The Relationship between Word Knowledge Components and L2 Writing in Chinese University Learners of English

Abstract

Previous vocabulary research has explored the multi-component nature of a word and provided comprehensive frameworks on what types of word knowledge are needed to learn a word and use the word in writing. Yet, previous studies primarily focused on form and meaning aspects and the nature of multiple word knowledge components associated with L2 writing proficiency remains unclear. The current study, therefore, examined the interrelations between multiple word knowledge components and explored the relationships between these word components and productive word use and L2 writing ability. The study adopted a multi-task approach guided by the word knowledge framework proposed by Nation (2022) and the model of word knowledge components required in writing proposed by Coxhead (2007).

Participants were 147 third-year university EFL learners sampled from a regional university in Mainland China. The study adopted a cross-sectional setting, in which participants did six vocabulary tests, including one receptive vocabulary size test and five productive depth knowledge tests (productive form and meaning, association, productive derivative and collocation). The participants were also assigned to write two argumentative essays and integrate the twenty target words in their writing tasks. These measures were designed and validated to capture multiple word knowledge components relative to lexical use and argumentative writing ability. The principle objective of these tests is to investigate to what extent these different types of word knowledge can relate and contribute to L2 argumentative writing quality and word use in actual contexts.

The correlation and regression results confirmed that vocabulary knowledge can be a network of multiple interrelated word components. The interrelatedness, however, is only limited to the five internal depth knowledge aspects of the same target words. The depth components and overall depth knowledge merely have little relationship with learners’ receptive vocabulary size. This result cautions that depth and size are two distinct and separate constructs whose relationship may vary in different contexts. Overall, the hierarchical regression models demonstrate that vocabulary knowledge composed of the six receptive and productive word aspects accounts for 61% variance explained in L2 writing proficiency. This finding strongly supports previous literature documenting that vocabulary can be one the most essential factors in determining L2 writing quality.

Moreover, the findings in the current study also indicate that productive form- meaning links are mainly related to L2 writing ability and word use, as opposed to the receptive form-meaning knowledge. The receptive size measured by the VLT has weak correlations with L2 writing and cannot significantly predict the writing and lexical proficiency. Association and collocation contribute little to the productive performances, yet still highly correlate with them and significantly improve the regression models in L2 writing. These results have theoretical and pedagogical implications, empirically demonstrating that multi-component word tests can be applied to reveal the multidimensional construct of vocabulary knowledge. The current study provides empirical evidence to the theoretical word knowledge models and yields nuanced ideas regarding the smallest lexical predictors of L2 writing. Pedagogically, receptive form-meaning links are insufficient in EFL vocabulary learning and teaching. Learners and instructors need to focus more on the deeper components of vocabulary knowledge if the learning goal is to improve productive written skills.

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