Building Vocabulary of English Learners With Reading Disabilities Through Computer-Assisted Morphology Instruction

Abstract

Many educators in public schools in the United States experience challenges in meeting the unique needs of the growing population of English learners who must simultaneously attain academic skills while acquiring English language proficiency. Such unique needs intensify for English learners with reading disabilities. Morphological awareness is key to vocabulary knowledge, which is an essential area of literacy instruction. This article provides justification for the use of explicit morphology instruction and offers a structure for developing a computer-assisted morphology instructional program to increase morphological awareness and vocabulary knowledge of English learners with reading disabilities.