1. Vocabulary Comprehension in a Fourth Grade Classroom
Lauren Miller
A Capstone Presented to the Teachers College Faculty
of Western Governors University
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Learning and Technology
June 6, 2017

2. Topic Vocabulary comprehension in a fourth grade classroom
Students struggle with recalling vocabulary words
Vocabulary comprehension affects student success in reading and other subject areas
(Pexel). Source of image. The topic of this capstone research study is vocabulary comprehension in a small fourth grade classroom in Montana. This topic is important to education today because students need vocabulary skills in order to be successful in all academic subjects of school. Many students struggle with retaining vocabulary words and many teachers struggle with finding effective teaching strategies to help these students.

3. Problem Traditional vocabulary instruction is ineffective
Students do not retain information
Committing vocabulary to memory is a need in education because students must know domain-specific vocabulary to be successful in education
The problem with traditional vocabulary instruction is that students do not retain information regarding vocabulary. These students are unable to commit vocabulary words to memory and therefore are not able to recall words during future assessments. To change this traditional vocabulary instruction, this study aimed to determine if teaching specific vocabulary words and incorporating technology into vocabulary instruction would improve student success on vocabulary assessments.

4. Target Population
24 students in a small, Montana fourth grade classroom
14 females, 10 males
Average ability levels
Low motivational levels
Mostly Caucasian, middle-class
All students have prior exposure to vocabulary instruction
During this slide, describe the target population in more detail.

5. Research Questions
Research Question 1: How does exposure to vocabulary strategies, including the use of technology, affect student learning and comprehension of vocabulary words?
Research Question 2: How does the use of technology as a vocabulary instruction tool impact student attitude and opinion about learning vocabulary words?
Explain research questions.

6. Instructional Unit
Unit Description: Fourth Grade Vocabulary Comprehension
Unit Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy 4.4 (Students will determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading content); CCSS.ELA-Literacy 4.4A(Students will use context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase); CCSS.ELA-Literacy 4.4C(Students will consult reference materials to determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words or phrases); CCSS.ELA-Literacy 4.5C (Students will demonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites and to words with similar meanings); CCSS.ELA-Literacy 4.6 (Students will acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases. (Initiative)
Unit Objective:
Students will be able to correctly define 8 out of 10 vocabulary words by writing the definition of words on a piece of paper.
Duration of Unit:
This unit is an 8 hour unit of instruction. Days 1 and 2 will be 90 minute sessions. Days 3 and 4 will be 120 minutes spread out throughout the day. Day 5 will be a 60 minute session.
Performance Assessment:
Students will complete two written assessments. A pre-test testing ten vocabulary words as well as a post-test testing the same ten vocabulary words. These words are taken from Journeys Reading Program Grade 4. These questions are all short answer questions.
Students in the experimental group will also concept maps and circle charts to aid in vocabulary comprehension.
(Initiative) The goal of this unit is to determine if students exposed to vocabulary strategies and educational technology will achieve higher scores on the end of unit vocabulary assessment. This unit will be an 8 hour unit in which students in a class of 24 are split into two random groups of 12 students each, one group being the control group experiencing traditional instruction, and an experimental group experiencing exposure to vocabulary strategies and technology.

7. Instructional Unit Continued
Materials:
Journeys Reading Program Grade 4 a product of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Computers/iPads/Document Camera
Whiteboard
Paper
Pencil/Crayons
Product/Evidence:
Students in both the control group and experimental group will complete pre-and post-assessments.
Students in the experimental group will complete concept maps and circle charts for each vocabulary word.
Differentiation:
Students will be randomly divided into two groups, a control group and an experimental group. Students in the control group will continue vocabulary instruction as normally followed during class time.
Control group: Students will be asked to write the definitions of each word by using reference books and context clues. Students who need extra support will be asked only to write the word and definition. Students who are on grade level will be asked to write the word and the definition as well as draw a small picture. Students above grade level will be asked to write the word and the definition as well as a sentence using the word correctly. On the assessments, students who need support will have the test read to them and could have their answers scribed if necessary.
Experimental group: Students will be asked to learn vocabulary words through the use of technology as well as through the use of concept maps and circle charts. Students who need more support will have black-line master copies of these thinking carts made for them. Students who are on and above grade level will create their own maps and charts. Students below grade level will be working in a small group to access technology while students on and above grade level will be working independently. On the assessment, students who need support will have the test read to them and could have their answers scribed if necessary.
Texts for Independent Reading:
To work with this vocabulary, students will be reading “The Fun They Had” written by Issac Asimov. This story is taken from Journeys Reading Program Grade 4 (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt).
The materials needed for this unit include a Journeys Reading Program, computers, iPads, Document Camera, Whiteboard, Paper, Pencil and Crayons. Students in both groups will be completing pre-and post-vocabulary assessments. Students in the experimental group will also complete an interview regarding their opinions and attitudes about using technology to learn.

8. Instructional Unit Continued
Day 1: Students will take a pre-test over ten vocabulary words. Students will write and define the vocabulary words by using reference materials as well as context clues. Students will read the week’s story , “The Fun They Had” written by Isaac Asimov. Students in the control group will read this story from a text book while students in the experimental group will use technology by accessing a computer to listen to the story and read along online.
Day 2: Students in the control group will work in small groups to use knowledge of vocabulary words to re-read the story “The Fun They Had”. Students will discuss vocabulary words and write a short summary of the story. Students in the experimental group will be taught the skill of concept mapping. These students will make concept maps for each of the vocabulary words building on their own knowledge and prior experiences. These students will then discuss the words in small groups after reading the story “The Fun They Had”.
Day 3: Students in the control group will work in small groups to read leveled readers that incorporate the week’s vocabulary words. These students will be asked to quiz each other on vocabulary words. Students in the experimental group will be taught the skill of making a circle chart. These students will share their concept maps and circle charts with the group. Students in this group will also use educational apps such as quizlet to help them study the vocabulary words.
Day 4: Students in the control group will read a supplemental story in small groups that incorporates the week’s vocabulary words. Students will study in small groups to prepare for the week’s vocabulary test. Students in the experimental group will use their knowledge of vocabulary words to continue sharing their concept maps and circle charts. They will discuss the vocabulary in other contexts while reading the same supplemental story that the control group read.
Day 5: Students in both the control and experimental group will study their vocabulary words and weekly story before taking the post-test. Students will take the post-test over ten vocabulary words as well as a comprehension test. For this study, only the post-test scores will be analyzed.
During this slide, briefly discuss each day of the unit. Explain the differences between the control and experimental groups. During this slide also discuss what to do when the unit is over as far as helping students who are not benchmark and enriching the topic for students who are benchmark.

9. Data Collection and Analysis
Control Group
Experimental Group
Pre-and Post-Vocabulary Assessments
Pre-and Post-Vocabulary Assessments
Student Interviews
Explain that these vocabulary words are taken from the Journeys Curriculum. The students are asked to write the definitions for ten vocabulary words. The student interview questions ask students about their opinions and attitudes regarding using technology to help them learn vocabulary words.

10. Data Collection and Analysis
Control Group
Experimental Group
Student pre-and post-tests are analyzed quantitatively
The mean score for the pre-test and the mean score for the post-test are compared to determine student improvement
Student pre-and post-tests are analyzed quantitatively
The mean score for the pre-test and the mean score for the post-test are compared to determine student improvement
Student interview questions are analyzed qualitatively
Student answers coded and patterns determined
Discuss that mean scores were calculated using an excel spreadsheet for all questions.

11. Results-Vocabulary Test
Control Group
Experimental Group
Pre-Test Mean= words correct
Post-Test Mean= words correct
Difference=5 words correct
Pre-Test Mean= words correct
Post-Test Mean= words correct
Difference=6.25 words correct
Explain that on average, students in the experimental group knew 1.25 more words at the end of the unit than students in the control group. Because of this, it can be concluded that students benefited from vocabulary instruction and exposure to technology.

12. Results-Student Interview
Students report:
They enjoy using technology to learn about vocabulary
Technology is easier and more fun for learning
Technology makes more sense because students are “used” to it
Technology is environmentally friendly
Technology is easier for the teacher
Using technology encourages a positive student attitude
When students are motivated and engaged in learning and like how and what they are learning, they typically do better on assessments and assignments
They do not wish to have more access to technology as can be an unhealthy distraction and is expensive
Share the process of coding student responses. Found common themes in the answers which became the categories used to determine patterns. These categories were Effect on Learning, Enjoyment of Technology, How Technology is Helpful, and Wanting More Technology. Answers were then described and connections to the study were discussed.

13. Conclusions
Vocabulary strategies and technology increases students comprehension of vocabulary words
Using technology as a vocabulary instruction tool increases student motivation and desire to incorporate technology into learning
(Pexel) Describe the results of this study in more detail explaining that on average the experimental group answered 1.25 more vocabulary words than the control group. These students also shared their attitudes and opinions about using technology to learn. If students believe learning is fun and exciting, they will be more engaged and will do better academically.

14. Project Strengths and Weaknesses
Provides information to teachers about a current classroom issue By providing information about how to increase students learning and motivation, teachers can gain insight and ideas about how to best help their students achieve
Could be completed in a variety of classrooms
Easily accomplished with pre-and post-tests
Any teacher could determine if their own students benefit from learning vocabulary strategies and using technology to learn academic vocabulary
Students participating in this study were randomly grouped and ability levels were not taken into consideration
Data from this study could be skewed due to ability levels and motivational levels of students in each group
Prior relationships with students could affect student answers on interview questions
Too short of a time-frame
Students did not receive the full benefit of using technology or the vocabulary strategies to help them learn
By providing information about how to increase student learning and motivation, teachers can gain inside and ideas about how to best help their students achieve. By completing this study in a different classroom, a different teacher could determine if their own students benefit from learning vocabulary strategies and using technology to learn vocabulary. A longer study starting at the beginning of the year could possibly show a larger increase in student knowledge.

15. Knowledge Application
Continue to modify classroom instruction to include teaching vocabulary strategies and technology as a teaching tool
Continue to research the impact vocabulary has on other subjects
Share findings with other educators so that more teachers will begin to use effective teaching strategies in their classrooms
As a teacher it is important to always strive to find the best way to help students be as successful as possible. It is important to continue research so that best practices are being followed in the classroom. Sharing this knowledge will also help more students be successful because their teachers will be using the effective strategies.

16. References
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. (2014). Journeys. In H. M. Harcourt, Journeys . Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Initiative, C. C. (2017). English Language Arts Standards Grade 4. Retrieved 06 05, 2017, from Common Core State Standards Initiative:
Pexel. (n.d.). Pexel.