Volume 58 in the Second Language Acquisition Series.

Part 1: Lexical Competence and Lexical Errors

1. Vocabulary Acquisition in the Second Language
Theories of Vocabulary Acquisition in the Second Language -- Vocabulary Acquisition by Young Learners -- L1 and L2 Vocabulary Acquisition: Similarities and Differences -- Conclusion

2. Variables Affecting Lexical Production
Overview of Variables Affecting the Production of Vocabulary -- Proficiency Level -- Vocabulary Size -- Conclusion

3. Vocabulary and Writing
Developing Writing Skills -- Assessing Writing -- Conclusion

4. Lexical Errors in SLA
Definitions of 'Lexical Error' -- Taxonomies of Lexical Errors -- Lexical Errors as Evidence of Vocabulary Acquisition -- Lexical Errors in Communication -- Lexical Errors in the Educational Context -- Conclusion

Part 2: Lexical Error Production in Young Spanish Learners' Written Compositions

5. Designing a Study to Explore Lexical Errors in Writing
Research Questions and Hypotheses -- Design of the Study -- Participants -- Materials -- Procedures -- Analysis

6. Lexical Error Production: Changes Over Time
Proficiency-Related Lexical Error Types -- Formal and Semantic Lexical Errors -- L1-Oriented and L2-Oriented Lexical Errors -- Discussion -- Conclusion

7. Lexical Errors in Writing Quality
Lexical Errors as Predictors of the Quality of Written Composition -- Changes over Time in the Relationship between Lexical Errors and Essay Quality -- Discussion -- Conclusion

8. Lexical Errors and Receptive Vocabulary Knowledge
Lexical Errors as Negative Indicators of Vocabulary Knowledge -- Discussion -- Conclusion

9. Some Concluding Remarks
Pedagogical Implications -- Limitations of the Study -- Further Research

"Lexical errors are a determinant in gaining insight into vocabulary acquisition, vocabulary use and writing quality assessment. Lexical errors are very frequent in the written production of young EFL learners, but they decrease as learners gain proficiency. Misspellings are the most common category, but formal errors give way to semantic-based lexical errors as proficiency increases, likewise, the direct influence of the L1 also reduces in favour of more elaborated transfer mechanisms and L2 influence. The different categories of lexical errors indicate the stage of learning. This book uses a study of young EFL learners to suggest that lexical accuracy is a crucial component of writing assessment, and that lexical errors are useful in predicting writing quality." (Book Cover)

Readership Level: Postgraduate, Research / Professional