National Reading Panel Conclusions From Scientifically-Based Research on Vocabulary Instruction
The National Reading Panel reviewed the research in the area of vocabulary instruction. There were 21 different mthods of vocabulary instruction represented in the studies reviewed. The list below presents a summary report of the scientific evidence on effective vocabulary instruction.
- Vocabulary should be taught both directly and indirectly.
- Encountering vocabulary words often and in various ways can have a significant effect on vocabulary learning.
- Vocabulary words that students will find useful in many contexts should be selected.
- Restructuring tasks to be certain students fully understand the task and the components of vocabulary learning can lead to increased vocabulary learning, particularly for low-achieving and at-risk students.
- Actively engaging students results in larger vocabulary gains.
- Emerging support for the use of computer technology to increase vocabulary.
- Vocabulary words can be learned through incidental and indirect ways. Repetition, richness of context, and student motivation may add to the efficacy of incidental learning.
Excerpted From:
Excerpt from Direct Instruction Reading, by D. W. Carnine & J. Silbert & E. J. Kame'enui & S. G. Tarver, 2004 edition, p. 218.
© 2004, Merrill, an imprint of Pearson Education Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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