INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RECEPTIVE VOCABULARY SIZE AND LISTENING SKILL: A STUDY OF IELTS TEST-TAKERS IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

This correlational research study aimed at exploring the association between vocabulary size and listening of Pakistani IELTS test takers. For this purpose, it manipulated two instruments (Beglar & Nations model of vocabulary size test for the independent variable and IELTS band of listening for the dependent variables) for collecting the required data. It involved 125 (39 female and 86 male) Pakistani IELTS test takers as its population. The sample comprised 39 female and 86 male participants. Later, the data were analyzed using T-test analysis, Spearman rank-order correlation, and simple linear regression analysis. The findings of this study revealed that there was no significant difference in the listening skill performance of male and female test-takers. The female average mean was (listening M=5.846) and male average mean (listening M=5.488). The results also suggested that there was no significant difference in the mean of male and female participants in the listening skill. Hence, it came forth that, in the VST score, there was a significant difference based on gender (female VST, M=58.31 and male VST, M=49.78). There was a significant difference in the average male and female mean, indicating that females possessed more extensive vocabulary than males. Likewise, the Spearman rank-order correlation analysis exhibited the strongest correlation between VST and listening, (listening R=.625). The simple linear regression analysis depicted that the VST model explained 38.5% variance of listening skills. The study concluded that there was a significant correlation between VST and listening skills of IELTS test-takers. Resultantly, the study would have certain pedagogical implications in language teaching and learning, language testing, and the English language centres like IELTS preparation centres.