Browsing by Author "Salazar Tipanluisa, William Xavier"

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    “The role of vocabulary knowledge in reading comprehension in EFL”
    (Ecuador : Pujilí : Universidad Técnica de Cotopaxi (UTC), 2025-08) Lita Sangovalin, Daniela Alexandra; Salazar Tipanluisa, William Xavier; Romero Palacios y Amparo de Jesus
    Vocabulary is essential for learning a second language; it helps students communicate more fluently and clearly. Many first-semester students in the National and Foreign Language Pedagogy (PINE) career at the Technical University of Cotopaxi Pujilí Extension struggle to understand texts written in English. This is mainly due to poor preparation in secondary school, where grammar is prioritized over vocabulary, and limited exposure to authentic materials in English. The primary objective of this study is to examine the level of vocabulary knowledge and its impact on reading comprehension. The sample consisted of 35 first-semester students in the PINE career at the Technical University of Cotopaxi. The research adopts a quantitative approach and a descriptive design, using the Vocabulary Size Test (VST) by Nation (2011) and a section of the Cambridge IELTS Reading Comprehension Test (RCT). To categorize the results into levels (high, medium, and low), this study used Nation's hypothesis based on the frequency of words known by the individual. The results showed that most students have an A1 (beginner) vocabulary level, which negatively hinders their comprehension of academic texts. Therefore, reinforcing vocabulary instruction at the beginning of their studies is essential to improve reading comprehension and academic success.