1. Intensifying Vocabulary Intervention for Kindergartners
Breda O’Keeffe1,
Michael Coyne, Sharon Ware, Ashley Capozzoli, Joshua Wilson, Betsy McCoach, John Madura
Utah Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Conference, June 2013
1University of Utah
Department of Special Education

2. Importance of Vocabulary
This Session
Importance of Vocabulary
Conceptual framework for early literacy instruction
Early Vocabulary Instruction
Choosing Words
Defining Words
Lesson Planning
Example Study
Example Instructional Activities
Results

3. Importance of Vocabulary
What we know from research:
Children enter school with meaningful differences in vocabulary knowledge as a result of differences in experiences and exposure to literacy and language activities. (Hart & Risley, 1995)
The vocabulary gap grows larger in the early grades. Children who enter with limited vocabulary knowledge grow much more discrepant over time from their peers who have rich vocabulary knowledge. (Biemiller & Slonim, 2001)

4. Specific Comprehension Difficulties
Importance of Vocabulary
Language Comprehension
Specific Comprehension Difficulties
Typical
Readers
Word Reading
Mixed
Reading
Difficulties
Word Reading
Difficulties
Catts et al., 2005; Vellutino et al., 2007; Whitehurst & Lonigan, 1998

5. Implications Students at-risk for language difficulties
Code-based instruction alone is insufficient
Oral language skills instruction is needed (in addition to code-based)

6. A Conceptual Framework for Reading/Literacy Instruction

7. A Conceptual Framework for Reading/Literacy Instruction

8. A Conceptual Framework for Reading/Literacy Instruction
How can you expand students’ vocabularies before they can decode words?
Story reading with the same type of instruction that we are going to present today, embedded in story reading, then expanded on after story reading.

9. Choosing Words: Three Tiers
Low Frequency Words
Teach when needed in content areas
Tier Three
High Frequency Words
Teach a lot to build Vocabulary Knowledge
Tier Two
High Frequency Words
Teach only when missing
Tier One

10. Tier one (Basic Words) Made up of the most basic words
Examples: clock, baby, home, dog
Time spent on instruction: VERY LITTLE TO NONE
Most students have these words in their vocabulary, therefore these words do not need to be taught.
What would be the exception?_____________
ELL students

11. Tier Two (Mortar Words)
Made up of high frequency words for mature language users
Examples: coincidence, absurd, industrious
Time spent on instruction: A LOT
Most students will benefit from instruction on these words as it will add productively to their language ability.

12. Tier Three (Brick Words)
Made up of low frequency words that are limited to specific domains
Examples: isotope, peninsula, trichotillomania
Time spent on instruction: VERY LITTLE
Most students will only need to learn these words within a specific content area they are currently learning.

13. How to Choose Tier Two Words
1) Importance and Utility
Words that are characteristic of mature language users and APPEAR ACROSS A VARIETY OF DOMAINS (will generalize)
2) Instructional Potential
Words that are easy to teach and build rich representations
3) Conceptual Understanding
Words for which students understand the general concept but provide precision and specificity in describing the concepts

14. Examples of Tier 1, 2 and 3 words
Tier 1: Basic
Tier 2: Mortar
Tier 3: Brick
home
analyze
volcano
dog
approach
lava
happy
role
pumice
Work with a partner and decide which category each word belongs in:
see find consist glaciated require vary
go lexical major look molt significant
boy respond abdominal interpret vaccine
come peninsula again consequence over isotope
lathe
Tier 1: see, come, again, find, go, look, boy, over
Tier 2: consist, major, require, significant, vary, interpret, respond, consequence
Tier 3: glaciated, abdominal, peninsula, molt, lexical, vaccine, isotope, lathe

15. Defining Words Student-friendly definitions
Convey basic meaning of the word
Definition (formal or informal)
Synonym
Demonstration

16. Definitions and synonyms:
Defining Words
Definitions and synonyms:
Must be understandable to the students!!!
Should be as concise as possible.
Don’t worry about subtle nuance; definitions should get students in the ballpark.
Demonstrations:
Must clearly convey the meaning.

17. Defining Words The most common errors in vocabulary instruction:
Using words the students may not know.
Using too many words.
Watch out for definitions that students do not understand!
“A glerm is a fribby zog.”

18. Defining Words
Formal Definition:
Name a larger class, then name a specifier:
A cooper is a person who makes barrels.

19. Defining Words Informal Definition:
Give any phrase that clearly conveys the meaning of the target word:
When you are gleeful, you are very, very happy.

20. Lesson Planning Grades K-2: Story book reading
BEFORE: Introduce key vocabulary & definitions orally before reading story
DURING: Teacher reads story aloud, students listen for and identify “magic” words
AFTER: Vocabulary extension activities after story
Grades 3 and higher:
Students read text
Other procedures the same

21. Example Study

22. Research Questions
To what extent do K students who are at risk for language difficulties benefit from Tier 1 and Tier 2 vocabulary interventions?
Can we “scale up” tiered vocabulary supports?

23. Method Population: K students in rural, urban schools
Included students in SPED and ELL
19 classrooms, 236 students total:
Tier 1 = 167
Tier 2 = 69
17 Tier 2 instructional groups

24. Supplemental Vocabulary
PPVT < 95
Tier 2:
Supplemental Vocabulary
Intervention
Tier 1:
Classroom Vocabulary
Instruction

25. Tier 1 Instruction Elements of Reading Vocabulary
(Beck & McKeown)
Whole class instruction
20-30 min/day, 5 days/wk, wks
Delivered by K teachers
Introduced words (5 per week)
Read stories
Conducted follow up activities

26. Beck, I. L. , McKeown, M. G. , & Kucan, L. (2002)
Beck, I.L., McKeown, M.G., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction. New York: Guilford.

27. “These bricks will make a fine, sturdy house,” said the third little pig.
Sturdy means strong. Now I’ll say the sentence again with word that mean sturdy. “These bricks will make a fine strong house.” In the picture the little pig says that the bricks (point to the bricks) will make a sturdy, or strong, house. Everyone say sturdy.

28. Tier 2 Instruction In addition to Tier 1 Standard protocol
Focused on 3 words per week
Small groups (3-5 students)
20-30 min/day, 4 days/wk, wks
Delivered by school personnel

29. Tier 2 Instruction Multiple exemplars
Increased opportunities to respond
Error corrections
Model, lead extended responses
Relate to personal experience
Games!

30. Extended Instruction
Simple explanation of target words provided within the context of the story. Extended activities after story reading.
Extended vocabulary instruction is characterized by explicit, conspicuous teaching that includes using both contextual and definitional information, giving multiple exposures of target words in varied contexts, and encouraging deep processing.
(Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2002; Stahl, 1986; Stahl & Fairbanks, 1986)

31. Tier 2 Instruction Examples/Nonexamples:
Let’s play a word game. I’ll tell you about some things. If you think it is strong, say “That’s sturdy!” If you think it is not very strong, say “Uh oh, that’s not very sturdy!”
Examples/Nonexamples:
A big jet airplane in the sky.
A little paper airplane on a windy day.
A tall tower made of cards.
This school.
A big huge rock.
A snowman on a hot sunny day.

32. Extended Instruction
Let’s play a game about our magic word drenched.
I’ll show you some pictures. If you think the picture shows something that looks drenched, or really wet, put your thumb up like this and whisper, “That looks drenched”.
If the picture doesn’t show something that looks drenched, put your thumb down and don’t say anything. 32

33. Extended Instruction (Show picture) Do these children look drenched?
If you held up your thumb like this, you’re right! The children in this picture look drenched, or really wet.
“The children laughed as they got drenched playing in the water fountain.” 33

34. Extended Instruction Picture 1 (Person in the rain)
The person in this picture is drenched, or really wet.
This picture reminds me of a time when I was outside at a picnic. The skies got very dark and it started to rain. I ran to get inside the nearest building, but it was too late. I got drenched from the rain. I felt cold and wet until I changed my clothes.
(remove picture) Tell me about a time when you were drenched from the rain. 34

35. Scaffolding Student Responses
Ask: Does this picture show someone who is active?
If student answers correctly, say:
Yes, that’s right! Why does/doesn’t this picture show someone who is active? (Students should say something like: “The kids are playing soccer!” or “The girl is sleeping!” or relate to the definition.)
If student answers incorrectly, say:
This picture does/doesn’t show someone active, because it does/doesn’t show someone moving around or doing something. Let’s try again. Does this picture show someone who is active?

36. Measures: Pretest Receptive Expressive EVT Target word measure
PPVT (Assignment Variable)
WJ Listening Comprehension
Target word measure
EVT
Target word measure

37. Measures: Post test Receptive Expressive PPVT
WJ Listening Comprehension
Target word measure
EVT
Target word measure
Story Retell
Comprehension
Language sample

38. Regression Discontinuity
Quasi-experimental design
Assignment variable is known

39. post
pre

40. Advantages: Disadvantages: RTI Relatively simple analysis
post
Advantages:
RTI
Relatively simple analysis
Disadvantages:
Large N required
More power with median split
pre

41. Results: Receptive

42. d = .88

43. Results: Expressive

44. d = 1.20

45. Results: PPVT Posttest

46. d = .20

47. Limitations, Future Research
Difficult to get generalized results
Words, instructional design
Non-responders remain
Tier 3?
Fitting it all into a school day
Scaling up further

48. Contact
Breda O’Keeffe