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THE IMPACT OF ACADEMIC VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION ON READING PERFORMANCE OF SOPHOMORE STUDENTS ON THE FLORIDA COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT TEST FROM 2008 TO 2009
Title
THE IMPACT OF ACADEMIC VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION ON READING PERFORMANCE OF SOPHOMORE STUDENTS ON THE FLORIDA COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT TEST FROM 2008 TO 2009.
Creator
McMillen, Margaret, Taylor, Rose, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This study investigated the change in sophomore reading scores on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test after the implementation of an academic vocabulary program and the change in teacher knowledge and professional practice after a program of staff development in academic vocabulary. The purpose was to determine the impact of the professional development on student reading performance. The study analyzed student data from 2008 and 2009 gathered from the Florida Department of Education,...
Show moreThis study investigated the change in sophomore reading scores on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test after the implementation of an academic vocabulary program and the change in teacher knowledge and professional practice after a program of staff development in academic vocabulary. The purpose was to determine the impact of the professional development on student reading performance. The study analyzed student data from 2008 and 2009 gathered from the Florida Department of Education, and teacher data collected from a survey used as a pretest/posttest. Variables used in the analysis of student data included demographic subgroups of white, African-American, and Hispanic students and students with disabilities, English language learners, and economically disadvantaged students. Teacher variables used were years of teaching experience and curriculum area. Both an ANCOVA and a multiple logistical regression were used to analyze change in student reading performance. Student reading score performance dropped for the total population and in for subgroups from 2008 to 2009. Several intervening variables could explain the downward change: budget cuts resulting in a change in instructional day from six to seven-period day with loss of instructional time, reduction in number of teachers, increase in student population, and change in start time for school day (from 7:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to :30 a.m. to 4 p.m.). An ANOVA and independent t-test were used to analyze teacher pretest/posttest data. The data indicated a positive change in teacher knowledge and instructional practice, though not statistically significant. It should not be concluded from the reading scores that the program of academic vocabulary was not successful, but rather that vocabulary instruction is only one of the essential components of any plan to improve secondary student reading performance. Further research should be conducted to replicate this study during a time period without intervening variables experienced during the span of this study. Additionally, students should be matched to their teachers to examine the relationship between individual teacher and student performance. This study should be replicated in a high school with different demographics and different level of student achievement.
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Date Issued
2009
Identifier
CFE0002909, ucf:48005
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002909
THE ACADEMIC WORD LIST REORGANIZED FOR SPANISH-SPEAKING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
Title
THE ACADEMIC WORD LIST REORGANIZED FOR SPANISH-SPEAKING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS.
Creator
Bushong, Robert, Folse, Keith, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Published in TESOL Quarterly a decade ago, the Academic Word List (AWL) (Coxhead, 2000) has become increasingly influential in the field of TESOL. With more than 82% of the AWL comprised of words of Latin and Greek, much of this important list logically consists of English-Spanish cognates because Spanish originated from Latin. In order to serve Spanish-speaking English language learners (SSELLs) better, their teachers need to know which AWL words are cognates. Using published sources and...
Show morePublished in TESOL Quarterly a decade ago, the Academic Word List (AWL) (Coxhead, 2000) has become increasingly influential in the field of TESOL. With more than 82% of the AWL comprised of words of Latin and Greek, much of this important list logically consists of English-Spanish cognates because Spanish originated from Latin. In order to serve Spanish-speaking English language learners (SSELLs) better, their teachers need to know which AWL words are cognates. Using published sources and linguistic analysis of the 570 items in the AWL, the research in this thesis has resulted in a newly reorganized AWL divided into four categories that are more useful for our Spanish-speaking English language learners as well as their instructors, curriculum designers, and materials writers: English-Spanish true cognates, partial cognates, false cognates, and non-cognates.
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Date Issued
2010
Identifier
CFE0003528, ucf:48961
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003528
The Frequency of the Passive Voice in Freshman Academic Books
Title
The Frequency of the Passive Voice in Freshman Academic Books.
Creator
Moreb, Basma, Folse, Keith, Mihai, Florin, Young, Beth, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The use of passive voice has long been an area of difficulty for English learners. Celce-Murcia (&) Larsen-Freeman (2015) noted that it is learning when to use the English passive that presents the greatest long-term challenge to ESL/EFL students(") (p. 352). Because textbooks are a source of language input for English learners, this study investigated the frequency of passive voice verbs in samples from four academic textbooks in courses commonly taken by freshmen. The study also examined...
Show moreThe use of passive voice has long been an area of difficulty for English learners. Celce-Murcia (&) Larsen-Freeman (2015) noted that it is learning when to use the English passive that presents the greatest long-term challenge to ESL/EFL students(") (p. 352). Because textbooks are a source of language input for English learners, this study investigated the frequency of passive voice verbs in samples from four academic textbooks in courses commonly taken by freshmen. The study also examined whether there are significant differences between the frequencies by textbook. The data was collected from four General Education Plan (GEP) subject textbooks used in freshman classes at a large metropolitan university in the southeastern United States, namely English composition, history, psychology, and biology. The data was then compiled into a corpus of approximately 20,000 words created specifically for the current study, with 5,000 words randomly and sequentially selected from each of the four textbooks. The study utilized a table created by Folse (2009) to analyze differences between the basic passive voice tenses found in the textbooks. The study examined the be-passives, get-passives, and have-passives and their frequency in different tenses. The findings revealed that passive voice occurred in academic textbooks with an overall frequency of 7.06% (of all conjugated verbs). The results also found significant differences between the academic genres (p (<) 0.05). In this particular corpus, passive voice occurred more in biology than in the other subjects. Therefore, the results of the study indicated a need to explicitly teach the basic be-passive voice to English language learners to all English learners, but teachers also need to be especially aware that certain university subjects (e.g., biology) use more passive voice verb forms than others.
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Date Issued
2016
Identifier
CFE0006695, ucf:51929
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006695
Kindergarten is Not Child's Play: An Exploration of Pedagogical Approaches Related to Learning in a Play-Based and a Contemporary Classroom at a Title I Elementary School
Title
Kindergarten is Not Child's Play: An Exploration of Pedagogical Approaches Related to Learning in a Play-Based and a Contemporary Classroom at a Title I Elementary School.
Creator
Allee-Herndon, Karyn, Roberts, Sherron, Lue, Martha, Clark, M. H., Garcia, Jeanette, Hu, Bi Ying, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This dissertation is divided into three separate, related, naturalistic, quasi-experimental research studies, all using data from two kindergarten classes at Gator Elementary, a public Title I elementary school in Sunshine District in Central Florida. Each of these studies tested hypotheses that kindergarten children, especially those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, will show greater gains in receptive vocabulary, executive function, and academic achievement when purposeful play is used...
Show moreThis dissertation is divided into three separate, related, naturalistic, quasi-experimental research studies, all using data from two kindergarten classes at Gator Elementary, a public Title I elementary school in Sunshine District in Central Florida. Each of these studies tested hypotheses that kindergarten children, especially those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, will show greater gains in receptive vocabulary, executive function, and academic achievement when purposeful play is used as a pedagogical approach than similar children in typical, contemporary kindergarten classrooms. The first study explored the effects of play-based and contemporary pedagogical approaches on students' receptive vocabulary using the PPVT-4, the second explored students' executive functions using the BRIEF2, and the third explored students' movements using Actigraph GT9X Link accelerometers. All three studies analyzed these data in relation to students' academic achievement as measured by i-Ready Diagnostic assessments. Statistically significant differences were detected in students' receptive vocabulary and reading growth as well as statistically significant differences in students' executive function health as reported by teachers and reading and math academic growth by classroom conditions. A strong association between receptive vocabulary and reading performances was revealed alongside strong negative correlations between levels of executive function concern and reading performance. No statistical differences in math growth between classrooms were found, although there was a moderate effect size, and less of an association between math performance and executive function presented. While strong correlations between academic achievement and total movement by day or movement types were revealed, these associations were inconsistent. Nor were there significant differences in movement by classroom conditions, although there was a moderate effect size suggesting some differences in movement by condition. The findings from this dissertation, while limited, point to a bourgeoning area of research connecting neuroscientific findings with developmentally appropriate practices to explore effective interventions to increase educational equity for vulnerable students.
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Date Issued
2019
Identifier
CFE0007596, ucf:52556
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007596