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Examining the underlying dimensions of morphological awareness and vocabulary knowledge

Reading and Writing volume 28, pages 959–988 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

We report results from two studies on the underlying dimensions of morphological awareness and vocabulary knowledge in elementary-aged children. In Study 1, 99 fourth-grade students were given multiple measures of morphological awareness and vocabulary. A single factor accounted for individual differences in all morphology and vocabulary assessments. Study 2 extended these results by giving 90 eighth-grade students expanded measures of vocabulary and morphology that assessed (a) definitional knowledge, (b) usage, (c) relational knowledge, and (d) knowledge of morphological variants, with each potential aspect of knowledge assessed using an identical set of 23 words to control for differential knowledge of specific vocabulary items. Results indicated that a single-factor model that encompassed morphological and vocabulary knowledge provided the best fit to the data. Finally, explanatory item response modeling was used to investigate sources of variance in the vocabulary and morphological awareness tasks we administered. Implications for assessment and instruction are discussed.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Notes

  1. Based on the prompt, two items, run and light, could involve the use of either regular or irregular inflections (i.e., runs or ran and lights or lit).

  2. These words were part, stable, store, resign, suspend, and consume.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Grant Number R305F100005 and Grant Number R305F100027 from the Institute for Education Sciences, Grant Number P50 HD52120 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and a Predoctoral Interdisciplinary Training Grant Number R305B090021 from the Institute for Education Sciences.

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  1. Department of Psychology, The Florida Center for Reading Research, Florida State University, PO Box 3064301, 1107 West Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-4301, USA

    Mercedes Spencer, Andrea Muse, Richard K. Wagner, Barbara Foorman, Yaacov Petscher, Christopher Schatschneider, Elizabeth L. Tighe & M. Denise Bishop

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  1. Mercedes Spencer
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  2. Andrea Muse
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  3. Richard K. Wagner
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  4. Barbara Foorman
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  8. M. Denise Bishop
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Correspondence to Mercedes Spencer.

Appendix 1

Appendix 1

List of words used in the vocabulary and morphological assessment

Run (Example)
Cover
Clear
Light
Catch
Part
Clean
Drop
Store
Rough
Stable
Tangle
Treat
Stand
Wake
Note
Still
Found
Store
Resign
Suspend
Honor
Support
Consume

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Spencer, M., Muse, A., Wagner, R.K. et al. Examining the underlying dimensions of morphological awareness and vocabulary knowledge. Read Writ 28, 959–988 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-015-9557-0

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Keywords

  • Vocabulary knowledge
  • Morphological awareness
  • Structural equation modeling
  • Item response modeling