Term
Summer 2021
Capstone
Capstone Project
Degree Name
MALED
Facilitator(s)
Julie Scullen
Content Expert
Lori Mariani
Abstract
The research question addressed in this extended literature review was: How does poverty impact academic vocabulary skills and how can early vocabulary interventions be used effectively in order to strengthen the academic vocabulary skills of students living in poverty? To determine effective interventions to use with low-income students, an extended literature review was conducted that analyzed research studies that implemented academic vocabulary interventions including explicit instruction of phonics and vocabulary, embedded instruction, class discussions, shared book reading, and guided reading. Ten research studies were reviewed with intervention lengths varying from five weeks to two school years. These studies measured improvements in vocabulary skills through both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, including vocabulary assessments, teacher observations, and student responses to open-ended questions. Data from these studies indicated that explicit instruction interventions resulted in improved skills in word recall and decoding. Incorporation of discussions increased student motivation, word knowledge, and understanding of definitions. Shared book reading and guided reading improved students’ phonological awareness and skills in the areas of receptive vocabulary and decoding. Results of this study indicate that it is necessary for vocabulary interventions to be highly structured and supportive in order to improve vocabulary skills. Limitations, implications, and recommendations for future research are also included. (206 words)
Project Type
Extended Literature Review
Keywords
Literacy, Reading
Recommended Citation
Spillner, Carly, "Poverty In Education: The Impact On Academic Vocabulary And Need For Early Interventions" (2021). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects. 709.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_cp/709
dc_type
text
dc_publisher
DigitalCommons@Hamline
dc_format
application/pdf
dc_source
School of Education Student Capstone Projects