Vocabulary
Instruction Research
By: Sonya Elliott and Eli Waters
Background Information:
Students struggle with varying aspects of
reading comprehension
Vocabulary comprehension was not
mastered in lower grades, therefore students
came into our classrooms without adequate
vocabulary to comprehend text
Students expressed concern over being
taught numerous “vocabulary” words for
spelling each week without ever examining
the meaning
Research:
McKeown,M.G., and I.L. Beck. “Direct and Rich
Vocabulary Instruction.” Vocabulary Instruction. 2004
R. Malatesha Joshi.”Vocabulary: A Critical Component of
Comprehension.” Reading & Writing Quarterly, 21:209219, 2005
Lu Mei-fang. “Teachers’ role in vocabulary teaching:
Strategies for vocabulary teaching.” Sino-US English
Teaching 5, no. 8 (2008): 1-6.
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy : November 2007
: Abstract of Effective Content Vocabulary Instruction in
the Middle: Matching Students, Purposes, Words, and
Strategies”, n.d. zotero://attachment/24/.
Research Con’t:
Flanigan, Kevin, and Scott C. Greenwood. “Effective Content
Vocabulary Instruction in the Middle: Matching Students,
Purposes, Words, and Strategies.” Journal of Adolescent &
Adult Literacy 51, no. 3 (2007): 226-238.
Boulware-Gooden, Regina, Suzanne Carreker, Ann Thornhill,
and R. Malatesha Joshi. “Instruction of Metacognitive
Strategies Enhances Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary
Achievement of Third-Grade Students.” The Reading
Teacher 61, no. 1 (2007): 70-77.
Atkinson, Fairlie. “Improving Reading Comprehension Through
Instructional Vocabulary Strategies.” Perspectives (TESOL
Arabia) 17, no. 2 (June 2010): 15-19.
What are the effects of an
integrated direct and
indirect vocabulary
instructional approach on
vocabulary growth?
The
Questions:
What are the effects of a
meaning-based vocabulary
instructional approach on
vocabulary growth?
Classroom Demographics
Grade
• Eli’s Classroom
• Sonya’s Classroom
• 7th
• 5th
Grade
• 15 male
Gender • 13 female
• 12 male
Gender • 13 female
• 1/3 Caucasian
Ethnicity • Growing Hmong population
• 3/4 Caucasian
Ethnicity • 2 African American and 2 Hispanic
Ability
• Regular education classroom
with multiple ability levels
Ratio
• Regular education classroom
with multiple ability levels
Morphemic
root
introduction
Word
meaning
from context
Word
Journals
Instructional
plan
Pre and Post
vocabulary
test
Examples of student work A:
Examples of student work B:
Examples of student work C:
Examples of student work D:
Examples of student work E:
Word
Journal
Entries
Morphemic
root
pre/post
test
Pre and
Post
Assessment
Scores
Writing
samples
Mrs. Elliott’s Pre and Post Vocabulary
Data
Students:
1
2
3
4
5
Week 1 Pre
Week 1 Post
Gain/Loss
Week 2 Pre
Week 2 Post
Gain/Loss
Week 3 Pre
Week 3 Post
Gain/Loss
Week 4 Pre
Week 4 Post
Gain/Loss
0
71
+71
40
84
+44
0
100
+100
20
88
+68
0
68
+68
0
70
+70
20
100
+80
0
100
+100
20
18
-2
20
86
+66
0
100
+100
40
94
+54
20
80
+60
40
74
+34
40
100
+60
20
91
+71
0
92
+92
40
97
+57
40
90
+50
60
100
+40
Overall
Gain/Loss
+70
+79
+54
+56
+59
Mrs. Elliott’s Pre and Post Test Data
Mr.Water’s Pre and Post Vocabulary
Data
1
2
3
4
5
Week 1 Pre
Week 1 Post
Gain/Loss
Week 2 Pre
Week 2 Post
Gain/Loss
Week 3 Pre
Week 3 Post
Gain/Loss
Week 4 Pre
Week 4 Post
Gain/Loss
14
29
+15
25
0
-25
33
100
+67
50
25
-25
14
100
+86
38
100
+62
17
67
+50
63
38
-25
57
100
+43
25
100
+75
50
100
+50
38
50
+12
43
100
+57
38
100
+62
17
100
+83
25
50
+25
71
100
+29
38
100
+62
67
100
+33
50
63
+13
Overall
Gain/Loss
+8
+43
+45
+57
+34
Mr. Water’s Pre and Post Test Data