Technical vocabulary plays a crucial role in ESP learners’ lexical development once general service and academic vocabulary has been established. The present study constructed the Language Education Research Corpus (LERC), an 8,646,901-word corpus compiled from the top 10 Quartile 1 (Q1) Scopus-indexed journals in Language Education. On the basis of this corpus, the Language Education Research Word List (LERWL) was developed through four systematic procedures. High-frequency items were first identified, after which a range criterion was applied to retain words occurring in at least 50% of the target journals. Lexical profiling was subsequently conducted to isolate discipline-specific vocabulary, excluding items listed in the GSL and the AWL. In addition to these quantitative procedures, expert judgment was employed as a qualitative validation measure to ensure disciplinary relevance. The resulting LERWL was then evaluated against (a) the LERC, achieving 5.28% coverage, and (b) an independent corpus of approximately one million words from the same field, achieving 4.75% coverage. These findings indicate that the LERWL provides a substantial and pedagogically meaningful level of lexical coverage within the discipline.
It is well-established that second/foreign language learning requires exposure to meaningful input. Thanks to advancing technologies, one way to achieve this in language teaching contexts is via online corpus tools. Given the potential pedagogical gains these tools offer for language skills (e.g., vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and writing), this study aims to synthesise the findings of research on five popular corpus tools – Sketch Engine, SkELL, PlayPhraseMe, Fraze.it, and CorpusMate. Following the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews, this study included five research papers from the Web of Science and Scopus databases until 2024. Applying qualitative and quantitative content analyses, the study found that corpus consultation promotes language skills and learner autonomy, supports contextually appropriate language use, and improves sensitivity to authentic language structures. Despite the promising outcomes, the scant number of studies analysed with some methodological issues and contextual constraints undermines the generalisability of the results. The study underscores the urgent need for more longitudinal, comparative, and large-scale research on using these corpus tools to harness them fully in language education. It also proposes that when systematically implemented, corpus tools may serve as powerful resources for language learning and teaching.
I. Topal· Journal of language research· 0 citations
Developing academic vocabulary remains a significant challenge for learners of English as a foreign language, particularly in academic writing. This study addressed the following research question: How much can a cognitively grounded, technology-enhanced instructional approach improve academic vocabulary development among postgraduate learners? It examined the effectiveness of Computer-Assisted Language Learning, supported by cognitive-linguistic principles, in developing academic vocabulary. Its significance lies in integrating cognitive linguistics, academic vocabulary research, and technology-enhanced language learning into a cohesive instructional framework. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used. The study involved 60 postgraduate English as a foreign language learners, selected through purposive sampling and divided into experimental (n = 30) and control (n = 30) groups. Data were collected through academic vocabulary tests, collocational and phraseological competence assessments, academic writing tasks, questionnaires, interviews, and corpus analysis. Results showed that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in academic vocabulary knowledge, collocational and phraseological competence, and lexical richness in academic writing. Participants also expressed positive views of technology-supported learning environments, noting increased engagement, independence, and confidence in academic writing. The study concludes that combining cognitive-linguistic principles with Computer-Assisted Language Learning offers an effective strategy for developing academic vocabulary. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of these interventions across various educational settings and learner groups.
A. Frumkina, N. Kurakh, Olha Hvozdyak et al.· Arab World English Journal· 0 citations
Background and Purpose: Critical academic reading skills demand learners to engage in higher-order reading skills which require advanced lexical knowledge. The two dimensions of lexical knowledge, namely lexical diversity and vocabulary variety, however, are mostly assessed in isolation using unstable measurement instruments, hence giving misleading results. The purpose of this study was to examine these two dimensions in critical academic reading passages through an integrated approach using a more reliable measurement instrument.
Methodology: The corpus consisted of 32 selected reading passages. They were first cleaned to remove any interference, such as numbering that might affect the lexical calculation, before being converted to plain text format. The Text Inspector was then used to generate the Measure of Textual Lexical Diversity (MTLD) and CEFR vocabulary difficulty levels for all passages. The scores were then analysed descriptively to examine the patterns of lexical diversity and CEFR vocabulary distributions across the passages. Additionally, Spearman’s rho correlational analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between MTLD scores and CEFR-based vocabulary levels.
Findings: All 32 examined passages generally exhibit high lexical diversity, with many common and basic words. Lexical diversity was found to increase when advanced vocabulary was added to the passage, indicating a significant positive correlation between the two dimensions.
Contributions: The integrated approach in lexical analysis adopted in this study results in a comprehensive picture of lexical complexity rather than using the single metric alone, hence offering a clearer and fairer approach for instructors in evaluating and selecting reading passages to be used with students.
Keywords: CEFR profiling, critical academic reading, lexical difficulty, lexical diversity, Measure of Textual Lexical Diversity (MTLD).
Cite as: Aziz, A., Syed Ahmad, T. S. A., Awang, S., Abdul Aziz, R., Azlan, N. A., & Ahmad, S. N. (2026). Lexical diversity and CEFR vocabulary in critical academic reading passages: A conceptual replication. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(2), 228-242. https://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss2pp228-242
Anealka Aziz, Tuan Sarifah Aini Syed Ahmad, Suryani Awang et al.· Journal of Nusantara Studies...· 0 citations
This study investigated how the Lexical Approach improves the reading-writing competence of foreign language learners. Specifically, using a quantitative, one-group pre-test post-test pre-experimental research design, the study involved 37 students from the Special Program in Foreign Language (SPFL)-Korean at Boot National High School during the school year 2025-2026.
The findings indicated that the Lexical Approach has a significant impact on improving reading and writing competence among the respondents. In terms of reading, there were improvements in Word Recognition (where 97.2% needed improvement, while 65% were Highly Competent in the post-test) and Vocabulary Knowledge (89% reached the Highly Competent level after the implementation of the Lexical Approach). In writing competence, Accuracy and Fluency demonstrated improvements, with 91.9% and 81% of students reaching the Highly Competent level, respectively. However, the study found no significant difference in Language Comprehension and Coherence, suggesting that these higher-order competences might require more instructional periods.
Based on the results, the study concludes that the Lexical Approach is an effective instructional methodology for improving learners' reading and writing competence.
Jennifer S. Hombre, Chester M. Derequito· International journal of res...· 0 citations
Large-scale corpora offer access to authentic language and represent a valuable resource for Japanese language education. In current practice, they are mostly used indirectly by instructors, while direct learner engagement with corpora (data-driven learning, DDL) remains relatively limited in Japanese courses, partly due to time constraints and the complexity of corpus tools. This article reports on a four-year project conducted at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. The course integrated direct corpus consultation through NINJAL corpora accessed via Chūnagon, with the dual aim of supporting language development and fostering research-oriented skills for working with Japanese primary sources. The study provides a qualitative evaluation based on students’ corpus-based presentation projects and anonymous student comments, highlighting both perceived benefits and critical issues, thus offering practical insights into the feasibility of DDL in Japanese language education.
Giuseppe Pappalardo· Acta Linguistica Asiatica· 0 citations
Vocabulary development in primary education requires more than increasing the number of words students recognize; learners also need to clarify word meanings, establish lexical relationships, and use vocabulary productively. This study identifies classroom needs in theme-based vocabulary instruction for Grade 3 students and develops a pedagogical framework grounded in lexical-semantic theory, curriculum requirements, textbook tasks, and empirical needs analysis. The study draws on data from 218 Grade 3 students and 15 teachers at three primary schools in Thai Nguyen Province, Vietnam. Student performance was uneven, with 47.7% scoring below 7 on a 10-point vocabulary-expansion assessment. Teacher responses also indicated limited use of instructional supports specifically targeting lexical recognition, guided retrieval, and productive activation. In response, a four-component framework is proposed: lexical recognition, semantic clarification, lexical systematization, and lexical activation. Corresponding measures include guided reading and observation, semantic-feature comparison, associative and syntagmatic organization, and experience-based vocabulary use. Classroom illustrations show how these measures can be integrated into Grade 3 Vietnamese textbook tasks without altering curricular content. The framework offers a structured approach for moving vocabulary instruction from word accumulation toward meaningful lexical organization and communicative use.
Quyen Nguyen Thi Tu, Phuong Hoang Thi· International Journal of Res...· 0 citations