ERIC Number: EJ1211323
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-8855
EISSN: N/A
An Intervention Using Morphology to Derive Word Meanings for English Language Learners
Davidson, Sean J.; O'Connor, Rollanda E.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, v52 n2 p394-407 Spr 2019
Many English language learners (ELL) experience academic and reading difficulties compared to native English speakers (NES). Lack of vocabulary knowledge is a contributing factor for these difficulties. Teaching students to analyze words into their constituent morphemes (meaningful word units) in order to determine the meaning of words may be an avenue to increase vocabulary knowledge. This study investigated potential benefits of morphological instruction for learning vocabulary words and generalizing taught words to untaught words containing these morphemes. Nine fourth- and fifth-grade ELL with reading difficulties participated in a multiple baseline, single-case design study. Visual analysis of the results revealed a functional relation between the intervention and an increase in participants' vocabulary scores with 90% to 100% non-overlapping data for eight participants. The effects of training generalized to untaught words. These findings suggest that morphological analysis is a promising approach to increase vocabulary knowledge of ELL.
Descriptors: Vocabulary, Knowledge Level, Intervention, Morphemes, Semantics, English Language Learners, Grade 4, Grade 5, Reading Difficulties, Native Speakers, Morphology (Languages)
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 4; Intermediate Grades; Grade 5; Middle Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A