Science Vocabulary Knowledge and Learning Among Spanish-English Bilingual Adolescents

• In Event: Current Issues in Vocabulary Learning: Technology, Writing, and Supporting ENLs

Abstract

Vocabulary is essential for comprehension and achievement across disciplines. Understanding factors that contribute to vocabulary knowledge and learning is important, especially for bilingual learners studying science, a linguistically and cognitively demanding topic. Our study explored contributions of word and learner characteristics to science vocabulary knowledge and learning (on the topic of genetics) among 165 Grade 8 Spanish-English bilingual students with varied English proficiency levels. Results identified concreteness and word frequency as important correlates of initial word knowledge. Wider dispersion of the word across domains, pre-instruction item difficulty, and Greek-origin combining forms emerged as correlates of word learning. Prior knowledge emerged the most important student-level predictor of both word knowledge and learning. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Authors

• Yuliya Ardasheva, Washington State University - Tri-Cities

• Amy C. Crosson, The Pennsylvania State University

• Brian F. French, Washington State University

• Jonah B Firestone, Washington State University - Tri-Cities

• Xue (Snowy) Zhang, Hunan Institute of Science and Technology