Exploring aural vocabulary knowledge for TOEIC as a language exit requirement in higher education in Taiwan

Abstract The Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) is a high-stakes test for students in higher education in Taiwan to fulfill the English-language graduation requirement. However, little is known regarding the vocabulary threshold for the test or the effects of the lexical coverage and profiles of test items on the adequate comprehension of the test. This study used a validated Listening Vocabulary Levels Test (LVLT) and the TOEIC listening subtest to estimate learners’ aural vocabulary knowledge required for an exit TOEIC listening score. The findings showed: (1) aural lexical knowledge accounted for more than half of the variance in comprehension performance; (2) a minimum level of 3,000 word families for a lexical coverage of 98 % considerably affected the comprehension of spoken texts; and (3) lexical profiles varied in the individual parts of the listening subtest, with a range of 3,000–5,000 word families required for achieving a lexical coverage of 98 %. The crucial role of lexical knowledge/coverage in comprehension performance on the exit test was discussed.