Evaluating and adapting an English graded reader for vocabulary development among non-English majors

This study examines the appropriateness of a graded reader text for first-year students at the University of Danang, whose major is not English. Using a bilingual vocabulary size test of English for Vietnamese Learners, students’ vocabulary size was estimated at slightly above the 2,000-word level. The selected text was analyzed using the RANGE program to determine lexical coverage, revealing that the first 2,000-word families account for 93.09% of the running words. The study explores methods such as pre-teaching, glossing, and simplifying to improve comprehension and facilitate vocabulary acquisition. Findings suggest that adapting texts to reach 98% known word coverage can enhance reading comprehension and incidental vocabulary learning, supporting extensive reading as a viable strategy for language growth.