The purpose of the present study was to identify any significant relationship between critical thinking ability, L2 vocabulary knowledge, and L2 vocabulary learning strategies of Iranian EFL learners. To this aim, the productive vocabulary levels test was administered to measure the learner’s L2 vocabulary knowledge and observe homogeneity in terms of vocabulary knowledge. At the second stage, a critical thinking questionnaire was administered, along with a newly-developed L2 vocabulary learning strategies questionnaire; the questionnaires were developed to specify the critical thinking ability and L2 vocabulary learning strategies of the individual participants. The results of the statistical analysis revealed that Iranian EFL learners’ L2 vocabulary knowledge was significantly related to their critical thinking ability. The participants’ critical thinking ability also correlated positively with their self-assessed degree of determination, memorization, cognitive, and meta-cognitive strategies of L2 vocabulary learning. The study also showed a positive relationship between participants’ L2 vocabulary knowledge and their L2 vocabulary learning strategies.

To improve and activate the vocabulary of EFL learners, an alternative to common advice in trying to use them in speech can be invited. Mclaughlin, B. et al. (2000) previously argued for the role of reading comprehension in improving the vocabulary knowledge of nonnative speakers. The same can be shown through writing. As two quite different methodologies in writing pedagogy are process and product writing, it is interesting to find which holds more promise for the vocabulary improvement. Product writing pedagogy encompasses accuracy-based and error-corrective tradition and students acting one-off (Gabrielatos, 2004), while process writing enacts students learning how to write by writing involving brainstorming and production of multiple drafts based on teacher's feedback (Paribakht, 2003). For the purpose of this study, sixty four from a hundred interested students at the intermediate level of English proficiency, set by a TOEFL score, pursued and consummated the weekly classes of writing instruction. A class is selected to be instructed in process writing by the flip of a coin and the other taught product writing then. After a semester period of teaching process and product writing to respective homogeneous groups and applying a pretest-posttest design, the researchers used aT-test to compare mean difference of group scores from pretest and posttest which is a productive vocabulary test. The results of study demonstrate that process group improved their vocabulary significantly better over product group. Controlling that all subjects be of the same age range, language proficiency level and of both sexes in balanced divisions, while every other Improving Productive Vocabulary Knowledge... factor is held constant to make a fair estimate of the role of writing method on vocabulary.

Language testing researchers suggest various test formats and procedures to measure vocabulary knowledge. This study investigated a) the relationship between EFL learners' self-rating of vocabulary knowledge on a newly designed self-assessment questionnaire and their performance on Vocabulary Levels Test, and. b) the possibility of using self assessment report as a valid basis for placement purposes. The results from three groups of participants (N=295) with different vocabulary proficiency levels show a) a high internal consistency among questionnaire items and b) a moderate correlation between self-assessments and VLT scores. The low group, knowing the most frequent 3,000 word families, tended to overestimate and the high group, with over 5,000 word families, tended to underestimate their vocabulary knowledge. The middle group with over 3,000 and below 4,000 word families was more realistic. Apparently, less proficient learners may have little knowledge about what they do and more proficient ones may be aware of the limits of their knowledge. This study suggests a) test developers to design innovative and systematic instruments for self-assessment, b) teachers to provide EFL learners with practice in self-assessment, and c) language testers to use self-assessment data elicitation procedures along with a valid test for grading purposes and providing complementary information.

The specific purpose of this study was to examine the effect of vocabulary learning strategy training on university students’ vocabulary breadth knowledge and vocabulary depth knowledge. Experimental research design was employed. Both the control group (20 students) and the experimental group (20 students) sat for pre-tests and post-tests of vocabulary knowledge. In between the pre-tests and post tests, vocabulary learning strategy training was offered to only the experimental group. At the end, the results of the two groups were compared. The vocabulary learning strategy training was offered for 16 hours. The vocabulary strategy training material was produced by integrating the vocabulary lessons of Communicative English Language Skills I module of Ethiopia and the vocabulary learning strategies identified by Schmitt (1997) and renowned vocabulary books of various authors such as Oxford (1990), Nation (2001), Carter (1998) and TacaĆ (2008). Independent Sample T-test was computed on SPSS to examine if there was a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups. Paired Sample T-test was also run on the SPSS to see if there was a statistically significance difference between the pre and post mean scores of the students in the experimental and control group. Experimental group students scored better than control group students in vocabulary breadth knowledge test (statistically significant difference, p-value, .001; moderate effect size, Cohen’s d: .76). In addition, the students assigned to the experimental group scored higher than the control group in vocabulary depth knowledge test (statistically significant difference, p-value, .039; strong effect size, Cohen’s d: 1.80).