beglar & Hunt, 1999), do these same majors attain both the 2000 word level and the University Word List for the receptive vocabulary test? Thirdly, do they show an obvious gap between receptive and productive vocabularies? Finally, do either receptive and productive vocabulary test scores correlate significantly with general reading proficiency test scores? Results show for the receptive vocabulary test implemented, 33 of 34 English majors attain over two-thirds correct responses through the 5000 word level test, and none reach the 10,000 word level. For productive vocabulary testing, only 3 of 34 majors attain the 5000 word level, while 30 English majors attain both the 2000 level and University Word List. Gap sizes between scores for receptive and productive vocabulary tests for majors are highly significant, and these scores are found to have strong correlation to scores for a general reading proficiency test administered as part of this study. Pedagogical implications of the present findings are discussed, as well as issues for further exploration and development to facilitate EFL vocabulary acquisition.外語的字彙充足是第二語文研究學家所認定為L2學習者達成學術目標的重要要素。Laufer（1992）和Laufer & Nation（1995）主張ESL學習者必備5000字程度才能確保在學術閱讀上有足夠的理解，然而Chen（1999）研究結果顯示在單字程度測驗（Nation受入版，1990），國內大學的58名非英語主修中，只有四名達到5000字標準。此研究延伸Chen的研究，以類似研題用於34名國內大學的大四英語主修，來探討類似問題：一，在理解或表達上的字彙成績，國內大學的大四英語主修是否達到5000程度？二，以（Beglar & Hunt，1999）的另一基準，這些主修者是否同時達到2000字程度及大專單字字彙的受入測驗？三，他們在理解和表達上是否有明顯差異？最後，單字的理解或表達成績是否與一般閱讀精通的成績有相互關係？初步的結果顯示在受入單字測驗上，34名英語主修當中，有33名在5000字的測驗裡達到三分之二的正確答案，並所有的34名達到學術字彙（Coxhead，2000），該測驗為Schmitt（2001）所運用，是模範Nation's VLT設計的受入單字程度測驗裡其中的最新字彙。研究結果也顯出沒有任何學生達到10,000單字程度。在表達上的測驗，幾乎三分之二達到3000程度，但只有三名達到5000字程度，而沒有人達到10,000字程度。與Chen對大四非主修學生的研究結果對比，89％大四主修學生達到Nation的大專單字字彙的程度。因此，在受入的測驗，以上所提的學術及（大專）閱讀成功的基準上，幾乎所有34名主修者都達成。在表達上的單字測驗，只有34名主修者的其中三名達到5000字程度，但卻有30名的主修者達到2000字程度和大專單字字彙。受入與表達測驗結果的差異呈現高意義性，並與此研究同時進行的一般閱讀測驗成績呈現密切相互關係。此研究結果與教育學法的關係，針對促進EFL單字增添的延伸探討和發展即作討論。