Date of Award

8-2017

Document Type

Action Research Project

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Education

Department

Education

First Advisor

Siri Anderson

Department/School

Education

Abstract

This action research paper examines the relationship between explicit vocabulary instruction and reading comprehension, specifically with English Language Learners (ELL). The research took place in a second and fourth grade classroom in the same school in central Minnesota. Students took pretests and posttests for grade level comprehension and vocabulary assessments. Students would then receive explicit vocabulary instruction throughout the week. Finally, students would complete the same assessments as were completed at the beginning of Student surveys were also used to measure confidence and motivation. Data was collected in the form of pretest and posttest scores for grade level comprehension and vocabulary assessments, student surveys, and Fountas and Pinnell assessments. Study results suggest that explicit vocabulary instruction does have an effect on reading comprehension and that ELLs showed a greater degree of growth than non-ELLs. However, more research needs to be conducted to verify that the results were because of vocabulary instruction rather than students making gains from other reading areas. After completing this research, a next possible step would be to continue collecting data to increase the sample size. Another step would be to create a control group and only use explicit vocabulary instruction with some of the students and then compare data from both groups.

Included in

Education Commons

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