Word Consciousness for Vocabulary Development: A Systematic Review of Research

• In Event: 34.030 - New Developments in Vocabulary and Concept Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Although fostering word consciousness is widely recommended for supporting vocabulary development, empirical support is less well established. Therefore, this study systematically reviews the empirical work on word consciousness. Analyses of 16 studies meeting criteria are organized around three research questions: (1) How is word consciousness defined in the literature? (2) How is word consciousness operationalized in practice and (3) What impact does word consciousness instruction have on students’ vocabulary knowledge? The author found three major findings: (1) Word consciousness was consistently defined as having dual (cognitive and affective) components; (2) word consciousness instruction focused on either the cognitive or the affective component—but not both; and (3) there is limited empirical evidence that word consciousness instruction impacts students’ vocabulary knowledge.

Author

• Blythe E. Anderson, Michigan State University