One Size Fits All? Francophone Learners and English Vocabulary Tests

Which need is greater, the need for standard measures of vocabulary knowledge, or the need for vocabulary measures tailored to learners' first languages (L1s)? This question is explored using placement test data from more than 1,000 Francophone students entering English language courses at a francophone university in Montreal in 1997 and 1998. The test consisted of several measures including a standard vocabulary size test, Nation's (1990) Levels Test. The study shows that a standard vocabulary measure can miss important information about learners' knowledge. It also suggests that an interlanguage sensitive measure can be a better predictor of broader language proficiency, and concludes that different tests may be needed for different stages of second language development.