ABSTRACT
This chapter proposes the notion of vocabulary learning ability (VLA) and the ability necessary to facilitate L2 vocabulary learning, and discusses the importance of creating tests measuring VLA. The development of VLA tests is of great value, because very few attempts have been made to measure how efficiently words can be learned. Existing vocabulary tests aim to measure learners’ knowledge of vocabulary, with focus being placed either on how many words are known (e.g., Vocabulary Levels Test) or how well a word is known (e.g., Word Associates Test). These tests can indicate which words have been learned and which words still need to be learned; however, they do not reveal how learners can improve their ability to learn vocabulary. VLA tests may indicate efficient ways of learning vocabulary, as well as diagnose areas of weakness that teachers and learners can then focus on to improve. This chapter introduces two specific VLA tests that are being developed and validated; namely, the Word Part Levels Test (WPLT) and the Guessing from Context Test (GCT). Practical ways in which the WPLT and the GCT may be used for research and teaching are also discussed.
