Assessing Specialized Vocabulary Growth in ESP: Methods and Criteria

Abstract

Assessment of specialised vocabulary in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) remains a complex challenge due to the technical, discipline-bound and context-sensitive nature of professional lexical competence. While vocabulary acquisition has been widely studied in general English, far fewer studies have offered principled, pedagogically applicable assessment frameworks for specialised lexical development. This article examines methods and criteria used to assess specialised vocabulary growth in ESP and proposes an integrative assessment model combining quantitative and qualitative measures of lexical knowledge. Drawing on Nation’s (2013) taxonomy of vocabulary knowledge, Laufer and Goldstein’s (2004) lexical precision concept, and Read’s (2000) principles of lexical assessment, the article outlines practical methodological approaches for valid and reliable measurement of professional lexical competence. Implications for curriculum design in ESP contexts are also discussed.