Abstract
This study investigates how vocabulary knowledge and reading skills affect the speaking performance of Japanese university EFL learners. A story retelling test is used to measure their speaking performance by means of complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) indices in addition to a holistic rating. Correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between vocabulary, reading process skills, and speaking performance of 54 participants. Weak correlations were found between vocabulary, complexity, and the holistic rating. In addition, significant correlations were found between lower-level process skills in reading, fluency, and the holistic rating. No significant correlations were found between higher-level process skills and speaking performance. Multiple regression analysis showed vocabulary accounts for 14% of variance in the holistic rating of story retelling test. TOEIC scores as a reference, this study shows that the vocabulary and reading lower-level process skills relate more to the speaking fluency and story retelling holistic scales. The importance of basic reading skills for good speaking performance was suggested for novice and independent users of English.
