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Teaching visual imagery for vocabulary learning.

Article Excerpt
Abstract

Research validated strategies learned in teacher education programs are frequently not translated into practice. This study investigated whether teachers and teacher candidates personally used and taught a research supported strategy (visual imagery) for learning new vocabulary. Results indicated personal experience and information on how to teach the strategy increased teacher comfort level and belief in strategy efficacy, which was necessary before teachers committed to teaching the strategy to students.

Introduction

Many professional development and university teacher education programs teach visual imagery as an instructional strategy, specifically to assist in improving K-12 students' reading comprehension and content area concept development. Visual imagery is supported in research literature as being an effective means of supporting and improving the acquisition of academic knowledge. Visual imagery, as a metacognitive toot, assists students and teachers in assessing understanding of vocabulary knowledge, concept acquisition, and basic skills mastery. Given that visual imagery is supported by research as an effective instructional strategy, this study was designed to ascertain whether teachers and teacher candidates involved in professional development programs personally used visual imagery as a tool to learn new vocabulary, and the degree to which they included visual imagery instruction in lesson plans. Our hypothesis was that teachers taught vocabulary learning strategies with which they were familiar and comfortable, rather than implementing a research supported strategy with which they had little or no experience (Barnett, 2004; Jones, Harlow and Cowie, 2004).

Importance of Vocabulary development

As the demand for advanced literacy skills increases, the ability to understand and use words increases in importance (Scott, Jamieson-Noel & Asselin, 2003). To comprehend effectively what is read, readers need to have knowledge of word meanings, word concepts, relationships, and interpretations of vocabulary to comprehend larger amounts of text such as is found in narratives, expository text, and other content related reading material (Choate, et al, 1995; Scott, et, al, 2003). A student's ability to comprehend passages is facilitated or impeded by the student's skills with word meanings. In contrast, early deficits in vocabulary skills are a risk factor for later reading problems (Coyne, Simmons, Kame'enui & Stoolmiller, 2004). Because accurate and precise use of grammar and vocabulary are defining features of academic language proficiency, effective attention to vocabulary learning will enhance student achievement (Bryant, Goodwin, Bryant, & Higgins, 2003). According to Bryant, et al (2003) because vocabulary is integral to a student's academic success, vocabulary instruction should be programmed into all content area instruction on a frequent basis. However, past studies indicate that teachers only spend between 3-20% of instructional time on vocabulary development (Watts, 1995; Blanton & Moorman, 1990; Blachowicz, 1987; Durkin, 1978-79). Given that instructional time is often insufficient, attention to the type of instruction and its alignment with effective vocabulary learning strategies is critical....