Comparative study of acquisition rates between English vocabulary sets intentionally taught via post-reading writing and post-reading speaking skills

Year 2017, Volume: 2 Issue: 2, 85 - 102, 29.05.2017

Elif Göksoy Yeşim Keşli Dollar

Abstract

The aim of this research study was to examine the differences, if any, in intentionally taught English vocabulary acquisition rates via post-reading writing and post-reading speaking skills. There were three groups to study. In the first group mostly post-reading writing skills, in the second group mostly post-reading speaking skills, in the third group reading, speaking and writing skills were applied. To measure the breadth of the vocabulary the following procedures were applied. 1 Translation into Turkish, 2 Fill in the blanks questions productive writing skill , 3 Multiple choice questions reading and understanding . To measure the depth of the taught vocabulary VKS Vocabulary Knowledge Scale; Wesche & Paribakht, 1996 was applied. Besides, oral production with a visual support was measured according to a checklist. In the group, where the tests were piloted, reading, speaking, and writing skills were applied. The results showed that the two groups where reading, speaking and writing skills were practiced outperformed the reading/speaking and reading/writing group in the four tests except for the fill in the blanks test. The reading/writing group showed the best result in the fill in the blanks test. However, the delayed tests administered three weeks later demonstrated that the retention rate is higher in the reading/speaking group. The data also revealed that speaking activities generated more enthusiasm in comparison with the writing ones

Keywords

Vocabulary Acquisition, Integrated Skills, Assessment

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