Oregon Research Institute

Efficacy of Supplemental Early Vocabulary Connections Instruction for English Language Learners

Vadasy and her team are evaluating the efficacy of a supplemental reading program designed to build decoding, spelling and vocabulary skills in kindergarten English language learners.

Details

English learners enter school with a large gap in vocabulary knowledge that limits their reading comprehension skills. Classroom instruction alone does not close this gap. This study addresses this gap by researching a supplemental program that will allow kindergarten English learners to develop their vocabulary, decoding, and spelling skills to allow them to fully benefit from core reading instruction in their classrooms. In this 2-cohort study, we compare the benefits of an explicit approach to teaching high frequency root words compared to teaching the same words in a storybook reading context. Students will be followed up into first grade.