Summarization in English as a Foreign Language: A Study Comparing Summary Performances to Summarizers’ Vocabulary Size

The study examined the impact of a first language’s summarizing skill and second language vocabulary size on summary performances in a second language. A total of 40 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners from a Japanese university with a mixed level of English language proficiency were asked to write a summary in English (i.e., their non-native language, L2) and in Japanese (their native language, L1) from a text written English and Japanese respectively. The effect of L1 summarizing skill on L2 summary performances was examined using multiple regression analysis. L1 summary performances (i.e., summarizing skill) slightly influenced English summary performances for summary writers with lower-level English language proficiency but not L2 summary performances for those with higher-level English language proficiency. The participants’ vocabulary size measured by Nation’s (2007) test was positively correlated with their English summary performances. Moreover, the results showed that the vocabulary size in the highest and smallest-vocabulary size groups was correlated with scores on two rating scales (i.e., Language use and Source use) in their English summary. In contrast, the vocabulary size in the middle-level vocabulary size groups was correlated with their scores on two different rating scales (i.e., Main idea coverage and Integration) in their English summary. This study concluded that L1 summary performance had not impact on L2 summary performances because several characteristics influence of summary writers’ English vocabulary size. The study made several recommendations to EFL teachers who teach summary writing and for further study.