Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

Teaching beyond the intervention: the contribution of teacher language extensions to vocabulary learning in urban kindergarten classrooms

  • Published:
Reading and Writing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Research to increase the early vocabulary development of urban students has emphasized the central role of teachers and the ways in which teachers use intervention curricula and strategies in their classroom contexts. This study explores teachers’ fidelity to different components of a vocabulary intervention, specifically their use of prescribed procedural routines and language strategies as well as teachers’ application of language strategies beyond what was scripted by the program, and the association between these different forms of intervention use and curriculum-specific vocabulary. Teacher fidelity to the intervention was explored across thirteen urban kindergarten classrooms. Measures of procedural and process-oriented fidelity were used to capture teachers’ adherence to a vocabulary intervention, and transcripts of teacher language use during intervention observations were analyzed and coded to capture teachers’ use of language extensions, language strategies that went beyond the materials or scripts provided by the intervention. Employing multi-level modeling results indicate that teachers’ use of language extensions positively predicted student curriculum vocabulary performance after the 24 weeks of the intervention above and beyond surface forms of fidelity. Findings from the current study encourage the need for teacher training on evidence-based practices that focus not only on intervention procedures, but also on how to use program features and strategies to more flexibly address the needs of students and anticipate how to intensify or broaden the scope of instruction based on the classroom context.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
€32.70 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Finland)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Apthorp, H., Randel, B., Cherasaro, T., Clark, T., McKeown, M., & Beck, I. (2012). Effects of a supplemental vocabulary program on word knowledge and passage comprehension. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 5, 160–188. doi:10.1080/19345747.2012.660240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ball, D. L., & Cohen, D. K. (1996). Reform by the book: What is: Or might be: The role of curriculum materials in teacher learning and instructional reform? Educational Researcher, 25, 6–14. doi:10.3102/0013189X025009006.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bierman, K. L., Domitrovich, C. E., Nix, R. L., Gest, S. D., Welsh, J. A., Greenberg, M. T., et al. (2008). Promoting academic and social-emotional school readiness: The Head Start REDI program. Child Development, 79, 1802–1817. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2008.01227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bransford, J., Derry, S., Berliner, D., Hammerness, K., & Beckett, K. L. (2005). Theories of learning and their roles in teaching. In L. Darling-Hammond & J. Bransford (Eds.), Preparing teachers for a changing world: What teachers should learn and be able to do (pp. 40–87). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryk, A. S. (2015). 2014 AERA distinguished lecture. Educational Researcher, 44, 467–477. doi:10.3102/0013189X15621543.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burchinal, M., Vandergrift, N., Pianta, R., & Mashburn, A. (2010). Threshold analysis of association between child care quality and child outcomes for low-income children in pre-kindergarten programs. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 25, 166–176. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2009.10.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coyne, M. D., McCoach, D. B., & Kapp, S. (2007). Vocabulary intervention for kindergarten students: Comparing extended instruction to embedded instruction and incidental exposure. Learning Disability Quarterly, 30(2), 74–88. doi:10.2307/30035543.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coyne, M. D., McCoach, D. B., Loftus, S., Zipoli, R., Jr., & Kapp, S. (2009). Direct vocabulary instruction in kindergarten: Teaching for breadth versus depth. The Elementary School Journal, 110, 1–18. doi:10.1086/598840.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coyne, M. D., McCoach, D. B., Loftus, S., Zipoli, R., Ruby, M., Crevecoeur, Y., & Kapp, S. (2010). Direct & extended vocabulary instruction in kindergarten: Investigating transfer effects. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 3, 93–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coyne, M. D., McCoach, D. B., Ware, S., & Rattan, S. (2015). Evaluating theefficacy of a supplemental kindergarten vocabulary intervention implemented within a tieredinstructional framework. Washington, D.C.: Society for Research on EducationalEffectiveness.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cuticelli, M., Coyne, M. D., Ware, S. M., Oldham, A., & Loftus-Rattan, S. (2015). Improving vocabulary skills of kindergarten students through a multi-tier instructional approach. Intervention in School and Clinic, 50, 150–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cuticelli, M. N. (2016). Teacher effects on kindergarten students’ vocabulary learning. Storrs, CT: University of Connecitcut. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dale, E., & O’Rourke, J. (1986). Vocabulary building. Columbus, OH: Zaner-Bloser.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dane, A. V., & Schneider, B. H. (1998). Program integrity in primary and early secondary prevention: Are implementation effects out of control? Clinical Psychology Review, 18, 23–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delpit, L. (1988). The silenced dialogue: Power and pedagogy in educating other people’s children. Harvard Educational Review, 58, 280–299. doi:10.17763/haer.58.3.c43481778r528qw4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dickinson, D. K., & Caswell, L. (2007). Building support for language and early literacy in preschool classrooms through in-service professional development: Effects of the Literacy Environment Enrichment Program (LEEP). Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 22, 243–260. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2007.03.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dickinson, D. K., & Porche, M. V. (2011). Relation between language experiences in preschool classrooms and children’s kindergarten and fourth-grade language and reading abilities. Child Development, 82, 870–886. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01576.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duke, N. K. (2000). 3.6 minutes per day: The scarcity of informational texts in first grade. Reading Research Quarterly, 35, 202–224. doi:10.1598/RRQ.35.2.1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunn, D. M., & Dunn, L. M. (2007). Peabody picture vocabulary test: Manual. Bloomington, MN: NCS Pearson Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dusenbury, L., Brannigan, R., Falco, M., & Hansen, W. B. (2003). A review of research on fidelity of implementation: implications for drug abuse prevention in school settings. Health Education Research, 18, 237–256. doi:10.1093/her/18.2.237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elleman, A. M., Lindo, E. J., Morphy, P., & Compton, D. L. (2009). The impact of vocabulary instruction on passage-level comprehension of school-age children: A meta-analysis. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 2, 1–44. doi:10.1080/19345740802539200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fenning, P., & Rose, J. (2007). Overrepresentation of African American students in exclusionary discipline the role of school policy. Urban Education, 42, 536–559. doi:10.1177/0042085907305039.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Florida Center for Reading Research. (2003). Elements of reading: Vocabulary. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Center for Reading Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gersten, R., Baker, S. K., Shanahan, T., Linan-Thompson, S., Collins, P., & Scarcella, R. (2007). Effective literacy and English language instruction for English learners in the elementary grades: A practice guide (NCEE 2007-4011). Washington, DC: Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Available: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/practiceguides/20074011.pdf.

  • Gersten, R., Fuchs, L. S., Compton, D., Coyne, M., Greenwood, C., & Innocenti, M. S. (2005). Quality indicators for group experimental and quasi-experimental research in special education. Exceptional Children, 71, 149–164. doi:10.1177/001440290507100202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Girolametto, L., Weitzman, E., & Greenberg, J. (2003). Training day care staff to facilitate children’s language. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 12, 299–311. doi:10.1044/1058-0360(2003/076).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamre, B. K., Justice, L. M., Pianta, R. C., Kilday, C., Sweeney, B., Downer, J. T., et al. (2010). Implementation fidelity of MyTeachingPartner literacy and language activities: Association with preschoolers’ language and literacy growth. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 25, 329–347. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2009.07.002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harn, B., Parisi, D., & Stoolmiller, M. (2013). Balancing fidelity with flexibility and fit: What do we really know about fidelity of implementation in schools? Exceptional Children, 79, 181–193. doi:10.1177/001440291307900204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hart, B., & Risley, T. R. (1995). Meaningful differences in the everyday experience of young American children. Baltimore, MD: Paul H Brookes Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Landauer, T. K., & Dumais, S. T. (1997). A solution to Plato’s problem: The latent semantic analysis theory of acquisition, induction, and representation of knowledge. Psychological Review, 104, 211–240. doi:10.1037/0033-295X.104.2.211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lesaux, N. K., Kieffer, M. J., Kelley, J. G., & Harris, J. R. (2014). Effects of academic vocabulary instruction for linguistically diverse adolescents: Evidence from a randomized field trial. American Educational Research Journal, 51, 1159–1194. doi:10.3102/0002831214532165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacWhinney, B. (2010). Computational models of child language learning: An introduction. Journal of Child Language, 37, 477–485. doi:10.1017/S0305000910000139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marulis, L. M., & Neuman, S. B. (2013). How vocabulary interventions affect young children at risk: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 6, 223–262. doi:10.1080/19345747.2012.755591.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKeown, M. G., & Beck, I. L. (2004). Direct and rich vocabulary instruction. In J. F. Baumann & E. J. Kame’enui (Eds.), Vocabulary instruction (pp. 13–27). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagy, W. E., & Scott, J. A. (2001). Vocabulary processes. In M. L. Kamil, P. D. Pearson & R. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of reading research (Vol. 3, pp. 269–284). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers (2010). Common core state standards. Washington, D.C: National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers.

  • National Reading Panel (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction [on-line]. Available: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/nrp/report.cfm.

  • O'Donnell, C. L. (2008). Defining, conceptualizing, and measuring fidelity of implementation and its relationship to outcomes in K–12 curriculum intervention research. Review of Educational Research, 78(1), 33–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parks, A. N., & Bridges-Rhoads, S. (2012). Overly scripted: Exploring the impact of a scripted literacy curriculum on a preschool teacher’s instructional practices in mathematics. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 26, 308–324. doi:10.1080/02568543.2012.684422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pence, K. L., Justice, L. M., & Wiggins, A. K. (2008). Preschool teachers’ fidelity in implementing a comprehensive language-rich curriculum. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 39, 329–341. doi:10.1044/0161-1461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perfetti, C. (2007). Reading ability: Lexical quality to comprehension. Scientific Studies of Reading, 11, 357–383. doi:10.1080/10888430701530730.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piasta, S. B., Justice, L. M., McGinty, A., Mashburn, A., & Slocum, L. (2015). A comprehensive examination of preschool teachers’ implementation fidelity when using a supplemental language and literacy curriculum. Child & Youth Care Forum, 44(5), 731–755.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robbins, C., & Ehri, L. C. (1994). Reading storybooks to kindergartners helps them learn new vocabulary words. Journal of Educational Psychology, 86, 54–64. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.86.1.54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanetti, L. M. H., & Kratochwill, T. R. (2009). Toward developing a science of treatment integrity: Introduction to the special series. School Psychology Review, 38, 445–459.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silverman, R. D., Proctor, C. P., Harring, J. R., Doyle, B., Mitchell, M. A., & Meyer, A. G. (2014). Teachers’ instruction and students’ vocabulary and comprehension: An exploratory study with English monolingual and Spanish-English bilingual students in grades 3–5. Reading Research Quarterly, 49, 31–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simmons, D. C., Coyne, M., Hagan-Burke, A., Kwok, O., Simmons, L., Johnson, C., et al. (2011). Effects of supplemental reading interventions in authentic contexts: A comparison of kindergarteners’ response. Exceptional Children, 77, 207–228. doi:10.1177/001440291107700204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singer, J. (1998). Using SAS PROC MIXED to fit multilevel models, hierarchical models and individual growth models. Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, 24, 323–355.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snow, C. E. (2015). 2014 Wallace Foundation Distinguished Lecture. Educational Researcher, 4, 460–466. doi:10.3102/0013189X15619166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snow, C., Burns, M., & Griffin, P. (Eds.). (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, What Works Clearinghouse. (2013, March). What works clearinghouse: Procedures and Standards handbook (version 3.0). Retrieved from http://whatworks.ed.gov.

  • Valencia, S. W., Place, N. A., Martin, S. D., & Grossman, P. L. (2006). Curriculum materials for elementary reading: Shackles and scaffolds for four beginning teachers. The Elementary School Journal, 107, 93–120. doi:10.1086/509528.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wasik, B. A., Bond, M. A., & Hindman, A. (2006). The effects of a language and literacy intervention on Head Start children and teachers. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98, 63–74. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.98.1.63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, K. T. (2007). Expressive vocabulary test, second edition: Manual. Minneapolis, MN: Pearson Assessments.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, M., Grajales, C., & Kurkiewicz, D. (2013). Assumptions of multiple regression: Correcting two misconceptions. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 18, 1–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Witt, J. C., & Elliott, S. N. (1985). Acceptability of classroom intervention strategies. In T. R. Kratochwill (Ed.), Advances in school psychology (pp. 251–288). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeager Pelatti, C., Pentimonti, J. M., & Justice, L. M. (2014). Methodological review of the quality of reach out and read: Does it “work”? Clinical Pediatrics, 53(4), 343–350. doi:10.1177/0009922813507995.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Loyola University Chicago, 820 N. Michigan Avenue, Lewis Towers, 11th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Sabina Neugebauer

  2. University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA

    Michael Coyne, Betsy McCoach & Sharon Ware

Authors
  1. Sabina Neugebauer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michael Coyne
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Betsy McCoach
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sharon Ware
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sabina Neugebauer.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Neugebauer, S., Coyne, M., McCoach, B. et al. Teaching beyond the intervention: the contribution of teacher language extensions to vocabulary learning in urban kindergarten classrooms. Read Writ 30, 543–567 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-016-9689-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-016-9689-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation