UMD Theses and Dissertations
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/3
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Item DOES MODALITY MATTER? AURAL AND WRITTEN VOCABULARY IN SECOND LANGUAGE LISTENING AND READING COMPREHENSION(2024) Iizuka, Takehiro; Hui, Bronson; Second Language Acquisition and Application; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study examined the significance of the mode of delivery—aural versus written—in second language (L2) vocabulary knowledge and L2 comprehension skills. One of the unique aspects of listening comprehension that sets it apart from reading comprehension is the mode of delivery—language input is delivered not visually but aurally. Somewhat surprisingly, however, this difference has not always been considered, and in fact L2 listening studies are more often accompanied by written tests (of, e.g., vocabulary knowledge) than by aural tests. Few studies have systematically examined the impact of modality on comprehension skills and linguistic variables such as vocabulary either, despite the long-standing view of language skills being multimodal. In this study, therefore, I first examined the degree to which aural and written vocabulary is separate constructs. Then I examined how each of those constructs explains listening and reading comprehension skills differently. By using latent variable modeling, I also addressed limitations in previous studies, including undue influence from measurement error and unique characteristics of particular tests.One hundred eighty-five adult Japanese learners of English took four aural and four written English vocabulary tests, with parallel test formats across the modalities to allow for comparison. The effect of words was averaged out by counterbalancing eight property-matched sets of words. The participants also took listening and reading comprehension tests. The dimensionality of vocabulary knowledge was examined by comparing one-factor and multi-factor models. The unique contribution of aural and written vocabulary knowledge to listening and reading comprehension was evaluated by latent variable path analysis. The difference in the sizes of aural and written vocabulary knowledge was examined by latent means modeling. The results of the study were nuanced. Modality effects were observed in the sense that (1) a two-factor model of vocabulary knowledge with aural and written vocabulary had a significantly better fit to the data than a one-factor model, (2) aural vocabulary knowledge uniquely explained some variance in listening comprehension skills, and (3) the participants’ aural vocabulary size was significantly smaller than their written vocabulary size. However, the effects of modality were limited in the sense that (1) the aural and written vocabulary knowledge factors were very highly correlated and (2) the common part of the two factors—general vocabulary knowledge—explained much more variance in each of listening and reading comprehension skills than modality-specific knowledge. These results suggest that, although aural versus written test modality effects do seem to exist in L2 vocabulary knowledge and comprehension skills, its practical impact is small compared with that of general vocabulary knowledge at least in the context where words are presented in isolation as in the present study.Item KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS’ VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICES, AND INFLUENTIAL FACTORS: A MULTIPLE CASE STUDY(2023) Johnston, Tara Burke; Dreher, Mariam J; Curriculum and Instruction; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Early and explicit vocabulary instruction is one important way teachers can support early readers for later reading comprehension success (Duncan et al., 2007; Marulis & Neuman, 2010; Neuman & Dwyer, 2011; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), 2000); however, some observations indicate that early childhood and early elementary teachers do not provide consistent and explicit vocabulary support (e.g., Dwyer & Harbaugh, 2020; Wright & Neuman, 2014; Donaldson, 2011) and that most teachers do not have much time to spend on vocabulary instruction generally (Baumann et al., 2003). To further explore why these phenomena may occur and to provide direction for future research and teacher education initiatives, this study examined the reported vocabulary knowledge, reported vocabulary practices, and reported influential factors on vocabulary instruction of seven kindergarten teachers in public school settings in the United States. Using a multiple case study design, I studied seven teachers to answer the following research questions: (1) What do kindergarten teachers report about their own knowledge related to vocabulary instruction? (2) What do kindergarten teachers report about how they implement and change their vocabulary instruction? (3) What factors do kindergarten teachers report as influencing their vocabulary instruction? Each case was bound as one teacher, and I framed my study using two main theories: Shavelson and Stern’s (1981) pedagogical decision making and Shulman’s (1986, 1987) pedagogical content knowledge as it relates to teacher professional knowledge. I collected data using a demographic survey, a knowledge screening survey, an initial interview about reported vocabulary practices, four pre- and post-vocabulary lesson interviews, and artifacts related to the vocabulary lessons. I used multiple rounds of coding for both individual case analysis and cross-case analysis. Individual case analysis yielded a profile for each teacher which describes in detail their reported vocabulary knowledge, practices, and influential factors. For example, one teacher’s profile (pseudonym Brenda) describes reported use of a consistent Tier 2 vocabulary routine for every lesson, whereas other teachers in the study did not report a consistent vocabulary instructional routine. Another teacher (pseudonym Joyce) frequently reported using hands on science lessons to teach vocabulary; she also frequently discussed how knowledge of her students’ needs impacted her vocabulary instruction. Cross-case analysis revealed that participants reported little knowledge of and wide variation in reported pedagogies to effectively support Multilingual Learners’ (MLLs) or students with reading difficulties’ oral vocabulary development. Participants frequently reported using explicit instruction to teach Tier 2 (Beck et al., 2002) vocabulary words before and during literacy read aloud lessons. However, participants did not often report teaching taxonomically or thematically connected words using informational texts; these pedagogies have proven to be particularly effective for increasing word knowledge and comprehension in young children (Neuman & Dwyer, 2011; Pinkham et al., 2014). Additionally, participants reported that they received very little professional development in how to effectively teach vocabulary, despite knowing that vocabulary instruction is important for young learners. Most of participants’ reported knowledge about vocabulary instruction was rooted in their knowledge of students’ perceived needs and knowledge they gained informally from other members of their teaching teams. These findings have implications for the professional development of both pre-service and in-service teachers, and for future research on early vocabulary practices in classroom contexts.Item Exploring the Contributions of Word Knowledge and Figural Reasoning Ability to College Students' Performance on a Measure of Relational Reasoning with Words(2021) Zhao, Hongyang; Alexander, Patricia; Human Development; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Word knowledge has long been considered as one of the most important predictors of reading comprehension, academic achievement, and social development. However, it was relatively narrowly conceptualized and measured as either the number of words individuals know the general meaning of (i.e., breadth) or the simple association between two words (i.e., depth). The problem with such a one-sided view is that the existing measures of word knowledge is limited in revealing the quality of word knowledge, which is characterized by both depth and breadth. In this investigation, by comparison, quality of word knowledge was conceptualized as individuals’ fine-grained understanding of the word meanings as they systematically identified semantic similarities and differences among a group of words. It is believed that through deliberate comparisons among word sets, individual’s understanding of the intricacy, subtlety in the meaning of words can be revealed. Therefore, this study offered a new approach in assessing the word knowledge quality informed by a theoretical model of relational reasoning and its four resulting forms (Alexander & DRLRL, 2012). A novel measure of word knowledge quality, Relational Reasoning with Words (R2W2) was developed and validated in this study. Moreover, the unique contributions of relational reasoning ability and word knowledge to college students’ performance on R2W2 were also analyzed. With a sample that involved 338 participants from four US universities, the study found that R2W2 was a reliable and valid measure for word knowledge quality with sound psychometric properties on the item level. In addition, word knowledge was found to contribute to college students’ performance on R2W2 more than relational reasoning ability. Implications for future research and practice are also presented and discussed.Item EFFECTS OF WORD AND STUDENT FACTORS ON INSTRUCTIONAL REINFORCEMENT IN A VOCABULARY PROGRAM IMPLEMENTED WITH SECOND GRADE BILINGUALS(2018) Artzi, Lauren; Madigan Peercy, Megan; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study investigates effects of a twenty-minute read aloud vocabulary program developed for second grade English language learners (ELLs). In one condition, words were not instructed, in another condition words were reinforced six times, and words were reinforced fourteen times in a third condition. This study also examines generalized English vocabulary knowledge, Spanish language proficiency, and type of word (abstractness and cognate status) as possible influencers on the word learning. Two hundred and twenty-eight students across twelve classrooms participated in this study. This proof-of-concept study employed a within-subjects design where each study participant received each level of treatment. Findings reveal that the vocabulary instruction in the two instructed conditions compared to the exposed condition garnered significant strong positive effects (d=.64). There were small additional positive effects for the added reinforcement in the reinforcement plus condition (d=.24). Learning was promoted with higher levels of generalized English vocabulary knowledge, as determined through the Test of Oral Language Development IV (TOLD) scores on the oral vocabulary subtest. Students scoring in the higher half of the sample with respect to the TOLD performed better on word learning in the exposed and instructed conditions, compared to students who scored in the lower half of the sample with respect to the TOLD (d=.45). However, when comparing the word learning of the students who scored in the higher half of the sample on the TOLD in the reinforcement condition to those students who scored in the lower half of the TOLD in the more intensive reinforcement plus condition, the gap lessens with only small differences between the two groups (d=.21). Higher levels of Spanish language proficiency, as determined through the Aprenda 3 scores, facilitated the acquisition of cognates. Although students in this study more readily acquired the cognates in the exposed condition, the difference between cognates and noncognates dissipated in the instructed conditions. This finding indicates that without instruction, students are bootstrapping onto their cognate knowledge, but when instruction intervenes, students learn both the cognates and noncognates alike. Trends show that concrete words were more easily learned. However, there were no significant differences between abstract and concrete words.Item Infant speech perception in noise and vocabulary outcomes(2008) Singer, Emily R.; Newman, Rochelle; Hearing and Speech Sciences; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study attempted to investigate the relationship between infant speech perception in noise and vocabulary outcomes. Newman (2005) conducted a series of studies to determine if infants were able to perceive their own name in the context of background noise. It was found that at five months, infants could perceive their own name when the signal-to-noise ratio was at least 10 dB and at thirteen months, infants were able to perceive their own name with a signal-to-noise ratio of at least 5 dB. Children who had participated in this study as infants returned to be assessed in terms of vocabulary and non-verbal intelligence at approximately five years of age. Children were divided into two groups depending on their success as infants and compared on these measures. No significant relationship was found between any of the measures of vocabulary or non-verbal intelligence and initial performance on the speech perception task.Item READING COMPREHENSION COMPONENT PROCESSES IN EARLY ADOLESCENCE(2005-04-07) Cromley, Jennifer Grace; Azevedo, Roger; Human Development; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)A significant proportion of American high school students struggle with reading comprehension. Several different models might help identify the components that have the largest effect on comprehension. The current dissertation study replicates a comparison of the Construction-Integration (CI), Verbal Efficiency (VE), and Inferential Mediation (IM) models of reading comprehension, the latter model based on an extensive literature review. It then tests the fit of four variations on the IM model. Ninth-grade students ranging from 1st to 99th percentile on comprehension completed measures of background knowledge, inferencing, strategies, vocabulary, word reading and comprehension. Researcher-developed measures of background knowledge, inferencing and strategies (based on Cromley & Azevedo, 2004a) showed good reliability with this sample. A subset of the students also completed a think-aloud protocol while reading a passage from an American history textbook. These protocols were transcribed and coded using a coding scheme adapted from Azevedo, Guthrie, and Seibert (2004). As in a preliminary study, the IM model had a much better fit to the data than did the CI or VE models. The original IM Model had the best fit, explaining 66% of the variance in comprehension. All predictors made a significant contribution to comprehension, with vocabulary, background knowledge, and strategies having significant indirect effects. Vocabulary and background knowledge made the greatest total contribution to comprehension. There were large, significant differences between low- and high-comprehending participants on all of the predictor variables, except for word reading accuracy, where there were small but significant differences. The coded think-aloud protocols were largely consistent with the correlations underlying the model. Spearman rank correlations among the codes provide convergent evidence for eleven of the correlations underlying the model. The think-aloud protocols also provided convergent evidence for the validity of the paper-and-pencil measures. The current study validates and refines a new model of reading comprehension. Results suggest that both the direct and indirect effects of the components are important for comprehension. Results also suggest that vocabulary and background knowledge might first be targeted for interventions with 9th grade students who struggle with reading comprehension. Implications for future research are also discussed.