Abstract
This study used a within-subjects design to explore two instructional conditions for developing vocabulary in second-grade Spanish-speaking English learners (ELs)—extended instruction and embedded instruction implemented during shared interactive reading. Words assigned to the extended condition were directly taught using a multifaceted approach that included visuals, bilingual definitions, examples, spelling, and partner-talk about the words’ meaning. Words assigned to the embedded condition were taught solely through brief definitions to embedded text, writing activities, and songs. In the control condition students heard the target words read aloud during shared interactive reading but without definitions or direct instruction. The study also explored the interaction between instructional condition and word type. Four types of words—abstract cognates, abstract noncognates, concrete cognates, and concrete noncognates—were randomly assigned to each condition. Nine teachers in four schools and 187 second-grade ELs participated in this within-subjects intervention, which took place in transitional bilingual classrooms. Findings indicated that across all word types, both extended and embedded instruction were more effective than the control condition in helping ELs acquire vocabulary. Findings also indicated that extended instruction was more effective then embedded instruction for all word types except concrete cognates suggesting that these young Spanish-speaking ELs were advantaged by word knowledge in their home language. Finally, while embedded instruction was less effective than extended instruction, it was much more effective than a control condition. Embedded instruction takes significantly less preparation and instructional time than extended instruction, offering teachers a practical way to teach more vocabulary to ELs.
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Notes
Cognates are words in two languages that share a similar meaning, spelling, and pronunciation.
Note that one teacher left the school in the middle of the intervention. Thus while we have data for students from all 10 classrooms, we only have data for nine teachers who participated in the intervention for its duration.
Inclusion of age and gender in statistical models does not alter the findings.
Big books are large sized trade books that make it easier for teachers to display pictures and text to students during a read-aloud session.
Biemiller and Slonim (2001) suggest a method where corrected percent correct = observed percent correct − percent incorrect/(number of alternatives − 1).
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Acknowledgements
We acknowledge the support of Iris Gutierrez, Edna Navarro, and Lindsey Massoud, research assistants for the study; and Donna Christian, President of the Center for Applied Linguistics at the time of the study who provided research guidance and review. This research was supported by a Grant No. (HD039530) from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Center for Child Health and Human Development to the Center for Applied Linguistics.
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August, D., Artzi, L., Barr, C. et al. The moderating influence of instructional intensity and word type on the acquisition of academic vocabulary in young English language learners. Read Writ 31, 965–989 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-018-9821-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-018-9821-1