vocabulary

A robust vocabulary improves all areas of communication. Vocabulary is critical to a child’s success to think and learn about the world. Expanding a child’s knowledge of words provides unlimited access to new information. This study describes the early development of comprehension and production vocabularies in a group of Persian-speaking toddlers.

The mothers of 33 typical, Persian-speaking toddlers during 6 months (from 12-14 months to 19-21 months) completed the Persian McArthur-Bates communicative development inventories 7 times per month. The collected data were analyzed via the SPSS software, version 21, through non-parametric tests.

The results indicated that the only significant increase for both vocabularies was between 15 and 16 months (P comprehension=0.045 and P production=0.027). The development of phrase comprehension showed significant increases during six months (P<0.001). Further analysis of production vocabulary growth demonstrated the word spurt in each child (in different months and with different word levels). According to the figures, the composition of vocabulary production was different during the selected 6 months. Nouns were the largest group during the 50-, 100-, and 200-word stages; however, verbs presented a faster rate of development. Both genders showed significant changes during follow-ups (P<0.001) and there were no significant differences between the vocabularies of different genders (P>0.05).

Persian-speaking children follow commonalities of lexical development reported for different languages; however, few differences could be traced between these children and their peers from other languages.

Using podcasts has long been the source of benefit in education. Podcasts are now used for learning and teaching; however, some aspects are still uncovered. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of using podcasts as instructional tools on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ vocabulary knowledge and satisfaction towards listening to podcasts.
In this quasi-experimental study, a vocabulary pretest was given to 60 males intermediate EFL learners from Iran Language Institute (ILI) in Gonbad-e Kavus city, Iran, from October to November, 2017, to check their homogenity regarding their vocabulary knowledge. Then, they were divided into two experimental and control groups, each with 30 participants. The experimental group was instructed by the use of podcasts, but the control group continued with routine instruction. They were given a post-test to examine their knowledge of vocabulary. Also, to find out the students’ satisfactions towards podcasting, a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire with 8 items was given to the participants in the podcasting group. In addition to the Likert-scale questionnaire on their satisfaction, face-to-face interviews using probing questions were conducted with 8 participants. The collected data were analyzed through Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20 using t-test. The p-value was considered at 0.05 level of significance.
The results revealed that the podcast group outperformed the control group in the post-test. The mean±SD for the control and experimental groups were 14.10±1.29 and 16.66±0.92, respectively (P=0.001). Then, the thematic analysis revealed four themes: (1) vocabulary achievement, (2) learning by listening, (3) learner choice and flexibility, and (4) podcasts as useful instructional tools.
The findings suggest that podcasts enhance learners’ vocabulary learning, thus emphasizing the pedagogical merits of podcasts in the enrichment of EFL classes. The results may provide implications for curriculum development and second language vocabulary teaching and learning.

Vocabulary learning is of paramount importance in language learning. Thus, effective ways of teaching new words are sought after by language teachers. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of three techniques of vocabulary teaching on learning and retention. Initially, 80 upper intermediate female learners of Iran Oxford institute in Tehran participated in this one sample time series quasi-experimental study. Based on the Oxford Online English -Vocabulary Level Test, 37 learners were qualified. In Summer 2021, they took part in the first phase and received the routine treatment. The same students took part in the first experimental group and received the non-etymological-based online game, although only 33 students turned up. In the last stage, the number of participants reduced to 30; therefore, the data analyses were done with 30 students. After each stage, a posttest and a delayed posttest (taken from Building English Vocabulary with Etymology from Latin) were administered. One way ANOVA and Scheffe’s Test were run to compare the groups. The results indicated that the etymological game group outperformed (M=13.16, SD=1.17) the non-etymological (M=12.00, SD=2.33, P=0.04) and control groups (M=11.10, SD=1.53, P<0.001). Moreover, the difference between the non-etymological group and the control group was significant (P=0.048). In the delayed posttest, a significant difference was detected between the etymological game group and the control group (P<0.001). Besides, the etymological game group gained a significantly higher mean score mean score (M=12.40, SD=1.83) than the non-etymological game group (M=9.93, SD=1.99) (P<0.001). However, the non-etymological game group did not significantly outperform the control group (P=0.915). The results of post- and delayed post-tests indicated that the etymological game group had the best result followed by non-etymological game group.

Lexical access problems are one of the limitations observed in children with developmental language disorders during the initial years of schooling. Semantic context has a powerful influence on lexical access. The cross-modal visual-auditory picture-word interference paradigm is a method for studying adults and children's lexical access. Because few studies have examined lexical access in Persian-speaking children, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of different semantic contexts on lexical access in children with and without developmental language disorder. 

In this experimental study, 20 children aged 7-9 years with developmental language disorders and 20 age-matched peers were recruited according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. At first, the picture-word interference paradigm was prepared. In so doing, 16 common pictures of objects paired with four auditory interfering words (related verb, related noun, unrelated verb, and unrelated noun) were presented to the children in a silent condition to determine their naming accuracy and latency. The DMDX software calculated the naming latency. The percentage of correct names also calculated naming accuracy. 

Naming latencies were significantly faster in children without language disorders (P≤0.05). In addition, a reliable interference effect was found. According to the results, naming latencies were significantly faster for related verb distractors than unrelated verbs and related noun distractors (P<0.05). In addition, a significant difference was observed between the silent and interference conditions regarding the naming accuracy. However, accuracy was not affected by distractors. 

Different semantic contexts affect lexical access differently in children. These differences cause semantic relatedness between verbs and nouns in lexical networks. The present study findings indicate that lexical knowledge and semantic relatedness are lower in children with developmental language disorders than in those with typical language development. These results can be useful for future studies and interventions on lexical access in children with and without language disorders.

Context: 

One aspect of spoken language skills is vocabulary, which provides a basis for acquiring other language aspects. Assessing a child's vocabulary knowledge aids in identifying the child's language strengths and weaknesses and predicts reading ability and academic success. Speech-language pathologists frequently employ various procedures in clinical and research settings to assess the children's language skills and help make decisions about diagnosis, eligibility for services, and intervention.

This systematic review investigated currently available vocabulary tests developed or adapted for Iranian Persian-speaking children.

Data Sources: 

Based on the PRISMA guideline, electronic searches of three national (SID, Irandoc, and Magiran) and four international (ScienceDirect, ProQuest, PubMed, and Google scholar) databases were carried out from 2000 to 2022 to identify Persian vocabulary assessment tools. Study Selection: Search in the reference lists of papers, unpublished theses, and content of related journals also supplemented the database searches. Data Extraction: The psychometric properties of these tests were reviewed based on specific criteria used in the literature. The papers and test manuals were examined according to these criteria.

Eight tools have been developed or adapted for assessing vocabulary knowledge in Iranian Persian-speaking children. Reviewing the content and psychometric properties of the included tools indicated that the Test of Language Development- Primary:3 (TOLD-P:3) is the only accessible published tool with the most reported psychometric evidence. It measures language development in children; however, it is a multi-modal test that includes vocabulary subtests.

This review revealed that most of the reviewed tools were in the primitive stages of test development or adaptation procedures and did not examine many psychometric properties. As a result, vocabulary is a field that requires more attention because there is no accessible, standardized tool with adequate psychometric properties.

The acquisition of reading skills is one the most important challenges a cochlear implanted child faces in his/her life. Although cochlearimplants can improve speech, language, and reading skills, some childrencontinue to experience reading difficulties. Some studies have reviewed thereading skills in English-speaking children with cochlear implants; however,language and cultural discrepancies may result in diverse aural rehabilitationprograms and varying effects of factors on reading in these children. The aimof the present study is to review evidence regarding reading skills, includingphonological awareness, reading comprehension, vocabulary, and story retellingin preschool and school-aged children with unilateral cochlear implants in Iran.

Overall, the findings of studies in this area suggest that Persianspeakingpreschool and school-aged children with unilateral cochlear implantsshow worse reading performance compared with their normal hearing peers.

Impaired reading skills in children with cochlear implantsnecessitates the identification of reading problems and targeted auralrehabilitation programs to improve reading skills in these children. Futurestudies over longer periods are necessary in order to determine the readingdevelopmental trajectory of children with cochlear implants in Iran. In addition,investigating the precise role of underpinning abilities such as language andhearing skills in reading development can help children with cochlear implantsachieve age-appropriate reading skills.

Measuring children’s receptive vocabulary skills requires the use of valid and reliable tools. This study aims to assess the reliability of the receptive picture vocabulary test for Persian-speaking children (RPVT-P).

In the first phase of this cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study, 434 normal children aged 30 to 71 months participated. In the second phase of the study, 2 groups participated, 16 children with Down syndrome (DS) a mentally age-matched typically developing (TD) peers. The internal consistency (Cronbach’s α coefficient), construct validity, and discriminant validity of the RPVT-P was evaluated. 

Cronbach’s α was calculated as 0.825, indicating good internal consistency for the total score of the RPVT-P. The Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.83 showed a positive correlation between age and the total score of the RPVT-P (P=0.0000). The correlation between most of the subtest scores and the total score of the RPVT-P was found from 0.70 to 0.87, showing acceptable construct validity. A significant difference was observed between the DS and TD groups for the total scores of the RPVT-P (P=0.0000), indicating good discriminant validity of the RPVT-P.

The RPVT-P is a test with acceptable validity and reliability to determine the ability of preschool Persian-speaking children in receptive vocabulary.

Expressive vocabulary plays a vital role in child language development, and its assessment can be one of the essential indicators to identify language developmental delay, especially in children with Down syndrome. We developed a list of expressive vocabulary and compared the size and class of expressive vocabularies between typically developing and Down syndrome children.

Expressive vocabulary of 150 children was examined in this study. A total of 120 typically developing Farsi-speaking children (in four age Groups, with a 6-month interval) and 30 children with Down syndrome (aged 24-48 months) participated in this study. The parents of the children filled out the form that included 636 words from different vocabulary classes. These classes were based on studies that investigated language development in Farsi-speaking children.

The expressive vocabulary size in Farsi-speaking children was significantly higher than in Down syndrome children (P≤0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between boys and girls regarding expressive vocabulary size in two Groups of children. The size of nouns in all age Groups is more than other classes, and the size of conjunctions in all age Groups is less than the other ones. A direct correlation was found between age and the size of expressive vocabulary.

According to the study findings, the list of expressive vocabulary can detect delays in developing expressive vocabulary.

Words in the Mental Lexicon (ML) construct semantic field through associative and/ or semantic connections, with a pervasive native speaker preference for the former. Non-native preferences, however, demand further inquiry. Previous studies have revealed inconsistent Lexical Access (LA) patterns due to the limitations in the methodology and response categorization.

To fill the gap, we employed a primed Picture Naming (PN) task for investigating the relations between concepts in the ML of Iranian EFL (English as a foreign language) learners. We also explored whether conscious priming at a long prime-target stimulus onset asynchrony affected the naming latency of the learners with different proficiency levels.

The participants were 31 EFL learners (11-16 years old) at A1 and A2 levels based on the Common European Framework of Reference for languages. They were recruited in summer 2020 from language institutes in Bushehr and Kazeroon cities, Iran, through a convenience sampling method. They performed a PN task, including 66 prime-target pairs presented in associative, semantic, both semantic and associative, or unrelated conditions. The mixed-effects modeling was used for data analysis.

Based on the likelihood ratio test of model comparisons for condition effect (χ2 (1) =9.07, P=0.002), the interaction of condition, frequency, and length was significant in the semantic condition (t=2.72, P=0.008). A slight effect was also observed from the prime frequency in the associative condition (t=1.82, P=0.07).

Results indicate one-level access to the ML, which is indeed a function of language proficiency. Findings are further discussed in terms of ML structure and patterns of LA.

The ability to comprehend a text depends primarily on the knowledge about its words. This study investigated the most frequent words in high impact factor (IF) English nursing journals. This corpus‑based study was conducted on the articles of 13 English nursing journals with an IF of over 0.7 from November 2014 to September 2016. After the typographical errors were corrected and the tokens (running words) in each journal were equalized, the tokens were analyzed using the Range software. Finally, a word list was extracted from the final 2851 articles and 8196,953 tokens to reach the optimal 98% vocabulary coverage. A word list consisting of 1081 word families and 3175 word types with 5.24% coverage was extracted, which fulfilled the 98% vocabulary coverage. In other words, the coverage of the 1081 word‑family list (5.24%), the coverage of the 1st 3000 English word families (87.55%), proper names, marginal words, compound words, and abbreviations related to the software (3.29%), and the coverage of the new proper names (1.13%), new compounds (0.02%), new abbreviations (0.72%), and letter–number combinations (0.05%) totaled 98%. By learning the 1st 3000 English word families and the 1081 word families introduced in this study, a nursing student can comprehend the texts of articles in high IF nursing journals without any considerable help from other resources.

Nowadays, mobile-mediated learning has become a primary concern of scholars applying the blended method of L2 teaching and learning. Meanwhile, prevailing game apps on mobile devices, namely m-games, have broadened the educator's pedagogical outlook. In view of that, this study endeavored to compare the efficacy of team- (vs. individual) teaching on learning L2 through the medium of m-game-mediated blended learning method. This quasi-experimental study embraced triangulation research design. To that end, 86 male and female students from Ahvaz JondiShapur University of Medical Sciences were selected through stratified sampling method. Afterwards, 76 students were homogenized through the application of Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) to learn L2 vocabulary and reading comprehension in the individual- or team-teaching situations. The instrumentation included VLT, pre-research questionnaire and interview as well as formative assessment. The reliability of the instrumentation was calculated through KR-21 method and Cronbach's alpha. Likewise, their validity was authenticated by five TEFL experts. In addition to debriefing the participants through questionnaire and interview, tracing participant's performance through paper-and-pencil exercises, m-games (native vs. prefabricated), and also tailor-made tests over 18 m-game-based blended sessions prepared the ground for embarking on the triangulation design. For analyzing the data, SPSS version 21 along with descriptive and inferential statistics were employed. In the end, the t-tests analyses showed that a range of situational and social factors were found to affect participant's L2 learning. In the same vein, team-teaching situation was of palpable interest to participants to expedite their L2 learning via m-game-based blended module (p < 0.01). In effect, welding native m-game into the proper pedagogical situations culminate in student's outperformance.