Speakers
Description
This presentation will report findings from a corpus of 500 Japanese first-year EFL learners across discussions, presentations, and essays. We compare TOEFL-indexed proficiency with lexical diversity (MTLD, Guiraud) and lexical sophistication (frequency profiles and cross-corpus measures) and show stronger links in speech than in writing. Mixed effects models highlight indices that best predict proficiency by mode. We conclude with practical teaching implications, including functional language, appropriate lower-frequency vocabulary, and keywords organised by level.
Summary
This study examines the link between vocabulary use and proficiency in L2 English across production modes. A longitudinal corpus of Japanese university students’ discussions, presentations, and essays was analyzed for lexical diversity and sophistication. Results showed stronger correlations between proficiency and lexical sophistication in spoken than written modes. Findings suggest proficiency affects vocabulary use differently by mode, highlighting the need for task-specific vocabulary instruction that emphasizes functional language and appropriate vocabulary use.
| Teaching Context | College and university education |
|---|
