1887
  1. Home
  2. e-Journals
  3. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism
  4. Volume 13, Issue 3
  5. Article
Volume 13, Issue 3
  • ISSN 1879-9264
  • E-ISSN: 1879-9272
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

The role of proficiency is widely discussed in multilingual language acquisition research, and yet, there is little consensus as to how one should operationalize it in our empirical investigations. The present study assesses the validity of the LexTALE (Lemhöfer & Broersma, 2012) as a ‘quick and valid’ measure of global proficiency. We first provide an overview review of how the LexTALE has been used since its publication, showing that although the test has gained popularity in the last few years, its reliability has not been thoroughly examined. Thus, herein we present results of a partial replication of Lemhöfer and Broersma (2012), where we empirically assess the validity of the LexTALE as a measure of L2 global proficiency in two groups of learners of English with various degrees of proficiency (L1 Spanish, n = 288; L1 Chinese, n = 266). Results indicate that if we are to use LexTALE in our investigations, we should do so with caution as the analyses show that irrespective of the L1 and level of proficiency of the targeted participants, its reliability as a measure of global proficiency is under question evidenced by the low and moderate correlations found with a standardised measure of global proficiency.

© 2023 John Benjamins
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/lab.22048.pui
2023-01-23
2024-12-04

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/10.1075/lab.22048.pui
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Baayen, R. H., Piepenbrock, R., & Gulikers, L.
    (1995) The CELEX Lexical Database (Release 2). University of Pennsylvania, Linguistic Data Consortium.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Cohen, J.
    (1988) Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. New York, NY: Routledge Academic.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Council of Europe
    Council of Europe (2011) Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment. Council of Europe.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Hulstijn, J. H.
    (2011) Language Proficiency in Native and Nonnative Speakers: An Agenda for Research and Suggestions for Second-Language Assessment. Language Assessment Quarterly, 8(3), 229–249. 10.1080/15434303.2011.565844
     https://doi.org/10.1080/15434303.2011.565844 [Google Scholar]
  5. (2012) The construct of language proficiency in the study of bilingualism from a cognitive perspective. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 15(2), 422–433. 10.1017/S1366728911000678
     https://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728911000678 [Google Scholar]
  6. Lado, R.
    (1961) Language testing: The construction and use of foreign language tests. McGraw Hill.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Lemhöfer, K., & Broersma, M.
    (2012) Introducing LexTALE: A quick and valid Lexical Test for Advanced Learners of English. Behavior Research Methods, 44(2), 325–343. 10.3758/s13428‑011‑0146‑0
     https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-011-0146-0 [Google Scholar]
  8. McManus, K.
    (2022) Are replication studies infrequent because of negative attitudes?: Insights from a survey of attitudes and practices in second language research. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 44(5), 1410–1423. 10.1017/S0272263121000838
     https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263121000838 [Google Scholar]
  9. Malovth, P., & Benati, A.
    (2018) The Handbook of Advanced Proficiency in Second Language Acquisition (P. A. Malovrh & A. G. Benati (Eds.)). Wiley-Blackwell. 10.1002/9781119261650
     https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119261650 [Google Scholar]
  10. Marsden, E., Morgan-Short, K., Thompson, S., & Abugaber, D.
    (2018) Replication in Second Language Research: Narrative and Systematic Reviews and Recommendations for the Field. Language Learning, 68(2), 321–391. 10.1111/lang.12286
     https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12286 [Google Scholar]
  11. Meara, P.
    (1996) English Vocabulary Tests: 10 k. Unpublished manuscript. Center for Applied Language Studies.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Nakata, T., Tamura, Y., & Aubrey, S.
    (2020) Examining the Validity of the LexTALE Test for Japanese College Students. The Journal of AsiaTEFL, 17(2), 335–348. 10.18823/asiatefl.2020.17.2.2.335
     https://doi.org/10.18823/asiatefl.2020.17.2.2.335 [Google Scholar]
  13. Norris, J., & Ortega, L.
    (2003) Defining and Measuring SLA. InC. Doughty & M. Long (Eds.), The Handbook of Second Language Acquisition (pp. 716–761). Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 10.1002/9780470756492.ch21
     https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470756492.ch21 [Google Scholar]
  14. (2012) Assessing learner knowledge. InS. Gass & A. Mackey (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Second Language Acquisition (pp. 573–589). Routledge.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Park, H. I., Solon, M., Dehghan-Chaleshtori, M., & Ghanbar, H.
    (2022) Proficiency Reporting Practices in Research on Second Language Acquisition: Have We Made any Progress?Language Learning, 72(1), 198–236. 10.1111/lang.12475
     https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12475 [Google Scholar]
  16. Porte, G., & McManus, K.
    (2019) Doing Replication Research in Applied Linguistics. Routledge.
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Thomas, M.
    (1994) Assessment of L2 Proficiency in Second Language Acquisition Research. Language Learning, 44(2), 307–336. 10.1111/j.1467‑1770.1994.tb01104.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1994.tb01104.x [Google Scholar]
  18. (2006) Research synthesis and historiography: The case of assessment of second language proficiency. InJ. Norris & L. Ortega (Eds.), Synthesizing research on language learning and teaching (pp. 279–298). John Benjamins. 10.1075/lllt.13.13tho
     https://doi.org/10.1075/lllt.13.13tho [Google Scholar]
  19. Thompson, B.
    (2007) Effect sizes, confidence intervals, and confidence intervals for effect sizes. Psychology in the Schools, 441, 423–432. 10.1002/pits.20234
     https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.20234 [Google Scholar]
  20. Tremblay, A.
    (2011) Proficiency Assessment Standards in Second Language Acquisition Research. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 33(3), 339–372. 10.1017/S0272263111000015
     https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263111000015 [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/lab.22048.pui
Loading
The LexTALE as a measure of L2 global proficiency
Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism 13, 299 (2023); https://doi.org/10.1075/lab.22048.pui
/content/journals/10.1075/lab.22048.pui
/content/journals/10.1075/lab.22048.pui
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Brief Report
Keyword(s): conceptual replication; L2 global proficiency; LexTALE; vocabulary size

Most Cited

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error