The importance of vocabulary acquisition and its impact on student’s performance in toeic reading test at industrial university of Ho Chi Minh City

Journal of Science and Technology, Vol.37, 2019

© 2019 Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City

THE IMPORTANCE OF VOCABULARY ACQUISITION AND ITS

IMPACT ON STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE IN TOEIC READING

TEST AT INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY OF HO CHI MINH CITY

TRUONG TRAN MINH NHAT, NGUYEN XUAN HONG

Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City;

[email protected], [email protected]

Abstract. Nowadays, English has become an international language which is taught at all universities in

Vietnam. More and more students spend time to practice English every day to improve their skills in

order to take international tests such as IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC for their career opportunities in the

future. One of the most important elements to make them be successful is enriching vocabulary, because

vocabulary is “the most important part of learning a foreign language” Horwitz (1988) [1] and it is very

necessary not only for improving other skills, such as reading, writing, listening and speaking, but also

helping them gain the good grade when taking TOEIC test.

This research aims to investigate the importance of vocabulary in language studying and analyze the

impact of vocabulary acquisition upon students’ performance in the TOEIC reading test at the Industrial

University of Ho Chi Minh city. Moreover, it also proposes some suggestions which should be applied to

improve students based vocabulary to study better.

Keywords: English studying, Vocabulary acquisition, vocabulary learning, vocabulary learning

strategies, TOEIC reading.

1. INTRODUCTION

Nowadays, learning languages has no longer been a hobby, an interest or a normal subject for

students at all universities in Vietnam. In fact, being bilingual is a competitive advantage for all people,

especially young people in the modern age because languages have become a useful tool to communicate

in education, in business and in all fields of our life. Therefore, learning and using English at all schools

in Vietnam have been highlighted and paid attention necessarily. In the past few years, English was

supposed as a subject which was occupied with only some credits among all subjects in their 4 year￾bachelor program. At present, most of Vietnam universities in general and Industrial University of Ho Chi

Minh City in specific (IUH) have been caring more and more in teaching and learning English by not

only increasing the time for learning and teaching but also improving the quality of English studying.

Hence, learning English as a foreign language is encouraged, or even made compulsory at the school.

Besides that, improving students’ language outcome and requiring English International certificate are

necessary steps and also a motivated power to encourage teaching and learning process to be better.

In parallel with this linguistic trend, since 2014, IUH officially changed the students’ learning

outcome by applying TOEIC international examination system which is approved by ETS. The change is

a significant attempt to encourage English teaching and learning process at the university, and also a new

high requirement for teachers of English to update teaching contents and improve their teaching methods

so that they can help students get the good mark in the TOEIC test. The new learning outcome for

students is also a worrying challenge which students have to try to practice their English skill with the

target of passing the TOEIC Test with 400 or 450 marks to be graduated from university.

In this assignment, we are going to analyze and discuss the importance of vocabulary when learning

any languages including English. From this, we will move on addressing the impact that mastering

English vocabulary has on students’ performance when they take international tests, specifically the

TOEIC reading test. Results from survey on vocabulary building and improvement are analyzed and

evaluated to find out the core problems and opportunities for development. Last but not least, from such

results, I would suggest possible solutions for students to better their vocabulary reservoir as well as ways

to outperform themselves in international examinations.