2022

Nall, Matthew; Huhta, Ari; Mansouri, Behzad

Acquiring extensive vocabulary knowledge in a new language is one of the cornerstones of the language-learning process. Because of this, vocabulary assessments have been an integral part of language-learning programs both historically and globally. Vocabulary assessments commonly take on one of two forms: open-ended and close-ended assessments. Because of their ubiquity in educational contexts, this entry provides an overview of the historical and philosophical facets of close-ended vocabulary assessments, followed by an exploration of the different kinds of close-ended vocabulary assessments. Finally, the entry engages in a discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of such assessments. The knowledge presented here can inform the reader to more appropriately guide future language learning, pedagogy, practice, and assessment.