The Effects of Reading Nonfiction Aloud on the Vocabulary Acquisition of Middle-School Students

175 Pages·2016·6.51 MB·English

National Louis University
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Dissertations
6-2009
The Effects of Reading Nonfiction Aloud on the
Vocabulary Acquisition of Middle-School Students
Patricia Ann Braun
National-Louis University
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THE EFFECTS OF READING NONFICTION ALOUD ON THE VOCABULARY
ACQUISITION OF MIDDLE-SCHOOL STUDENTS

Patricia Ann Braun
Reading and Language Doctoral Program

Submitted in partial fulfillment

of the requirements of

Doctor of Education

in the Foster G. McGaw Graduate School

National College of Education

National-Louis University

June 2009
THE EFFECTS OF READING NONFICTION ALOUD ON THE VOCABULARY
ACQUISITION OF MIDDLE-SCHOOL STUDENTS

Patricia Ann Braun

Reading and Language Doctoral Program

Approved:

_________________________________ _________________________________
Co-Chair, Dissertation Committee Program Director

_________________________________ _________________________________
Co-Chair, Dissertation Committee Director, Doctoral Programs

_________________________________ _________________________________
Member, Dissertation Committee Dean, National College of Education

_________________________________ _________________________________
Dean’s Representative Date Approved
Copyright by Patricia Ann Braun, June 2009
All rights reserved
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine if eighth-graders could acquire vocabulary
incidentally while listening to nonfiction read-alouds connected to the physical sciences
curriculum. In this quasi-experimental study 3 of 6 intact eighth-grade science classes
listened to 14 nonfiction read-aloud selections of nonfiction passages selected from books
not commonly found in schools but which related to the curriculum which the students
would be experiencing in eighth grade. Pretests and posttests were administered to all 6
classes comprising 154 students. Reading ability was included as a variable. Target words
comprised of technical and nontechnical words. Assessments included a vocabulary
matching task with 30 vocabulary words and 6 student-generated definitions. No
significant differences were found between the complete treatment and control groups on
first measure. However, there was a significant difference in favor of the high-ability
treatment group on the vocabulary matching task. Students in the treatment group also
appeared to perform better on a measure of the depth of word knowledge. Several science
teachers were interviewed and surveyed regarding the importance of teaching of science
vocabulary. While reading aloud in science classes is not a common practice, many of the
teachers indicated that they could see a value in doing so. Several students were
interviewed regarding their listening experiences during the read-aloud sessions. The
responses to the experience were mixed. It was posited that this may have been because
the reading was done by the experimenter rather than the science teacher herself.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many sincere thanks to Dr. Peter Fisher and Dr. Ruth Ravid for guiding me
through the dissertation process. Thank you to Dr. Camille Blachowicz and Dr. Donna
Ogle who sat on my committee giving me suggestions and encouragement. I cannot thank
Dr. Roxanne Henkin enough for the invitation to take her doctoral writing class, which
started my seven-year doctoral process. I am especially grateful for the doctoral
professors in reading and language at National-Louis University whose professionalism
and dedication have contributed to the broadening of my understanding of reading and
literacy processes.
Acknowledgements go to my school district and colleagues for their active
support. Thank you to the librarians, science teachers, breakfast club, and core colleagues
for the many conversations and the affirmation that pursuing a doctorate in education is
worthwhile. Thank you to the children for teaching me what is most important in schools.
A special thank you to Dr. Bonnie Burns for her professional advice and personal
friendship and to Joanne Trahanas for her constant reminders to focus and “get it done.”
I must also acknowledge my children, Jami, Becki, Dan, and Kathi, who enjoyed
being read to, patiently endured when I covered the dining room table with piles of paper,
articles, and books, and thought of reading conferences as “that place where you go to get
signed books for us.” Thank you to my husband, Robert L. Schroeder, who not only
made supper and cleaned the kitchen, but also encouraged me to follow my passion, do
what I needed to do, and enjoy the process.
And in memory of my parents, Jeanne and Carl Braun, who supported my
education from kindergarten on, I submit my work.
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I dedicate this work to the Illinois Reading Council and the Illinois Writing Project, two
outstanding organizations whose missions are to further the literacy development of the
children of Illinois and beyond. May my affiliation with them serve to encourage future
educators to immerse themselves and their students in the wonderful world of words.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Abstract..............................................................................................................................iv

Acknowledgements..............................................................................................................v

List of Tables.....................................................................................................................xi

List of Figures...................................................................................................................xii

CHAPTER ONE..................................................................................................................1
Background of the Study...............................................................................................1
Introduction..............................................................................................................1
Rationale..................................................................................................................3
Statement of the Problem.........................................................................................6
Glossary...................................................................................................................7
Purpose....................................................................................................................7
Hypotheses...............................................................................................................8

CHAPTER TWO...............................................................................................................10
Review of the Literature..............................................................................................10
Introduction............................................................................................................10
The Role of Vocabulary in Comprehension...........................................................13
Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition........................................................................13
Factors Necessary for Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition....................................18
Levels of Word Knowledge....................................................................................21
The Value of Incidental Vocabulary Opportunities...............................................25
Vocabulary Learning in Content Areas.................................................................27
Oral Language Practices and Their Effects on Vocabulary Acquisition..............32
Vocabulary Assessment..........................................................................................33
Read-alouds in the Content Areas.........................................................................34
Middle-School Curriculum....................................................................................39
Summary of Literature Review...............................................................................46

CHAPTER THREE...........................................................................................................49
Methodology................................................................................................................49
Introduction............................................................................................................49
Participants............................................................................................................49
Pilot Study..............................................................................................................49
Selecting Target Vocabulary..................................................................................50
Pilot Study of Target Vocabulary..........................................................................50
The Study.....................................................................................................................55
Participants............................................................................................................55
The Development of the Data Collection Tools..........................................................57
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Selecting the Read-aloud Texts..............................................................................57
Selecting Target Vocabulary..................................................................................59
Order of the Read-alouds.......................................................................................60
Creation of the Matching Tool...............................................................................61
Creation of the Student-generated Definitions......................................................62
Creation of the Rubric for the Student-generated Definitions...............................62
Inter-rater Reliability.............................................................................................63
Existing District Data............................................................................................63
Procedure...............................................................................................................64
Data Analysis...............................................................................................................65
Quantitative Data Analysis....................................................................................65
Statistical Tests................................................................................................66
Qualitative Data.....................................................................................................67
Limitations of the Design.......................................................................................70

CHAPTER FOUR..............................................................................................................71
Findings........................................................................................................................71
Introduction............................................................................................................71
Quantitative Data Analysis....................................................................................72
Comparison of the Treatment and Control Groups.........................................72
Analysis of Treatment and Control Group Average Ability Levels...........72
Comparison of the Treatment and Control Group Gain Scores......................74
Analysis of the Total Matching Vocabulary Gains Scores........................74
Analysis of Technical Vocabulary Gain Scores.........................................75
Analysis of Nontechnical Vocabulary Gain Scores...................................76
Analysis of the Total Matching Vocabulary Gain Scores
by Ability Level..........................................................................................77
Analysis of Technical Matching Vocabulary Gain Scores According to
Ability Groups............................................................................................78
Analysis of Nontechnical Vocabulary Gain Scores According to Ability..79
Comparison of the Treatment and Control Groups on Student-generated
Definitions........................................................................................................79
Analysis of Treatment and Control Groups on Student-generated
Definition Pretest Scores...........................................................................80
Analysis of Gain Scores on Student-generated Definitions.......................80
Analysis of Gain Scores on Student-generated Definitions
According to Ability...................................................................................81
Repetitions of Technical and Nontechnical Words in the Read-aloud Texts...82
Analysis of Word-knowledge Level Shifts of the Treatment and
Control Groups..........................................................................................82
Qualitative Data Analysis......................................................................................85
Student Interviews............................................................................................85
Vocabulary and Concepts Mentioned in the Interview..............................85
Attitudes about Read-alouds......................................................................85
Memories of Read-alouds..........................................................................86
Learning That Occurred from Science Read-alouds.................................86
viii
Student Recommendations for Future Read-aloud Sessions.....................86
Survey of Science Teachers in a Cohort Masters Degree Program................87
Science Teacher Interviews..............................................................................87
Summary of the Quantitative Data........................................................................88
Overall Gains...................................................................................................88
High-ability Treatment Group.........................................................................89
Summary of Qualitative Data................................................................................90
Student Interviews............................................................................................90
Teacher Surveys...............................................................................................90
Science Teacher Interviews..............................................................................90

CHAPTER FIVE.......................................................................…………………………91
Discussion of the Findings...........................................................................................91
Overview of the Chapter........................................................................................91
Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition from Listening to Read-Alouds......................94
Incidental Acquisition of Technical and Nontechnical Vocabulary......................99
Ability Levels and Vocabulary Acquisition..........................................................101
Development of Word Knowledge after Listening to Read-alouds......................103
Student Responses to Nonfiction Read-alouds in Science Class.........................106
Teacher Responses to the Idea of Nonfiction Read-alouds in Science Class......107
Anne’s Use of Read-aloud in Science Class..................................................107
Science Picture Books....................................................................................108
Adult-level Science Trade Books...................................................................108
Vocabulary Issues in Science Textbooks........................................................109
Science Materials...........................................................................................109
Eighth-grade Science Teacher.......................................................................110
Observations from the Eighth-grade Science Teacher..................................111
Lois’s Use of Read-alouds in Science Class..................................................111
Eighth-grade Science Textbook.....................................................................112
Science Vocabulary........................................................................................112
Survey from Science Teachers in a Cohort Masters Degree Program................113
Conclusions and Implications..............................................................................114
Limitations of the Study.......................................................................................119
Recommendations for Further Research.............................................................124

REFERENCES................................................................................................................126

APPENDICES.................................................................................................................139

Appendix A: Pilot Vocabulary Test Form A.............................................................139
Appendix B: Pilot Vocabulary Test Form B..............................................................140
Appendix C: Read-Aloud Sources.............................................................................141
Appendix D: Order of Read-Aloud Selections..........................................................142
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