The Receptive Vocabulary Size of Vocational Trainees at the Specialized Institute of Applied Technology in Morocco

Abstract

This study aimed to quantitatively estimate the receptive vocabulary size of Moroccan vocational trainees at the specialized institute of applied technology and examine its relationship to their training level and the amount of L2 instruction. Meara’s (2010) Yes/No test was employed to measure the receptive vocabulary size of 405 trainees from two vocational levels. The results revealed that trainees had a mean size of about 1916 words, suggesting that their vocabulary size is insufficient apropos of the lexical knowledge threshold required to understand authentic English texts. They also revealed that the training level was not related to trainees’ vocabulary knowledge, but the number of years of L2 instruction positively correlated with their lexical knowledge. Recommendations were suggested to instructors, course designers, and policymakers at the vocational institutes in Morocco.