The purpose of this study was to determine if direct explicit vocabulary instruction would increase vocabulary knowledge that would lead to overall reading comprehension growth through MAP data and Weekly Reading Street Scores.
My students in grades two through five take an assessment called Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) three times a year. They take this assessment in the fall, winter, and spring. The MAP assessment is designed to give teachers information about student progress in the areas of reading, language usage, science, and mathematics. In my district, our second through fourth graders take the reading and math tests, and the fifth graders take the reading, math, and science tests. The assessment is not timed, but typically a student finishes in about 60 minutes.
The MAP assessment was created by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) in order to give teachers a tool to inform instruction and to help propel students forward in their learning. It was designed for students to get approximately 50% correct and 50% incorrect. Upon completion of the assessment, the students are given a Rasch Unit (RIT) score. This score helps give information about what each individual student already knows, what they are ready to learn, and what they will likely achieve after instruction. The students and teachers receive the students' RIT scores immediately after the assessment is finished.
Reading Street is the reading curriculum that my district uses.
1. MAP Scores showed that my students scored 155, 170, and 171
Fall: National Mean RIT Score is 174 +/- 15
Winter: National Mean RIT is 184
Spring: National Mean RIT is 187
District Spring Mean RIT is 187
-Build and use Vocabulary were Lowest scores for all 3 students (ranges 141-163, 144-158, and 163-179)
2. Reading Street Baseline Scores: 62%, 74%, 78%
3. Reading Street Weekly Tests & Unit Tests-looking specifically at unknown and root words: All students were progressing
4. Gave 5 vocabulary words from decodable reader for week of 11/21/16-all three students could only define 2 out of the 5 words
5. Prefixes and base words-1 student was able to identify 13/13 words, but knew 0 meanings of prefixes, 1 student was able to identify 0/13-prefixes and base words, 3rd student was able to identify 11/13 base words, but 0/13 prefixes and unable to identify meanings of prefixes
6. Students were struggling to keep attention and focus, they tended to get silly and were easily distracted.
7. When I asked students if they enjoyed vocabulary all students said no.
8. Through student interviews I learned that the ways vocabulary was being taught to them previously was not motivating them to want to learn vocabulary.
Reflection: After looking over the data provided, I knew that my students needed more direct and explicit small group vocabulary instruction. The data was showing me that my students were below an 80% average on Reading Street Tests, so they were struggling to comprehend and understand what they were reading. Their MAP scores also showed me that their Ready to Learn scores were below 2nd grade and they still needed reteaching of 1st grade reading skills. Through my student interviews I was able to learn why they did not like vocabulary instruction. I was also able to learn activities that would engage them and help them want to learn about vocabulary.
Rationale
Purpose Statement
Rationale
Vocabulary Activities
Why is Vocabulary Important:
Vocabulary instruction is important because it develops and leads to overall growth in reading comprehension. When reading comprehension grows and develops it leads to students increasing overall academic success. Every single content area involves reading in some way, shape, or form. “Vocabulary is one of the five core components of reading instruction that are essential to successfully teach children how to read” (Sedita, 2005, p.1). Vocabulary instruction is a lifelong process, and students continue to learn words throughout their whole life. Students are exposed to 2,000 to 3,000 words a year to expand their upon their vocabularies (Sedita, 2005). For students to have a good understanding of what they are reading they need to know 90-95% of the words that they are reading in order to comprehend the text (Sedita, 2005). When students understand less than 90% of the words they are reading they miss out on learning new words and being able to understand what they are reading (Sedita, 2005). The more words that a student knows and are exposed to the higher knowledge they will have. Being able to apply those words in many different contexts or content areas such as writing, math, science, or social studies is one of the great gains in vocabulary knowledge. Students being able to understand what they are reading across curricular areas is key in students being able to comprehend the information they are reading. When the students comprehend what they are learning the students can then apply the information to many situations during school and outside of school.
According to Research-based Practices in Vocabulary Instruction: Analysis of What Works in Grades PreK-12, the two major predictors for success in reading comprehension are the amount of vocabulary words a student knows coming into school and the ability for a student to learn new vocabulary throughout their life (Sweeny & Mason, 2011). Vocabulary knowledge is so important during the primary grade levels. As the years continue and vocabulary knowledge is not addressed the vocabulary gap continues to grow (Sedita, 2005). When students feel like they are not good at reading or they struggle reading they end up beginning to read less and less. This then leads to the gap getting bigger and bigger because they continue to fall behind. After 3rd grade the gap really widens for students and they fall into a “4th grade slump” where it is very hard for them to catch up (Sedita, 2005). This gap can be compared to the “Matthew Effect, the richer get richer, the poor get poorer” (Keith Stanovich 1986 as cited by Sedita, 2005, p. 2). Students who are English Language Learners as well as students with disabilities especially need direct instruction in vocabulary knowledge. These students are typically already behind in their vocabulary knowledge and the ability to apply the words they do learn. Students with learning disabilities and English Language Learners also take more instructional time to learn new vocabulary words.
