Tanya S. Wright

What Classroom Observations Reveal About Oral Vocabulary Instruction in Kindergarten

The purpose of this dissertation study was to examine how vocabulary instruction is enacted in naturalistic classroom settings in kindergarten. Four days (12 hours) of instruction was observed in 55 classrooms in a range of socio-economic communities. All instruction was audio-taped for a total of 660 hours of observation, and coded for evidence of vocabulary instruction. Results revealed no planned vocabulary instruction. Instead, teachers provided word explanations that resembled “teachable moments” in the context of other instruction. Findings revealed negligible repeated explanations, inconsistent word selection, and minimal time devoted to subject areas, such as science and social studies, in which word explanations were most dense. Teachers serving economically-advantaged children provided a greater number of word explanations and were more likely to explain sophisticated words than those serving economically disadvantaged children. These results suggest that the current state of instruction may be contributing to rather than ameliorating vocabulary gaps by socioeconomic status.

Paucity and disparity in kindergarten oral vocabulary instruction

The purpose of this study was to examine how oral vocabulary instruction was enacted in kindergarten. Four days (12 hours) of instruction were observed in 55 classrooms in a range of socio-economic status schools. All instruction was coded for evidence of vocabulary instruction for a total of 660 hours of observation. Results revealed that teachers explained word meanings during “teachable moments” in the context of other instruction. Findings revealed one-time, brief word explanations, unsystematic word selection, and minimal time devoted to subject areas, such as science and social studies, in which word explanations were most dense. Teachers serving in economically advantaged schools explained words more often and were more likely to address sophisticated words than teachers serving in economically disadvantaged schools. These results suggest that the current state of instruction may be contributing to rather than ameliorating vocabulary gaps by socioeconomic status.

Vocabulary Instruction in Commonly Used Kindergarten Core Reading Curricula

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which commonly used core reading curricular materials supported research-based pedagogical features for oral vocabulary instruction in kindergarten. A document analysis was completed for 12 weeks of instructional materials from the teachers editions of the 4 most widely used curricula. Results indicated disparities across curricula in the number of words addressed, ranging from 2 to 20 words identified for instruction per week. Organizing principles for word selection were unclear for 3 of the 4 curricula, and many target vocabulary words were rated as too easy or basic for school-based instruction. Programs differed greatly in the frequency of instructional practices provided to support teachers and in their application of an instructional regime. These results suggest that instruction in kindergarten core curricula does not reflect the current research base for vocabulary development and may not be systematic enough to influence childrens vocabulary learning trajectories.

Supporting Kindergartners’ Science Talk in the Context of an Integrated Science and Disciplinary Literacy Curriculum

Given the growing evidence of limited attention to science, disciplinary literacy, and oral language in elementary classrooms serving low-income children, this study focused on designing and testing an integrated science and disciplinary language and literacy curriculum aligned with NGSS and CCSS ELA standards for kindergarten. We used design-based implementation research (DBIR) to create curriculum materials to support children’s science talk and conducted a quasi-experimental study to examine children’s (N = 147) oral language outcomes. Kindergartners receiving the curriculum outperformed children in business-as-usual kindergarten classrooms in their ability to make claims, give evidence-based supports, knowledge of receptive science vocabulary, and use of vocabulary in a science context. Findings indicate that with appropriate scaffolding and support, kindergartners can engage in sophisticated science talk and that integrated curriculum materials can impact young children’s science learning and science discourse.

Supports for Vocabulary Instruction in Early Language and Literacy Methods Textbooks

The goal of this study was to examine the extent to which the content and recommendations in recently published early language and literacy methods textbooks may support early childhood teachers in learning to provide vocabulary instruction for young children. We completed a content analysis of 9 textbooks with coding at the sentence level. Although coverage of vocabulary ranged broadly across textbooks, overall this analysis revealed that only 3.5% of the content in these textbooks addressed vocabulary. The primary instructional method for vocabulary suggested in these textbooks was introducing word meanings to children. There was little coverage of word selection, review and practice, or progress monitoring of vocabulary. Few sentences addressed implicit supports for vocabulary development such as creating a high-quality oral language environment. These findings suggest that early language and literacy methods textbooks provide limited supports for early childhood teachers in learning to provide vocabulary instruction for young children.