Running head: THE EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION

The Effects of Explicit Vocabulary Instruction Natasha Dennis Concordia University Texas

THE EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Children in high-poverty homes are exposed to 600 fewer different words each month than children in professional homes and by age 4 they will have heard 32 million fewer words than those in professional homes (Hart and Risley, 2003). This is a major red flag because it then becomes the job of the educator to help make up that difference in the students reading development. Moats (2005) describes reading as the product of decoding (the ability to read words on a page) and comprehending language (understanding those words). Vocabulary is a piece of the puzzle in the scheme of being an effective reader as well as within the important components of reading instruction. Therefore, educators need a strategic plan to address this problem in elementary schools to ensure that they are helping to bridge the gap and are developing strong readers. Vocabulary and effective vocabulary instruction is essential for academic success and specifically success in reading. Theoretical Background Vocabulary can be described as words that make up speech (oral) or text (reading and writing) and their meanings and can be divided into receptive and expressive vocabulary. Receptive vocabulary requires a reader to associate a specific meaning with a given label. Expressive vocabulary requires a speaker or writer to produce a specific label for a particular meaning. Vocabulary is a tool that critical readers use to comprehend what is being read. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study was to explore and reveal how strategic vocabulary instruction influences oral language and literacy development in elementary school students. The research questions that guided this study were:

THE EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION 1. What vocabulary instructional strategies have been used that are not effective? 2. Can direct and explicit vocabulary instruction be effective? 3. Will a strategic plan of instruction increase vocabulary scores? 4. Will a strategic plan of vocabulary instruction increase overall reading scores? Students at Cameron Elementary were assessed prior to this mini-project and prior to receiving explicit vocabulary instruction. They were then assessed later in the school year after having received the explicit vocabulary instruction to unveil whether the instruction was effective and increased assessment results. Limitations This study had several limitations needing clarification. First, this study was limited to one school in Texas. This may limit generalizing the results to other schools or school districts. Second, the use of a one-time survey does not allow for elaboration or explanation beyond the items on the instrument (Ward, 2013). Problem & Hypotheses In most cases, at-risk students enter school with a deficit in oral language development because of the lack of words they are exposed to. Once they come into the learning environment, the educator must work smarter and harder to make up this deficit. An explicit and direct approach to vocabulary instruction will increase the language development and overall reading scores of elementary school students at Cameron Elementary. Significance of the Study Good vocabulary instruction helps children gain ownership of words , instead of just learning words well enough to pass a test (Stahl & Kapinus, 2001, p. 14). With so much emphasis being on high stakes testing, schools often forget the importance of students being able

THE EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION to read critically. This study proves that having a well-planned approach to teaching vocabulary will yield positive results that go beyond passing a high stakes test; it will impact our entire society and world. It then becomes the responsibility of the educator to motivate these students to learn in ways that are effective. Investing in early childhood programs, building upon student selfefficacy, finding ways to motivate students, providing relatable and hands on approaches to learning and including parents in the learning process are a few ways to narrow the achievement gap.

THE EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION CHAPTER TWO REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE There is a great deal of literature that focuses on the importance of literacy instruction within elementary schools specifically highlighting the importance of vocabulary instruction and usage. This chapter lays out what current research and literature says regarding this issue. It begins with what the overall goal of reading instruction should be, outlines why vocabulary is taught and reports the harsh reality of what deficits many kindergarten students come into the school environment with. It then uncovers what effective vocabulary instruction is NOT and outlines good strategies teachers should be using in efforts to address this issue including careful selection of vocabulary words. This chapter is concluded with a culmination of all the findings within this particular chapter. What is Reading? Effective vocabulary instruction for elementary school students has shown positive results. The effectiveness of the instruction has a direct effect on the progression of reading. Moats (2005) describes reading as the product of decoding (the ability to read words on paper) and comprehending language (understanding those words). The overall goal of reading instruction is to teach students to how to construct meaning from various forms of text. While reading comprehension is the desired end result, having strong vocabulary knowledge is one of the components to achieving this goal. Educators must be familiar with strategies that promote explicit and structured ways to teach all students vocabulary and its importance in efforts to becoming better readers.

THE EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION Why Vocabulary is Taught Children begin their vocabulary development long before they enter the classroom setting. Due to the vast difference of exposure to rich oral and written language prior to coming to kindergarten, teachers are faced with the challenge of making up the difference and addressing each of their students academic needs. Children in high -poverty homes have heard less than half the words than those in professional homes cumulatively in one month (Hart & Risley, 2003). This incoming deficit for many students can set them up for future literacy failure or success if not properly addressed. While this is not good news, it is something worth thinking about. Perhaps it is not so much the case that those differences cannot be changed, but rather that little has been done to focus on making them change (Beck et al., 2002, p. 2) Vocabulary is not only important for academic success, but it also affects daily life, social as well as emotional success. Vocabulary is positively related to higher status occupations (Marzano, 2004) and communicates to the world what it is that a person knows. Those who are able to express themselves appropriately to their employers, colleagues and clients are able to leave a good impression. Therefore, teaching vocabulary goes beyond the success of academics; it impacts the future of students and the culture of our society. Vocabulary Instruction: What it is NOT Wilfong (2013) reminds educators that effective vocabulary instruction is not having students simply copy definitions from a dictionary, assigning long lists of words and never teach the selected words, copying vocabulary words multiple times nor is it giving students matching tests that show only memorization of definitions. Vocabulary instruction is not having a misused word wall in the classroom nor is it using kid language around students and allowing them to speak kid language back. While many educators may have received this type of vocabulary

THE EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION instruction when they were in elementary school, none of the above mentioned strategies yield positive results in students learning and taking ownership of vocabulary words (Wilfong, 2013). Therefore teachers should be very selective of the words they teach and use strategies that engage students in word study. Vocabulary Instruction: What it IS An example of engaging students in word study includes explicit vocabulary instruction through read alouds. Read aloud time provides an avenue for students to participate in interactive opportunities to think about and use words (Beck, McKeown and Kucan, 2002). Gone are the days where limited talk during instruction are seen to promote student discipline and focus; students must be able to linguistically and expressively own vocabulary words in ways that go beyond passing a test. good vocabulary instruction helps children gain ownership of words, instead of just learning words well enough to pass a test. Good vocabulary instruction provides multiple exposures through rich and varied activities to meaningful information about the word. (Stahl & Kapinus, 2001, p. 14) Students should be given multiple opportunities to see and use the word in order for it to become part of their personal word bank. Teachers are encouraged to use symbols and pictures to help bring vocabulary words to life (Wilfong, 2013). Lower grades in elementary school may use this strategy more often because students are in the early development stages of learning to read. Being able to associate a word with a picture is a way to encourage word association to memorization. This is also a good strategy to use with ELL students. Selecting Words to Teach Careful selection of words that will be taught is another strategy that yield positive results in the way in which teachers scaffold and teach vocabulary lessons. Beck, McKeown and Kucan

THE EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION (2002) suggest that teachers should preview texts before presenting it to students in efforts to compile a word list with words students may be unfamiliar with. There are so many words in the English language that it is impossible to teach every single one to students. Therefore, teachers must use their time wisely and carefully select what words are appropriate to teach and at what times. Beck and her colleagues describe three tiers of words in a vocabulary. Tier one words are words that are seen as high-frequency words that many students-except perhaps English language learners or students with special needs-are likely to already know (Yopp, 2009, p. 114). These are words that normally dont need to be taught. Tier three words are low frequency words that may be limited to specific domains and do not have broad application for students (Yopp, 2009, p. 115). These words should be taught when a specific need arises since they are not generally used and are more content based. According to Beck, McKeown and Kucan, tier two words are those words that teachers should target. Wilfong (2009) also suggests that focusing on tier two words allow students a realistic opportunity to gain ownership of these words, thus using them beyond academia. Marzano (2004) offers a different view of word selection for vocabulary lessons. Unlike Beck and her colleagues, he feels that teachers should focus on tier three words. He argues that choosing these words will strengthen students academic vocabulary and background knowledge development and will be more beneficial to their success academically. Hiebert (2005) recommends that teachers should use both tier two and three words for vocabulary instruction. A vocabulary curriculum should blend both words that students are unfamiliar with as well as those they may come in contact with in future readings. Multiple exposures to words and word study of words that have the same root are strategies that Hiebert suggests will promote successful vocabulary development.

THE EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION Conclusion In summary, vocabulary instruction is an important part of developing strong and critical readers and also helps cultivate future productive working citizens of the world. The use of vocabulary goes beyond the walls of the classroom and pours into the diverse careers and working environments of people. While students come to kindergarten with a variety of exposure to literacy and verbal articulation, teachers must meet the challenge of addressing the needs of all students in efforts to bridge the gap. Therefore, a careful and strategic approach to vocabulary instruction is in order to effectively address these needs. It is no longer permissible or useful for students to be given busy work in hopes that they will retain and understand new words; they must be given multiple exposures to the word as well as opportunities to be engaged in the presentation process. Lastly, teachers must take time to prepare what words will be taught to their students. Researchers have divided words in the English language into tiers based on the way they are used. While there are some difference of opinion on which tiers should be taught, there is one thing that remains clear, word must be taught in a clear, engaging, systematic and effective way in order for students to become successful in vocabulary and reading development. The National Center for Education Statistics reported in 2012 that research has shown that direct and explicit vocabulary instruction is an effective way for students to acquire vocabulary knowledge.

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THE EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY As stated in Chapter One, the purpose of this study was to explore and reveal how strategic vocabulary instruction influences oral language and literacy development in elementary school students. For statistical purposes, the research hypotheses stated in Chapter One are restated here. 1. What vocabulary instructional strategies have been used that are not effective? 2. Can direct and explicit vocabulary instruction be effective? 3. Will a strategic plan of instruction increase vocabulary scores? 4. Will a strategic plan of vocabulary instruction increase overall reading scores? Participants The school that participated in this study is a school within the San Antonio Independent School District and is located on the east side of San Antonio, Texas. The school, Cameron Elementary, has a population of about 428 students. The school was selected because of the established working relationship with the researcher, students and staff of the school. The percentage of economically disadvantaged students is 98%. The student population of the school is ethically made up of 48% Black, 49% Hispanic, 1% White and 2% as two or more race. All demographic in the above listed was obtained through The Texas Public Information Management System (PEIMS) and confirmed by San Antonio Independent School District. Variables The independent variable in this study is the strategic vocabulary instruction that students received. The dependent variables are the vocabulary and overall reading scores and are outlined below.

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THE EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION Figure 1.1 The independent and dependent variables in the study. Independent Variables Strategic Vocabulary Instruction Effects Dependent Variables Overall Vocabulary and Reading Scores

Instrumentation Overall Reading and Vocabulary scores were measured using Istation, an online Curriculum and Assessment tool. Istations reading curriculum and assessments are based on data from scientific and independent research studies that have proven Istation's effectiveness in elevating reading fluency and the product's applicability to the classroom. ISIP, Istation's Indicators of Progress, is a computer adaptive continuous progress monitoring assessment of critical reading skills. In addition to overall reading ability, ISIP measures abilities in the key reading areas of phonemic awareness, alphabetic knowledge, fluency with text, vocabulary, and comprehension, as outlined by the National Reading Panel (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000). ISIP is Internetbased and can be administered individually or as a group. As an engaging computer animated program, ISIP eliminates human error and subjectivity. Furthermore, ISIP provides immediate feedback for differentiated tiered instruction. During the 200809 school year, a validity and reliability study using ISIP (Istations Indicators of Progress) computer adaptive reading assessment program was conducted in five elementary schools from a north Texas school district. Data were examined for internal consistency, testretest reliability, concurrent validity with external measures, including DIBELS, TPRI, AND ITBS, and predictive validity with TAKS. Results show moderate to strong evidence of reliability and validity with regards to phonemic awareness, alphabetic knowledge, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.

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THE EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION The study at Cameron Elementary School was conducted from January to May 2014. Forty-three students participated in the experiment and received the district approved Strategic Vocabulary Instruction. Teachers were trained on providing the Strategic Vocabulary Instruction piece and were instructed to deliver it through the following steps: 1. Have students say the word. 2. Provide a definition of the word, using student-friendly explanations and visuals. 3. Have students discuss what is known about the word. 4. Provide examples and non-examples of the word. 5. Engage in deep-processing activities by asking questions, using graphic organizers, or having students act out the word. 6. Provide scaffolds so that students can create powerful sentences with the new word. After approximately 3 months of Strategic Vocabulary Instruction has been provided, students will be assessed on their vocabulary knowledge to measure whether there has been an increase.

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THE EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION References Beck, I. L., McKeown M. G., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary Instruction. New York: Guilford. Hart, B., & Risley, T. R. (2003). The early catastrophe: The 30 million word gap by age 3. American Educator, 22, 4-9. Hiebert, E. H. 2005. In pursuit of an effective, efficient vocabulary curriculum for the elementary grades. In Teaching and learning vocabulary: Bringing research to practice, ed. E. H. Hiebert and M. L. Kamil, 243263. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Marzano, R. J. 2004. Building background knowledge for academic achievement: Research on what works in schools. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Moats, L. C. (2005). Reading big words: Syllabication and advanced decoding. Longmont, CO: Sopris West Educational Services. National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). The nations report card: Vocabulary results from the 2009 and 2011 NAEP reading assessments (NCES 2013-452). Washington, DC: Institute of Education Sciences. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: An evidencebased assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction (NIH Publication No. 004769). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Stahl, S. A. , & Kapinus, B. (2001). Word power: What every educator needs to know about teaching vocabulary. Washington, DC: NEA.

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THE EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION Wilfong, L. (2013). Vocabulary strategies that work: do this not that!. Larchmont, New York: Eye on Education. Yopp, H., Yopp, R., Bishop, A. (2009). Vocabulary instruction for academic success. Huntington Beach, CA: Shell Education.