Kindergartners' Vocabulary Learning in Chinese Immersion Programs: The Effects of Shared Singing Instruction on Spoken Vocabulary Recall

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Abstract

This study investigated the effects of shared-singing on the Chinese vocabulary acquisition and retention of kindergarteners in Chinese immersion programs using an experimental study design. 116 kindergarteners from three school districts in a mid-west state were assigned to the experimental group (n=53) and the control group (n=53) at the class level. An independent t-test and a one-way ANOVA analysis were employed to look for significant differences between the two groups in vocabulary growth and retention. The results showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups on the acquisition and retention of the spoken recall test. This finding implies that singing can be an effective pedagogical tool for spoken vocabulary acquisition and retention in the story.

Authors

• Wenying Zhou, Auburn University - Montgomery

• Guofang Li, University of British Columbia