Date Approved

4-28-2025

Graduate Degree Type

Project

Degree Name

Education-Literacy Studies: Reading (M.Ed.)

Degree Program

Literacy, Educational Foundations, & Technology

First Advisor

Elizabeth Petroelje Stolle, Ph.D., Project Advisor

Academic Year

2024/2025

Abstract

Vocabulary knowledge upon entering school is a known predictor of literacy success (Moody et al., 2018; NPR, 2000). However, students enter school with various levels of vocabulary knowledge, creating gaps in literacy skills. Teachers must be equipped with the most efficient and effective vocabulary instructional strategies to compensate for these deficits in vocabulary and help all students become successful readers (Moody et al., 2018). This project seeks to research the most successful methods of structuring and implementing vocabulary instruction and provide this knowledge to kindergarten and second-grade teachers through professional development (PD). The PD will consist of several workshops introducing the research-based structure and strategies, empowering teachers with practical tools they can readily apply in their classrooms. In addition to PD, teachers will participate in learning labs where they will observe each other and reflect on the effectiveness of the strategies. Teachers participating in the PD will be given a survey before the first session and after the final session. This survey will assess teachers' perceptions of and confidence in vocabulary instruction. Students' vocabulary knowledge will be evaluated before and after the professional development using iReady data to demonstrate growth. This data will be analyzed and used to determine the effectiveness of the vocabulary instructional strategies in relation to the growth of student word knowledge and reading. This project aims to close vocabulary gaps and improve literacy among students by equipping teachers with a framework and methods for vocabulary instruction while allowing time for collaboration with peers with ongoing support through PD. The results of this project will empower teachers to use existing research on vocabulary instruction to provide practical methods that can readily be applied to enhance teaching practices and vocabulary learning.

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