Validating the Use of D: Measuring Lexical Diversity in Low-Income Children

• In Event: 35.083 - Poster Session 7
  In Poster Session: 35.083-1 - Reading Comprehension and Assessment

Abstract

Children from low SES families are exposed fewer words compared to children from middle-income families, and as a consequence, often score lower on standardized vocabulary assessments. An alternative measure, D, has been proposed to assess lexical diversity by comparing the number of unique words with the total number of words in a language sample. D provides an alternative measure to vocabulary deployment that is not linked to a child’s knowledge of specific words. The current study validates D as a useful measure for lexical diversity in at-risk, low-income, predominantly African American children. Five assumptions are proposed to validate D as a measure of lexical diversity and are grounded in research regarding the validation of standardized vocabulary assessments in multicultural populations.

Author

• Stephanie Alice Lai, University of Georgia - Athens