The Effect of Story Contexts on Complex Verb Learning in Third Grade Students
Item
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Title
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The Effect of Story Contexts on Complex Verb Learning in Third Grade Students
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Identifier
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d_2009_2013:3ac4d4574feb:12012
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identifier
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12693
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Creator
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Chilton, Molly Welsh,
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Contributor
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Linnea Ehri
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Date
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2013
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Educational psychology | Reading instruction | Elementary education | context | elementary | reading | semantics | verbs | vocabulary
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Abstract
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The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of more and less connected semantic contexts on third graders' learning of complex verb meanings. An experimental design was used. Middle class SES third grade students (N=40) were assigned to one of two conditions to learn complex verbs. Students were matched based on word reading ability (WRMT) and members of pairs were randomly assigned to one of the two conditions. The experimental group (cohesive story context) was presented with four sets of sentences. Each set consisted of a brief synopsis of a story followed by six connected sentences containing target verbs telling the story. The comparison group (unconnected context) was exposed to the same sentences without the synopsis and with different agents presented in a different order to minimize connections between the sentences. Based on connectionist theories, it was hypothesized that students presented with target verbs in a cohesive story context would learn more verb meanings than those assigned to the unconnected context. Students completed word reading and receptive and expressive vocabulary pretests prior to being assigned to a learning condition. Performance during learning as well as on five posttests one day after training were examined in order to assess students' abilities to spell, define, and use target verbs in sentences. The contribution of students' existing vocabulary knowledge and word reading skill to their verb learning was also examined. Students in the cohesive context condition outperformed students in the unconnected condition on most learning and posttest measures. Significant differences between the groups were detected on the more demanding posttest measures (definition production and sentence generation), with students in the connected context condition outperforming those in the unconnected condition. Word reading skills but not vocabulary explained significant unique variance on several measures. Results are discussed in regard to various learning theories, and recommendations are made for vocabulary and general reading instruction.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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2009_2013.csv
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Educational Psychology
