Abstract
To facilitate objective measures of proficiency for language users of diverse backgrounds, recent research in second language acquisition and multilingualism has developed short, yet reliable, tests of lexical knowledge in a wide range of languages. In this paper, we describe the development of LexKO, a brief lexically-based test of Korean language proficiency, including its underlying logic, composition, intended use, and limitations. Three rounds of pilot and validation testing with first- and second-language Korean users resulted in a highly reliable Korean test comprising 60 items that can be completed in a few minutes. Freely available for other researchers to use, LexKO produces scores that correlate significantly with both first- and second-language Korean users’ scores on a standardized proficiency test (an abridged version of the Test of Proficiency in Korean) and may thus be helpful in multi-part studies for obtaining a quick, valid measure of proficiency in Korean, one of the world’s fastest-growing foreign languages. © The Author(s) 2025
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 317 |
| Journal | Behavior Research Methods |
| Volume | 57 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| Online published | 21 Oct 2025 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 2025 |
Funding
Open access publishing enabled by City University of Hong Kong Library’s agreement with Springer Nature. This research was supported by internal funding from the University of Manitoba and Kyung Hee University.
Research Keywords
- Korean
- second language acquisition
- Language learning
- Multilingualism
- Vocabulary
- Language proficiency
- Language assessment
- TOPIK
Publisher's Copyright Statement
- This full text is made available under CC-BY 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/