Assessment Quality in Third-Language Vocabulary Research: Evidence from a Classroom-Based Study

The quality of a classroom vocabulary study depends not only on what is taught but also on how learning is measured. The present article examines an assessment framework for English vocabulary learning among Afghan bilingual and Iranian monolingual pre-university learners in Isfahan. The study used a ۹۰-item general English proficiency measure and two teacher-made ۴۰-item vocabulary tests. The vocabulary tests targeted ۴۰ words selected from the learners’ textbook, were piloted with ۴۶ comparable students, and underwent expert review for content validity. Internal consistency was estimated through KR-۲۱, yielding coefficients of .۷۶ for the pretest and .۹۳ for the posttest; the proficiency measure yielded .۸۴. The assessment framework therefore included target alignment, pilot testing, expert review, consistent scoring, and reliability estimation. At the same time, the multiple-choice format represented recognition more directly than productive vocabulary knowledge. Future classroom research could strengthen measurement through explicit test blueprints, item-level analysis, broader validity evidence, and complementary productive tasks.

کلیدواژه ها:

vocabulary assessment ، third-language learning ، reliability ، validity ، vocabulary measurement.