Effects of Two Academic Vocabulary Interventions on Word Learning and Morphological Analysis Skills of English Learners

• In Event: Teaching and Learning of Academic Language and Literacy for English Learners

Abstract

The purpose of this research is twofold: 1) to examine the effects of two academic vocabulary interventions on adolescent English learner (EL) literacy skills; and 2) to compare the effects of these interventions on ELs at different grade bands (middle school, grades 9-10 and grades 11-12). One intervention engaged students in six weeks of robust instruction (Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2013) about general academic words. The other intervention engaged students in robust instruction concerning academic words but was infused throughout with instruction in morphological analysis, specifically using Latin roots to analyze word meanings.

It is increasingly recognized that many ELs have difficulty with English-language literacy in part because of a lack of familiarity with the lexical, grammatical, and discursive features that are associated with academic language (Nagy & Townsend, 2012; Scarcella, 2003; Schleppegrell, 2004; Snow & Uccelli, 2009). Also referred to as academic English (Bailey, 2007) and advanced literacy (Christie, 2002), academic language relates to the forms and functions of language necessary for participation in contexts of schooling. In particular, a key source of reading difficulty for ELs is limited vocabulary knowledge (August & Shanahan, 2006; Verhoeven, 2011). ELs know far fewer words than their native English-speaking peers (Goldenberg, 2011; Proctor, Carlo, August, & Snow, 2005; Nakamoto, Lindsey & Manis, 2008), and tend to have looser semantic networks between words (Verhoeven, 2011) and a less-developed metalinguistic knowledge of word parts (Carlo et al., 2004; Kieffer & Lesaux, 2012).

Participants in the present study were 90 EL students enrolled in five English as a Second Language classes in an urban school district. The sample included middle school students (n=25), 9th and 10th grade students (n=37) and 11th and 12th grade students (n=28). In this within-subjects design, all students experienced both interventions; conditions were counter-balanced.
Two tests of word knowledge were administered as pre- and posttests following implementation of each 6-week intervention (Figures 1 and 2 in the Appendix). A mixed ANCOVA was performed on the word knowledge gain scores as a function of condition and grade band, adjusting for English language proficiency (ELP) based on WIDA’s ACCESS ELP test. Most groups showed significant treatment effects in both interventions, and patterns were consistent with larger treatment effects at the high school level than at the middle school level.

A morphological analysis task was administered after each intervention (see Figure 3 in the Appendix for descriptive results). Mixed ANCOVA analysis, adjusting for English proficiency, revealed significant effects for the intervention infused with morphology instruction. Interestingly, these effects were notably larger for students at grades 9-10 and 11-12 than for middle school ELs.

The findings shed light on the value of robust academic vocabulary instruction for EL adolescents. Moreover, the present study suggests that instruction in morphology focusing on Latin roots is beneficial to students at all grade levels, with it possibly being most beneficial to students at the high school level. On the other hand, robust instruction in general academic vocabulary showed similarly positive effects on word learning regardless of grade level band.

Authors

• Amy C. Crosson, University of Pittsburgh

• Debra W. Moore, University of Pittsburgh