汉语儿童英语口语词汇与阅读学习的关系

以120名四、五年级小学儿童为被试,探讨汉语儿童英语口语词汇与阅读学习的关系,并检验了英语语音意识在其中的中介作用。结果表明:(1)汉语儿童的英语口语词汇与阅读学习之间存在密切关系。控制一般认知能力和母语口语词汇的影响后,英语口语词汇对阅读学习仍具有显著的预测作用。其中,英语口语词汇产生对于英语单词认读的预测作用更重要,英语口语词汇理解则对英语单词理解的预测作用更重要。(2)英语口语词汇产生既可以直接作用于英语单词认读、理解和假词拼读,也部分通过英语语音意识的中介间接作用于英语阅读;英语口语词汇理解对英语单词理解也具有直接作用,并部分地通过英语语音意识的中介发挥间接作用     

VOCABULARY: NEEDED IF MORE CHILDREN ARE TO READ WELL

Vocabulary has long been recognized as a strong determinant of reading success. Despite the importance of vocabulary knowledge, very little information is available about effective strategies for vocabulary instruction in elementary grades and there is a paucity of data on the relative merits of the different programs that are designed to promote vocabulary growth in elementary children. Available information indicates that, until they reach about grade three, children’s vocabulary knowledge is largely determined by informal factors such as parental interaction and other incidental sources such as the TV. In this article, I will address the following topics: (a) individual differences in vocabulary acquisition, (b) the amount of vocabulary needed for successful learning, (c) the predictable sequence of vocabulary acquisition, (d) the need for direct instruction for vocabulary growth, and (e) promising methods for promoting vocabulary knowledge.     

小学低年级儿童口语词汇知识的发展轨迹及其影响因素

以149名小学生为研究对象, 对其口语词汇知识进行了历时3年的5次追踪测试, 采用潜变量增长模型探索了小学1~3年级学生汉语口语词汇知识的发展轨迹, 并考察了语音意识、同形语素意识、复合语素意识和家庭社会经济地位对口语词汇知识发展轨迹的影响。结果发现：(1) 1~3年级学生口语词汇知识发展轨迹呈曲线形式, 其中前两年呈线性发展, 三年级时呈加速发展, 发展速度是前期发展的两倍, 起始水平和发展速度均存在显著的个体差异; (2)语音意识、同形语素意识、复合语素意识和家庭社会经济地位均可以正向预测学生口语词汇知识的起始水平; (3)只有同形语素意识和家庭社会经济地位可以正向预测学生口语词汇知识的发展速度。     

儿童英汉口语词汇知识与英语语音意识的关系

以120名母语为汉语的四、五年级小学儿壹为被试.探讨英语和母语口语词汇知识与英语语音意识的关系.结果表明: (1)英语和母语口语词汇知识与英语语音意识之间存在密切关系. (2)英语口语词汇产生对英语音节、首音一韵脚和音位意识具有显著的独立预测作用,英语口语词汇理解对英语语音意识的独立贡献性不显著. (3)汉语口语词汇产生对英语音节意识具有显著的预测作用,汉语口语词汇理解对英语音位意识具有显著的预测作用;汉语口语词汇产生既可以直接作用于英语音节意识,也可以通过汉语语音意识的中介发挥间接作用:汉语口语词汇理解则完全通过汉语语音意识和英语口语词汇产生的中介间接作用于英语旨位意识.     

COMPUTER ASSESSMENT OF READING VOCABULARY: A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE,WORD FREQUENCY,AND RESPONSE TIME

The assessment of vocabulary knowledge has posed a number of problems which have resulted in widely differing estimates of children's vocabulary growth. Such estimates assume importance when school texts are controlled for vocabulary diversity, and in pedagogical debates concerning the value of vocabulary instruction. In this paper we outline a computer‐based methodology which obtains simple timed responses to sets of words and word‐like nonsense items. We present pilot data depicting estimated vocabulary knowledge, and relating it to word frequency and decision response time, and we speculate about the question of total vocabulary size.     

From terrible twos to sassy sixes: The development of vocabulary and executive functioning across early childhood

Across the early childhood period of development, young children exhibit considerable growth in their executive functioning (EF) and vocabulary abilities. Understanding the developmental trajectory of these seemingly interrelated processes is important as both early vocabulary and EF have been shown to predict critical academic and socio-emotional outcomes later in childhood. Although previous research suggests that EF and vocabulary are correlated in early childhood, much of the existing longitudinal research has focused on unidirectional relations among preschool child samples. The current large-scale study, therefore, sought to examine whether children's vocabulary and EF abilities are bidirectionally related over time across four measurement waves in early childhood (i.e., at ages 2, 3, 4, and 6). At each timepoint, children's vocabulary skills were positively correlated with their concurrent EF abilities. After controlling for child sex and maternal education status, the best-fitting, cross-lagged panel model was a unidirectional model whereby children's early vocabulary scores predicted their later EF performance at each timepoint. Although age 2 EF significantly predicted age 3 vocabulary size, this association was no longer significant after accounting for maternal education status. Our results illustrate that vocabulary size plays an important role in predicting children's later EF performance across various timepoints in early childhood, even after controlling for children's initial EF scores. These findings have important implications for intervention research as fostering early vocabulary acquisition may serve as a possible avenue for improving EF outcomes in young children.

Research Highlights

• Children's vocabulary size is positively correlated with their concurrent executive functioning skill at ages 2, 3, 4, and 6
• Young children's early vocabulary scores predict their later EF performance across measurement waves, even after controlling for initial EF skill
• There is stability in children's relative vocabulary size and executive functioning performance over time in early childhood

     

Joint Reading of Informational Science Text Versus Narrative Stories: How Does each Affect Language and Literacy Abilities Among Kindergarteners?

The effectiveness of a literacy intervention program based on a joint interactive reading of informational science texts in increasing children’s science vocabulary, language and literacy skills, delivered by the kindergarten teacher, was examined in 34 Hebrew-speaking kindergarten children exhibiting different levels of emergent literacy skills. The impact of the informational science text intervention was compared to that of a similar program based on narrative stories. Post-intervention, both groups improved their domain-specific vocabulary – science or narrative – but the change in domain-specific vocabulary learning was lower in the informational science group as opposed to the narrative group. Improvement was also found with regard to general vocabulary, print concepts, and listening comprehension following both interventions. Change in scientific vocabulary was positively related with change in morphological awareness, change in print concepts, and listening comprehension. No such findings were found with regard to narrative vocabulary. The study suggests that a short informational science intervention program can enhance science vocabulary and literacy skills in kindergarten children and should be used more often in kindergartens.     

Tracing children's vocabulary development from preschool through the school‐age years: an 8‐year longitudinal study

In this 8‐year longitudinal study, we traced the vocabulary growth of Chinese children, explored potential precursors of vocabulary knowledge, and investigated how vocabulary growth predicted future reading skills. Two hundred and sixty‐four (264) native Chinese children from Beijing were measured on a variety of reading and language tasks over 8 years. Between the ages of 4 to 10 years, they were administered tasks of vocabulary and related cognitive skills. At age 11, comprehensive reading skills, including character recognition, reading fluency, and reading comprehension were examined. Individual differences in vocabulary developmental profiles were estimated using the intercept‐slope cluster method. Vocabulary development was then examined in relation to later reading outcomes. Three subgroups of lexical growth were classified, namely high‐high (with a large initial vocabulary size and a fast growth rate), low‐high (with a small initial vocabulary size and a fast growth rate) and low‐low (with a small initial vocabulary size and a slow growth rate) groups. Low‐high and low‐low groups were distinguishable mostly through phonological skills, morphological skills and other reading‐related cognitive skills. Childhood vocabulary development (using intercept and slope) explained subsequent reading skills. Findings suggest that language‐related and reading‐related cognitive skills differ among groups with different developmental trajectories of vocabulary, and the initial size and growth rate of vocabulary may be two predictors for later reading development.     

学前儿童英语语音意识、字母知识及口语词汇之间关系的研究

本研究以北京市两所普通幼儿园3~6岁共122名儿童为被试,运用测验法对英语语音意识、字母知识、口语词汇之间的关系进行了考察。结果发现,汉语学前儿童的英语语音意识和字母知识、语音意识和口语词汇、以及字母知识和口语词汇之间都具有显著的相关关系;英语口语词汇对语音意识和字母知识具有显著的预测作用,字母知识和英语语音意识对于英语口语词汇具有显著的预测作用。     

视觉经验缺失对盲人听觉词汇识别的影响

听觉词汇识别包含复杂的认知加工过程。视觉通道受阻的盲人在听觉词汇加工中具有一定听觉补偿优势; 但由于视觉经验的缺失, 盲人对一些视觉相关词(比如颜色词)的语义加工和理解比明眼人弱。未来的研究应对词汇的视觉相关性进行分类讨论; 对音、形、义等多层面及其神经生理机制进行深入探究, 发展符合盲人感知特点的听觉词汇加工模型; 并拓展不同年龄段的发展性研究。最终, 揭示视觉经验缺失对盲人听觉词汇识别影响机制的全貌。     

识字量和词汇知识在儿童阅读发展中的相对重要性

本研究基于简单阅读观理论,以两个样本共计666名大班至四年级的汉语儿童为研究对象,探索了识字量和词汇知识在儿童阅读能力发展中的作用及相对重要性的变化。结果显示,在阅读学习早期,识字量对阅读理解的重要性高于词汇知识。随着年级的升高,识字量的重要性降低,而词汇知识的重要性增加。这一发现证实简单阅读观理论也适用于解释汉语阅读能力的发展,并对今后的语文教学具有重要的启示意义。     

Developing Reading Comprehension and Academic Vocabulary for English Language Learners Through Science Content: A Formative Experiment

This formative experiment explored the extent to which two instructional frameworks that varied in the explicitness of academic vocabulary instruction, comprehension strategy instruction, and supports for student autonomy influenced reading comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, perceptions of autonomy supports, and reading engagement in fourth-grade English-language learners (ELLs). In the contextualized vocabulary instruction (CVI) framework, four reading comprehension strategies were integrated with two autonomy-supportive (motivation) practices and implicit instruction of academic science vocabulary. In the intensified vocabulary instruction (IVI) framework, students experienced explicit instruction of academic science vocabulary in relation to reading, without explicit strategy instruction or attention to autonomy supports. Results indicated that the IVI framework increased students’ academic vocabulary even 3 weeks after the intervention was over, whereas CVI benefited students’ reading comprehension as well as their perceptions of autonomous learning in the classroom. Both quantitative and qualitative results are interpreted under the lens of formative experiments.     

Summer Reading: Predicting Adolescent Word Learning from Aptitude,Time Spent Reading,and Text Type

Mostly low-income African American and Hispanic teens (N = 192) were tested in (a) passage comprehension, (b) vocabulary ability, (c) cloze task performance, and (d) listening comprehension in the spring and vocabulary in the fall. Students were surveyed about reading (a) narrative, (b) expository, (c) teen culture, and (d) online texts. Interaction terms created by the product of cloze task scores with the time and frequency of student narrative and expository reading were both significant predictors of fall vocabulary. Online reading was popular but did not predict vocabulary gains. Teen culture reading predicted vocabulary loss. Text type and student profiles both play a role in predicting fall vocabulary scores from summer reading.     

An investigation of high school social studies teachers' understandings of vocabulary teaching and learning

This qualitative study focused on high school social studies teachers' understandings of and perspectives about vocabulary acquisition and instruction. The research questions were the following: (1) What do high school social studies teachers understand about vocabulary instruction? and (2) How do high school social studies teachers support vocabulary learning? Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 25 high school social studies teachers. Findings indicate that external factors shaped instructional decision-making for teaching vocabulary, teachers' belief systems guided instructional choices, and the diverse needs of students called for differentiated instruction not only for English language learners but also for all students given the unique nature of the language of social studies.     

Early vocabulary development: Relationships with prelinguistic skills and early social-emotional/behavioral problems and competencies

The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate early vocabulary development and its relationships with prelinguistic communication skills and social-emotional/behavioral (SEB¹) problems and competencies. The participants were 58 healthy Finnish-speaking children (30 girls, 28 boys). First, the concurrent relationships were investigated at the age of 18 months. Second, the relationships between prelinguistic communication skills and SEB problems and competencies at 18 months, and subsequent vocabulary scores at 24 and 30 months, were examined. Parental reports on early vocabulary (MacArthur Communicative Developmental Inventories; MCDI), prelinguistic communication skills (The Infant-Toddler Checklist of the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile; ITC), SEB problems and competencies (Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment; BITSEA) were gathered. Compared to boys, girls scored significantly higher on ITC Speech Composite at 18 months and expressive vocabulary measures at 18, 24, and 30 months. Vocabulary, as well as prelinguistic communication measures, correlated with SEB competencies at 18 months. Furthermore, vocabulary, as well as ITC Symbolic Composite and Total Score, correlated negatively with externalizing problem and SEB Total Problem scores. With regard to subsequent vocabulary development, all of the prelinguistic communication measures at 18 months correlated with vocabulary at 24 and 30 months. However, when accounted for gender and earlier vocabulary, only the associations with ITC Speech Composite and Total Score at 24 months remained significant. SEB Competencies at 18 months correlated positively, while externalizing problems at 18 months correlated negatively with vocabulary at 24 and 30 months, however, these associations did not remain significant, when accounted for gender and earlier vocabulary.     

An Investigation of Teachers' Concerns About Vocabulary and the Representation of These Concerns in Content Literacy Methodology Textbooks

The purpose of this study was twofold: to (a) find out what questions currently practicing middle grade teachers have about vocabulary instruction and (b) determine what current undergraduate content area textbooks include that provide answers to these vocabulary questions. As researchers and practitioners directly responsible for teaching preservice middle grades teachers, this was a beginning step in examining whether our own teacher preparation programs are meeting the needs of new teachers as they encounter the demands of teaching vocabulary in their content areas. Teacher concerns about vocabulary instruction were determined by a survey instrument administered to 390 middle school teachers to ascertain questions they have about teaching vocabulary. A content analysis of the three leading content area textbooks was then undertaken to determine to what degree the top five concerns of middle grades teachers were addressed in these texts. Though direct information on how to teach vocabulary was provided, the researchers found that twice as much information was presented indirectly, embedded under subheadings where it was mentioned. In other words, only half the time did the texts explain how to teach the principles advocated.     

Preschoolers' Acquisition of Scientific Vocabulary Through Repeated Read-Aloud Events,Retellings, and Hands-On Science Activities

This study explored 3- and 4-year-old children's development of scientific vocabulary from participation in repeated interactive read-aloud events and retellings of three informational picture books about light and color, followed by hands-on science activities. Thirty-two children attending a YWCA preschool were matched by age and general vocabulary knowledge and randomly assigned to a retelling or no retelling condition. Repeated measures ANOVA of pretest and posttest scores on a free recall target vocabulary test revealed significantly higher scores for 4-year-olds, those with higher vocabulary knowledge, and those who retold the books. Children used significantly more target words across the three retellings.     

中国人敬畏特质的心理结构研究

本研究基于人格词汇学假设,探索中国人敬畏特质的心理结构。通过文献分析、专家访谈、开放式和半开放式问卷调查,建立39个词汇的敬畏特质词汇表。在此基础上,进行项目分析、探索性因素分析、验证性因素分析和信效度检验,编制了包含24个词汇的中国人敬畏特质词汇评定问卷。结果表明:(1)中国人的敬畏特质是一个包括谨慎、尊重、谦卑、欣赏的四维结构;(2)编制的中国人敬畏特质词汇评定问卷的信效度符合心理测量学的要求。     

Contrasting contributions of phonological short-term memory and long-term knowledge to vocabulary learning in a foreign language

The contributions of phonological short-term memory and existing foreign vocabulary knowledge to the learning of new words in a second language were compared in a sample of 40 Greek children studying English at school. The children's speed of learning new English words in a paired-associate learning task was strongly influenced by their current English vocabulary, but was independent of phonological memory skill, indexed by nonword repetition ability. However, phonological memory performance was closely linked to English vocabulary scores. The findings suggest that in learners with considerable familiarity with a second language, foreign vocabulary acquisition is mediated largely by use of existing knowledge representations.     

Joint Book Reading and Receptive Vocabulary: A Parallel Process Model

The purpose of the present study was to understand the reciprocal, bidirectional longitudinal relation between joint book reading and English receptive vocabulary. To address the research goals, a nationally representative sample of Head Start children, the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (2003 cohort), was used for analysis. The children were aged 3–4 years at programme entry. The mothers' average age at programme entry was 39 years old. A parallel process model was utilized to examine the growth factors of joint book reading and receptive vocabulary in parallel. Three significant findings emerged: (1) initial levels of English receptive vocabulary and joint book reading positively covaried; (2) English receptive vocabulary and joint book reading were positively and reciprocally related to each other; and (3) slopes for joint book reading and English receptive vocabulary negatively covaried. Results suggest that joint book reading can support and scaffold Head Start children's English receptive vocabulary. Reciprocally, Head Start children's English receptive vocabulary appears to predict the extent to which they engage in joint book reading at home. Moreover, the frequency of joint book reading decreases as the children demonstrate higher levels of English receptive vocabulary. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.