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Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 17. Number 1, March 2026 Pp.34-48
This study investigates how different aspects of receptive vocabulary knowledge change over time when assessed using a newly developed multifaceted receptive vocabulary test. It addresses the main research question of whether patterns of receptive vocabulary change differ across word form, written meaning, and spoken meaning, and how these patterns vary by proficiency level. The significance of the study lies in challenging the assumption that receptive vocabulary change is consistent, showing that it may instead vary according to learner proficiency and the specific aspect of vocabulary knowledge being measured. The test targets the first 2,000 most frequent English words in the New JACET8000 and integrates listening and reading contexts to assess recognition of word form in written context, knowledge of word meaning in written context, and knowledge of word meaning in spoken context. Ninety undergraduate L1-Japanese learners were divided into beginner (A2) and pre-intermediate (B1) groups and completed the test at the beginning and end of the academic year. The results show that patterns of change differed across aspects and proficiency levels: in the beginner group, gains were observed in word form recognition, while declines were observed in written meaning and spoken meaning; in the pre-intermediate group, gains were observed across all three aspects, although the degree of gain differed across aspects. These findings suggest a possible developmental sequence and support the use of multifaceted vocabulary assessment tools to more accurately capture differential patterns of receptive vocabulary change over time
Elmetaher, H. (2026). Tracking Changes in Multiple Aspects of Receptive Vocabulary Knowledge in Lower-Proficiency EFL Learners. Arab World English Journal, 17(1): 34-48
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Dr. Hosam Elmetaher is an Associate Professor at Nagoya Aoi University in Japan. He holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics from Hiroshima University and an MEd in Curriculum Studies from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. His research focuses on vocabulary assessment and English education in EFL higher-education contexts. ORCiD ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5770-2076