More than Frequency? Exploring Predictors of Word Difficulty for Second Language Learners

Autor/inn/en	Hashimoto, Brett J.; Egbert, Jesse
Titel	More than Frequency? Exploring Predictors of Word Difficulty for Second Language Learners
Quelle	In: Language Learning, 69 (2019) 4, S.839-872 (34 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0023-8333
DOI	10.1111/lang.12353
Schlagwörter	Word Frequency; Vocabulary Development; Material Development; Correlation; Second Language Learning; Second Language Instruction; English (Second Language); Language Tests; Word Recognition; Difficulty Level; Predictor Variables + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Word analysis; Frequency; Wortanalyse; Häufigkeit; Wortschatzarbeit; Lehrmaterialentwicklung; Korrelation; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Fremdsprachenunterricht; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Language test; Sprachtest; Worterkennung; Schwierigkeitsgrad; Prädiktor
Abstract	Frequency is often the only variable considered when researchers or teachers develop vocabulary materials for second language (L2) learners. However, researchers have also found that many other variables affect vocabulary acquisition. In this study, we explored the relationship between L2 vocabulary acquisition and a variety of lexical characteristics using vocabulary recognition test data from L2 English learners. Conducting best subsets multiple regression analysis to explore all possible combinations of variables, we produced a best-fitting model of vocabulary difficulty consisting of six variables (R[superscript 2] = 0.37). The fact that many variables significantly contributed to the regression model and that a large amount of variance remained yet unexplained by the frequency variable considered in this study indicates that much more than frequency alone affects the likelihood that learners will learn certain L2 words. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01