Relationship between reading comprehension and vocabulary size among english majors at the university of applied sciences of Kaunas

Reading is one of the most important language skills that helps build students’ vocabulary. Even though many other skills are involved in increasing reading comprehension, vocabulary size may be a significant aid in improving understanding of an academic text. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between students’ reading comprehension skills against their vocabulary size. Additionally, the reading comprehension scores at the entry level are compared to the reading comprehension scores after reading instruction at midterm point. A total of 11 first year students seeking BA in business English and enrolled in the intensive English course "English for social communication" at the University of Applied Sciences in Kaunas participated in the study. Statistical data analysis using chi-square test was used to analyze independence between two qualitative (nominal) variables the productive and receptive reading comprehension test scores at the entry level and midterm point against the vocabulary size test. The findings indicate the students with larger vocabulary have better reading comprehension, yet teaching students to read effectively and building reading skills allow students with smaller vocabulary to have equally good comprehension of the reading both receptively and productively. The findings reveal the importance of developing students’ reading skills and vocabulary and should motivate students to seek to understand and manipulate available language rather than just memorize new vocabulary words. Keywords: vocabulary size, reading proficiency, receptive and productive vocabulary

Changes of anthropometric indicators of lithuanian first-graders in 2008–2019 according to International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and World Health Organization (WHO) definitions

Abstract Introduction The monitoring of children’s growth plays a crucial role in assessing their growth patterns and indicating their weight status. Overweight and obesity, determined by cut-offs of body mass index (BMI), are most commonly associated with unhealthy nutrition, non-communicable diseases, and other health disorders. The World Health Organization (WHO) initiated the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) to measure routinely trends in children’s anthropometric changes, which allow intercountry comparisons within the European Region. Lithuania joined the COSI initiative. Our study aims to evaluate and compare underweight, normal and elevated weight (overweight and obesity) changes of Lithuanian first-graders during eleven years period. Methods This study was composed according to the COSI study protocol, and it compares the five rounds of anthropometric measurements of Lithuanian first-graders (7-8-year-old) from 2008 to 2019. The main analysed variables were weight and height; calculated BMI, weight-for-age (W/A), height-for-age (H/A) and body mass index-for-age (BMI/A) z-scores. Changes of the indicators were evaluated according to the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut-offs and WHO child growth standards, grouped by 4 estimates: underweight (thinness), normal weight, overweight and obesity. All comparisons were performed between age groups, gender and COSI round year. Results The mean values for weight, height, W/A and H/A Z-scores were significantly higher for both age and gender groups when comparing later COSI round years (2016 or 2019) to earlier years (2008–2013, in some cases 2016 is included in this range). Time trends of the WHO growth standards and IOTF cut-offs indicate significant decrease among 7-year-old overweight group for boys and girls. Also, a significant decrease was indicated among boys aged 8 years in the overweight group according to the WHO definitions. The only significant increase in trend were expressed in girl’s group with obesity aged 8 years according to IOTF cut-offs. Conclusion The prevalence of overweight and obesity of first-grade children in Lithuania indicates positive changes, that is the proportion of children with elevated body weight decreased, during eleven-year period. However, it is important to continue the monitoring of children’s growth tendencies