Program Prescribed and Teacher Improvised Vocabulary Practices That Support Instructional Effectiveness

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: Innovative Instruction and Technology for Fostering Vocabulary

Abstract

Most educational research treats teachers’ deviations from prescribed or scripted programs as a nuisance for efficacy studies. This study reframes this approach to explore how teachers’ use of prescribed and improvised vocabulary practices may contribute to instructional effectiveness. The focus on vocabulary reflects the central role of language for reading success, the proliferation of vocabulary programs, and the mixed effects of these programs. This study examines teachers’ balance of adherence to and responsive use of program practices and the utility of these approaches for performance. Data from 82 kindergarten teachers and their approximately 1,011 students per year were analyzed using multilevel modeling. Preliminary findings demonstrate the promise of both approaches used in conjunction for maximizing vocabulary program success.

Authors

• Sabina Rak Neugebauer, Temple University

• Laurie Shirley Esposito, Temple University

• Emmaline Ellis, Temple University

• Michael D. Coyne, University of Connecticut