Speaker
Description
Research suggests that readable input can foster both reading comprehension and incidental vocabulary uptake. The construct of text readability is often operationalized by Krashen’s idea of i+1 (i.e., the text readability should be just one level above learners’ current L2 proficiency) and by the 95%-98% lexical coverage (i.e., the proportion of known words in a text that fosters understanding). To examine how well English textbooks in Vietnam accommodate this learning affordance, the present study measured the readability of the reading texts in Global Success textbooks. Using Text Inspector and RANGE programs as corpus-based analytical tools, this study gauged the Gunning Fog index for the text readability, the frequency-based (K1-25 BNC/COCA) and proficiency-based (CEFR A1-to-C2) vocabulary profiles of those texts as well as the frequency of in-text encounters with novel words. Results showed that though the Gunning Fog index consistently increased from Grade 3 (2.71) to Grade 12 textbooks (12.92), this score generally far exceeded the target L2 proficiency level for each grade. As for the lexical profile, while those of primary-level texts often aligned with their CEFR A1 standard, those for the secondary levels went far beyond their A2 and B1 targets. Many texts failed to provide L2 learners with the 95% and 98% lexical coverage, thus obstructing their reading comprehension and incidental vocabulary learning. As very few novel words reoccurred at least six times within and across those texts, this further impeded their incidental lexical uptake. These findings altogether provide valuable implications for both reading instruction and textbook design.
Keywords: Text readability; Lexical profiles; Reading comprehension; Incidental vocabulary learning; Frequency of word encounters
Biography
My full name is Nguyen Thi Huynh Nhu from Can Tho City, currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Principles and methods of English Education. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in English Studies and work as an EFL teacher. With nearly two years of experience teaching adolescent learners, I have developed deep insights into language acquisition challenges.
My research interests focus on vocabulary and grammar acquisition in EFL contexts, particularly incidental vocabulary learning. This focus emerged from classroom observations of the gap between theoretical teaching methods and practical classroom applications. My hands-on experience has provided me with valuable exposure to the complexities of vocabulary repetition and grammatical development in adolescent students.
As a novice researcher in the field of applied linguistics, I am particularly immersed myself in exploring effective and appropriate teaching methods for enhancing vocabulary and grammar gains among EFL learners.
