幼兒早期的口語理解能力不僅是學習語言的基礎，更是影響未來學業表現的關鍵，因此，提升幼 兒口語理解能力至關重要。過去研究較多聚焦在探討不同教學方法與策略如何提升幼兒的口語理 解力，然而，本研究是以構成口語理解的要素為目標，深入瞭解詞彙知識的深度與口語理解的相 關性。奠基於詞彙聯想測驗是測量詞彙知識深度的方式，本研究主要目的為瞭解幼兒詞彙聯想表 現，以及探討幼兒詞彙聯想能力與口語理解之關係。本研究採便利取樣，以臺灣北部幼兒園大班 幼兒為研究對象，共計 79 位，平均年齡為六歲一個月。本研究測驗工具有四項，分別是畢保德圖 畫詞彙測驗、幼兒工作記憶測驗、幼兒口語理解測驗以及研究者自編之詞彙聯想測驗。研究結果 顯示：（1）幼兒在詞彙聯想的組合關係和聚合關係使用次數相當；（2）經淨相關分析發現，在 控制詞彙量的情況下，詞彙聯想的聚合關係與口語理解呈顯著相關，但詞彙聯想的組合關係與口 語理解之間則沒有顯著相關；及（3）詞彙聯想的聚合關係能獨立預測 11.3% 的口語理解分數。詞 彙知識間的聚合關係在預測幼兒口語理解能力方面扮演著重要的角色。

Oral comprehension skills are crucial for language acquisition in early childhood and academic success in later life. They involve a child’s ability to understand and process spoken language, which is essential for effective communication and learning. Enhancing this ability in young children is vital because strong oral comprehension skills lay the foundation for future literacy and academic achievement. Children with stronger oral comprehension skills are better equipped to follow instructions, engage in classroom discussions, and understand complex concepts presented in both spoken and written forms. Despite the recognized importance of oral comprehension skills, few studies have explored the effectiveness of various pedagogical methods and strategies in improving these skills. The breadth of a child’s vocabulary is a robust predictor of oral comprehension skills. However, how other dimensions of vocabulary knowledge, such as vocabulary depth, contribute to these skills remains unclear. The term vocabulary depth refers to the richness and interconnectedness of an individual’s word knowledge; this encompasses not only the number of words a child knows but also the quality of his/her understanding of these words and the relationships between them. This multifaceted understanding includes knowledge of word meanings, associations, and usage in different contexts. In consideration of the importance of vocabulary depth, the current study explored the relationships between vocabulary depth and oral comprehension skills in young Chinese children. Specifically, this study investigated how different types of vocabulary associations contribute to oral comprehension skills. Vocabulary associations are commonly classified into two main types: paradigmatic and syntagmatic. Paradigmatic associations refer to links in which the response and stimulus words are semantically related—such as synonyms, antonyms, or hypernyms—that are typically of the same part of speech. These associations highlight semantic connections and indicate a deeper, conceptual understanding of words. By contrast, syntagmatic associations involve the manner in which words combine in linear sequences, such as in phrases and sentences, and reflect a syntactical connection between response and stimulus words that are often of different parts of speech. By analyzing these associations, the present study sought to determine which aspects of vocabulary depth are most predictive of children’s oral comprehension skills and investigated how these associations contribute to children’s understanding of complex linguistic inputs. The insights obtained in this study can inform the development of targeted educational strategies for enhancing children’s oral comprehension skills through focused vocabulary instruction. This study employed convenience sampling and recruited 79 kindergarten children (age: 5 to 6 years; mean age: 6 years 1 month) from northern Taiwan. Four research instruments were used: the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, a working memory test, an oral comprehension test, and a researcher-developed word association test. The children’s oral comprehension skills

幼兒、口語理解、詞彙知識、詞彙聯想

children, oral comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, word association