Critics of Head Start contend that many programs spend too much money on programs extraneous to children. On the other hand, Head Start advocates argue that the families of severely disadvantaged children need a broad range of services. Given the available evidence, it has been impossible to assess the validity of these claims. In this study, we…

In this study I investigated the effectiveness of a kindergarten vocabulary intervention, developed based on previous research on characteristics of effective vocabulary intervention through storybook read-alouds, in 5 kindergarten classrooms. Among these classrooms were 3 mainstream, 1 two-way bilingual, and 1 structured immersion classroom. The…

This report contends that limited vocabulary knowledge is the principal cause of reading dysfunction for a large percentage of students whose progress in learning to read appears normal during the first two or three years of reading instruction, but who begin to fall behind starting somewhere between grades 3 and 7. The report addresses the…

Intended as a tool for anyone working in children's literature, young adult literature, and educational writing, this "fast-reference" guide can be used along with the dictionary and thesaurus to aid in choosing the most effective word when writing, whether professionally or for the classroom. The guide contains: (1) lists of specific…

Taking up where "Word Smart" (published in 1988) left off, this book aims to expand the educated person's vocabulary with 848 more words. Besides different words, the book features a special emphasis on correct pronunciation--so that embarassament can be avoided by those who speak up in class or who try to impress their friends with…

Four studies examined the validity of the "Living Word Vocabulary" (LWV), a corpus of approximately 44,000 alphabetized words with multiple meanings tested at different grade levels. Regressions were performed between the grade level p-values (percentages of students responding correctly to a vocabulary test item) reported by LWV and…

A study determined which approach for vocabulary development, context or definition, would yield the best results on a teacher-made content area vocabulary test. Two random samples (for a total of 45 students) of fourth graders from a central New Jersey elementary school were formed. One sample was taught 50 social studies vocabulary words using…

A major theoretical issue in the study of language processing and language acquisition is whether language development is independent of other aspects of cognitive development, encapsulated in a "language module." This issue is discussed as it relates to lexical processing. The paper begins with a historical contextualization of the modular view…

A study was conducted to determine whether using the schema method for vocabulary instruction would be significantly greater than using the dictionary method for vocabulary instruction. Subjects were 12 sixth grade students who were divided into two sample groups and received different forms of vocabulary instruction for 10 weeks. Each sample was…

Comprehensive rules, guidelines, and examples are provided for use by ERIC indexers and lexicographers in creating and using Identifiers, and in developing and maintaining the ERIC Identifier file via the "Identifier Authority List (IAL)." Identifiers and the IAL are defined/described: Identifiers are highly specific entities, including…

Computer technology allows students to experiment with word usage and create their own meaningful words. Traditionally, students have acquired new words through reading them in context, analyzing the structure of new words, or using the dictionary. Drills in any of these techniques can be ineffective unless students are actively engaged in the…

This booklet shows parents how to help their children develop a number of strategies for understanding words by working together on a methodical, 12-week program of word study. Sections of the booklet describe the program week by week. The techniques described are: Read and Use Context; Search for Synonyms, Antonyms, Homonyms; Learn Important…

Translators must understand what they translate, but oral language is generally more redundant than written language and the translator need not repeat everything he hears. One method of teaching this skill is to have students sight translate a text in its entirety and then abridge it to its minimum informative content. Abstracting and compressing…

This study explores children's development of dual-level phonological processing posited by generative theory for adult language users. Evidence suggesting 6-year-olds' utilization of morphophonemic segments was obtained by asking children to imitate complex words, omit specified portions, and discuss the meaning of the resulting word-parts. The…

Concludes there was no difference in vocabulary development between a group receiving heavy vocabulary instruction but little tradebook reading and a second group receiving almost no direct teaching of vocabulary but heavy tradebook reading. (RB)