Does reading and vocabulary knowledge of advanced Korean EFL learners facilitate their writing performance?

Abstract

Although numerous studies have identified the potential relations reading comprehension abilities, vocabulary knowledge, and different language constructs may have with one’s writing competence, not much research exists on the specific roles played by these language- and literacy-related constructs in explaining one’s writing performance in an integrative manner, especially in the cases of second and foreign language learners. This study therefore aims to investigate the relative predictability of reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge for advanced Korean EFL learner’s writing performance measured both for its form and content qualities, while their English proficiency was taken into consideration. The findings indicate that reading comprehension abilities, vocabulary knowledge, and general English proficiency all had a significant relationship with advanced Korean EFL learners’ structural and linguistic aspects of writing performances. Between reading comprehension abilities and vocabulary knowledge, reading comprehension had a relatively stronger predictability for their writing performance, while vocabulary knowledge only demonstrated indirect effects on writing performances through reading comprehension. The findings from this study have pivotal pedagogical implications for language and literacy instruction in Korean EFL contexts.