Evaluation

The NRP found three studies on teaching vocabulary where the students were also assessed on comprehension.

Grade Level

All studies used grade 4 students. One study applied reciprocal teaching methods to teach vocabulary to grade 4 students.

Experimenter Tests

These students were tested on word meanings, cloze usually statement question with a blank standing for an omitted word that can be _____ (derived) from the statement's context. procedures and story comprehension. The students had success in learning of the words and use of word meanings and in increased story comprehension. Students learned to derive word meanings from text.

Standardized Tests

Transfer to more general reading comprehension as assessed by a standardized test was not successful.

Summary Evaluation of Vocabulary Instruction and Relation to Comprehension

More experimental studies on the relationship between learning vocabulary and reading comprehension are needed. There is a high correlation between vocabulary knowledge and comprehension. Is there a causal direction between learning vocabulary and improving reading comprehension. Further, vocabulary learning is a part of normal content area learning. Direct instruction of vocabulary in content areas may lead to better reading and listening comprehension and to improvement in course achievement.  This is a promising area of research because it bridges the early reading skill development and later comprehension training.