Understanding Of Vocabulary Research Articles

The Vocabulary Initiative: A Model for Vocabulary Instruction

The U.S. currently has wide income and racial achievement gaps in reading. The disparity between African Americans or Hispanics and Caucasians is multiple grade levels; in other words, 13-year-old Caucasians' reading scores are equivalent to those of 17-year-old Hispanics or African Americans (Family Facts 2009). While this reading gap has multiple causes, the vocabulary disparity is one of the primary drivers. These vocabulary differences are present when students begin school and only widen in each successive school year. Additionally, vocabulary understanding is critical for reading comprehension and thus success on standardized tests and ultimately success in high school and college. It is clear, therefore, that if the nationhopes to reduce the reading achievement gap and help boost college completion rates for lowincome and minority Americans, the vocabulary gap must be addressed.

Making Sense of Errors Made by Learners in Mathematical Word Problem Solving

In recent years research in mathematical word problems has focused on an attempt to connect classroom mathematics teaching and learning to learners’ out-of-school ‘real life’ knowledge. The study reported in the current article investigated sources of errors that Grade 9 learners make when they solve mathematical word problems in a classroom. The study followed a quantitative approach with data collected through a test. The study consisted of a convenience sample of 35 Grade 9 learners with different academic achievements in mathematics. Analyses of data gathered from learners’ written work (or a test) seemed to suggest that learners encountered difficulties in reading and making sense of the mathematical word problems. In addition, it appeared that learners struggled to comprehend the given word problems. In brief, the data in the current article demonstrated that the errors exhibited by learners in the solution of word problems appeared to be as a result of lack of understanding of mathematical vocabulary that is used in a problem statement. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n13p325

A Study on English as a Lingua Franca: Japanese University Students’ Barriers to Communication

In this global society, almost all of us agree that English acts as a lingua franca. However, non-native speakers often make L1 influenced mistakes including structural or grammatical errors, or mistakes in vocabulary usage. These mistakes can interfere in communication with native speakers. In this study, a sample of 101 Japanese university students who had studied English for six years before entering university (i.e. nonnative speakers) participated in translating certain sentences into written English. Then the degree to which native speakers understood these translations was examined. Native speakers marked the data as one of three types: natural, not natural but comprehensible, or incomprehensible. Next, data that was marked as either comprehensible or incomprehensible was examined to identify the type of errors that occurred most frequently. The types of errors in students’ translations of sentences were divided into three categories: (1) errors influenced by L1, (2) errors stemming from a lack of grammatical knowledge, and (3) errors which arose from a poor understanding of vocabulary. Finally, the data completed by our sample was used to find the kinds of elements that become obstacles to communication and the most difficult ideas for the students to express. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2013.v3n7p300

Do social norms, false belief understanding, and metacognitive vocabulary influence irony comprehension? A study of five- and seven-year-old children

This study explores the effects of violating socially shared versus situationally defined norms on the understanding of ironic statements in 70 Italian-speaking five- and seven-year-old children. We also considered the possible relationships between irony understanding, receptive and metacognitive vocabulary, and false belief understanding. The results showed that violating socially shared norms does not benefit younger children's understanding of irony, although it does help older children's understanding. Ironic utterances that violate situationally defined norms were understood similarly across the two age groups. First- and second-order false belief understanding did not predict children's ability to interpret irony, although metacognitive vocabulary did predict interpretation for the seven-year-old group in instances of violating a situationally defined norm.

An Analysis of the Hanyu Pinyin Errors of the Indonesian Students

Pinyin is a valuable tool for students who learn Chinese as a second language. Through years of teaching practice and observation, some errors in Indonesian students’ understanding and using in Pinyin were summed up, includingthe phonetic alphabet equated to the actual voice entirely caused the mispronunciation; lack of understanding in some special provisions in Pinyin caused the confusion of vowels “u” and “ü”; improperly placement of tone marks; did not understand the pinyin word-segmentation resulting in memory and understanding of Chinese based on Chinese characters instead of the word as a unit. These errors disturbed the accuracy of Chinese students’ pronunciation, caused problems in Chinese vocabulary understanding. It is very important for Indonesian Chinese language learners to lay a solid foundation of Pinyin and develop good habits in the use of Pinyin.

Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Science Vocabulary: Knowledge and Application

Science vocabulary knowledge plays a role in understanding science concepts, and science knowledge is measured in part by correct use of science vocabulary (Lee et al. in J Res Sci Teach 32(8):797–816, 1995). Elementary school students have growing vocabularies and many are learning English as a secondary language or depend on schools to learn academic English. Teachers must have a clear understanding of science vocabulary in order to communicate and evaluate these understandings with students. The present study measured preservice teachers’ vocabulary knowledge during a science methods course and documented their use of science vocabulary during peer teaching. The data indicate that the course positively impacted the preservice teachers’ knowledge of select elementary science vocabulary; however, use of science terms was inconsistent in microteaching lessons. Recommendations include providing multiple vocabulary instruction strategies in teacher preparation.

Using Photographic Picture Books to Better Understand Young Children’s Ideas of Belonging: A Study of Early Literacy Strategies and Social Inclusion

This study examined the ways young children (3 years 11 months to 7 years 9 months) talk about and demonstrate their understanding of social inclusion through the use of self-produced family photograph books. One hundred eighty-seven children from the Greater Toronto Area participated in the study by first sharing their personal photograph books with a small group of peers and then exploring books produced by children unknown to them. A mixed methods approach was used where children’s understanding of vocabulary was documented and small focus group discussions weretranscribed and analyzed. This article focuses on the study’s qualitative findings that children spoke about and conveyed their understanding of concepts surrounding social inclusion (inclusion, diversity, respect, acceptance, understanding) based on (1) their learning of the social inclusion vocabulary, (2) their personalexperience with social inclusion, and (3) their talk of social inclusionin relation to social identity. These themes and their implications for early childhood education are discussed.

International standards for brucellosis prevention and management

International standards are a crucial element in brucellosis prevention and management. They allow policy-makers, scientists, epidemiologists, laboratories and trade entities to have a common vocabulary for communication and understanding of the disease. These standards cover the entire spectrum of activities from surveillance, testing, prophylaxis, transport and trade to policy development, research and reporting. Developing, adhering to and monitoring standards increases both the effectiveness and efficiency of prevention and management programmes. Creating standards with the input of all stakeholders ensures that the standards do not adversely affect the requirements of any of the multiple parties involved. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), in conjunction with its Member Countries, and through its standing and ad hoc committees plus expert input, has taken a key leadership role in developing and reviewing brucellosis standards. These standards are used to harmonise testing, prevention processes, vaccines and reporting, to support trade and to protect human and animal health.

Use of Multimedia Messages via Mobile Phones in the Teaching and Learning of French Vocabulary in Schools

Educators and researchers have been looking for ways and means of improving the learning of French Vocabulary in schools using Multimedia Message (MMM) via mobile phones so as to improve the vocabulary level of beginners, (students) of French Language, both in terms of their understanding and memorization of new vocabulary. Therefore, this paper extensively discussed the basic elements, some common text devices found in SMSes and relevance of mobile phones to education. Also, contemporary works on the use of MMM via mobile phones in teaching of French vocabulary were discussed. Subsequently, some French vocabularies that can be learnt through MMM via mobile phones were listed and discussed. Some challenges of using MMM via mobile phone in teaching French vocabulary were x-rayed. Conclusions were drawn and recommendations made. Keywords: Multimedia Messages (MMM), mobile phones, Short message services (SMS), French Vocabulary, teaching & learning I. Introduction Multimedia Message (MMM) is a standard way to send messages that include multimedia content to and from mobile phones. It extends the core Short Message Service (SMS) capability that allowed exchange of text messages only up to 160 characters in length. Wikipedia, (2007) opined that multimedia message is very popular in sending photographs from camera-equipped handsets, although it is also popular as a method of delivering news and entertainment content including videos, pictures, text pages, ringtones, graphics, and audio. Multimedia can also simply be a drawing that can be combined with text. Multimedia Message Service (MMS) makes it possible for mobile users to send these multimedia messages from MMS-enabled handsets to other mobile users and to e-mail users. Also, it makes possible for mobile users to receive multimedia messages from other mobile users, e-mail users and from multimedia enabled application. The technology opens up a world of opportunities, allowing users to access content from the worlds leading providers, using cutting-edge handsets and an advanced multimedia platform. MMS crossed all boundaries and is predicted to be a major boost to the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) market. Multimedia Message Service (MMS) has the following characteristics:

Teachers’ Perceptions of the English Education's Problems for Young Children

The purpose of this study was to explore teachers’ perceptions of the problems for young children’s English education in the education setting. Interviews were conducted to determine the type of problems teachers had in regards to the young children’s English education curriculum in the education setting. Participants of the interview consisted of 4 early childhood teachers and 2 headmasters. Based on the results of the interview, teachers perceptions of the English based curriculum indicated that teachers had issues with understanding methods, vocabulary, and conservation skills. Teachers also struggled with parents excessive interest in the English language and also the pressure for English based curriculum in the early childhood education setting. The results from this study provide educators with solutions to the problems that currently exist in early childhood education settings using an English based curriculum. The data allows educators to reflect on the issues and find solutions.

Comparative Difficulties with Non-Scientific General Vocabulary and Scientific - Medical Terminology in English as a Second Language ( ESL ) Medical Students

Medical education requires student comprehension of both technical (scientific/medical) and non-technical (general) vocabulary. Our experience with "English as a second language" (ESL) Arab students suggested they often have problems comprehending scientific statements because of weaknesses in their understanding of non-scientific vocabulary. This study aimed to determine whether ESL students have difficulties with general vocabulary that could hinder their understanding of scientific/medical texts. A survey containing English text was given to ESL students in the premedical years of an English-medium medical school in an Arabic country. The survey consisted of sample questions from the Medical College Admission Test (USA). Students were instructed to identify all unknown words in the text. ESL students commenced premedical studies with substantial deficiencies in English vocabulary. Students from English-medium secondary schools had a selective deficiency in scientific/medical terminology which disappeared with time. Students from Arabic-medium secondary schools had equal difficulty with general and scientific/medical vocabulary. Deficiencies in both areas diminished with time but remained even after three years of English-medium higher education. Typically, when teaching technical subjects to ESL students, attention is focused on subject-unique vocabulary and associated modifiers. This study highlights that ESL students also face difficulties with the general vocabulary used to construct statements employing technical words. Such students would benefit from increases in general vocabulary knowledge.

Listen up: Children with early identified hearing loss achieve age-appropriate speech/language outcomes by 3 years-of-age

ObjectivesAge-appropriate speech/language outcomes for children with early identified hearing loss are a possibility but not a certainty. Identification of children most likely to achieve optimal outcomes is complicated by the heterogeneity of the children involved in outcome research, who present with a range of malleable (e.g. age of identification and cochlear implantation, type of intervention, communication mode) and non-malleable (e.g. degree of hearing loss) factors. This study considered whether a homogenous cohort of early identified children (≤12months), with all severities of hearing loss and no other concomitant diagnoses could not only significantly outperform a similarly homogenous cohort of children who were later identified (>12months to <5years), but also achieve and maintain age-appropriate speech/language outcomes by 3, 4 and 5years of age. MethodsA mixed prospective/retrospective comparative study of a homogenous cohort of 45 early identified (≤12months) and 49 late identified (>12months to <5years) children with hearing loss was conducted. The children all attended the same oral auditory-verbal early intervention programme. Speech/language assessments standardized on typically developing hearing children were conducted at 3, 4 and 5years of age. ResultsThe early identified children significantly outperformed the late identified at all ages and for all severities of HL. By 3years of age, 93% of all early identified participants scored within normal limits (WNL) for speech; 90% were WNL for understanding vocabulary; and 95% were WNL for receptive and expressive language. Progress was maintained and improved so that by 5years of age, 96% were WNL for speech, with 100% WNL for language. ConclusionsThis study found that most children with all severities of hearing loss and no other concomitant diagnosed condition, who were early diagnosed; received amplification by 3months; enrolled into AV intervention by 6months and received a cochlear implant by 18months if required, were able to “keep up with” rather than “catch up to” their typically hearing peers by 3years of age on measures of speech and language, including children with profound hearing loss. By 5years, all children achieved typical language development and 96% typical speech.

Results of innovative and supportive learning programs for homeless children and adults

Four-week summer academy programs served homeless children and adults in two contiguous innovative learning programs. The programs may be the first of their kind in the homeless literature in which both adults and children were exposed to career, academic, and leadership opportunities in the supportive learning environment of a university campus, and where academy children’s academic and self-perception results were compared with matched controls. Children experienced literacy instruction, a mathematics board game, robotics, leadership training, tennis instruction on court facilities, and computer, biology, and chemistry at respective laboratory sites. Adults participated in writing workshop, computer, health and self-care, urban economic, counseling, career, and yoga sessions. Academy children did not experience gains in norm-referenced vocabulary, spelling, or behavioural tests, but did demonstrate highly significant gains in writing ability based on state rubric criteria when compared with controls. In addition, they significantly increased in vocabulary understanding based on eight books read and in tennis skills. Adults significantly increased in keyboarding fluency based on their computer training.

Research on the learning effects of multimedia assisted instruction on mandarin vocabulary acquisition for Vietnamese students (Part II): A case study

This study discusses the effects of using multimedia assisted instruction for Mandarin vocabulary learning by Vietnamese students with the assistance of the ASSURE model. The aim is to understand the difficulties encountered by these students and the effects during the learning progress of multimedia assisted instruction. In order to fulfill the above-mentioned study purposes, this study makes use of qualitative research methods such as interviews, participant observation, and document analysis to follow the progress of 11 Vietnamese students for three months. The study results showed that the use of multimedia assisted instruction could promote the learners’ speed of understanding and memorization of vocabulary. Better transfer of learning during the simulation scenario was also shown. Moreover, the test results of most students showed significant improvement after using multimedia assisted instruction. However, some difficulties were encountered during the learning process, for example; too much English content in the multimedia teaching materials was not necessarily helpful. Students were also subject to loneliness because of the use of multimedia when practicing by themselves after class. This led to insufficient interaction with teachers and classmates. Students with weak initiative and will power would be influenced and distracted by other information from the Internet. Key words: Vietnamese students, multimedia assisted instruction, Mandarin vocabulary, Mandarin education.

Detective Fiction, the Police and Secrecy in Early Twentieth Century Siam

The detective figure, literary and real, emerged in Siam between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to bring clarity to increasingly complex social and political situations. In early detective fiction including the Seup saphakan [ | Investigating it All] (1892–97) and Nithan Thorng-in [ | The Tales of Thorng-in] (1904–05) series this was certainly the case – mysteries were solved, secrets revealed. In real life, however, the state's deployment of an army of detectives did not so much clarify as codify mysteries. This paper examines the links between the literary and the real detective, arguing that the appearance of detective fiction provided the vocabulary for understanding and dealing with social and political change in early twentieth century Siam.

Analysis on the Function of Cultural Connotation in Vocabulary Teaching and Learning of English Majors

Vocabulary is one of most important essentials of language, and it is also the basic of language communication. There are great differences between Chinese and English culture. Therefore, this difference will certainly reflect on the words, especially words with special cultural connotation. In English, there are a lot of words with cultural connotation. University English students who do not understand English culture will certainly misunderstand its cultural connotation because of the negative transfer of culture. This paper will discuss the relations between culture and vocabulary and the problems caused by different cultural connotations, and thus puts forward some suggestions on how to improve vocabulary understanding in intercultural communication of English majors.

Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) screening at 18 months of age predicts concurrent understanding of desires, word learning and expressive vocabulary

The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) is a 23-item questionnaire used in primary screening of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The current studies examine the concurrent validity of the M-CHAT in its ability to predict 18-month-olds’ performance on theory of mind and word learning tasks. In Experiment 1, infants’ understanding of desires was tested using a modified food request task. Experiment 2 assessed infants’ ability to learn novel words. Results indicate that infants’ score on the M-CHAT significantly predicts their performance on both the desire understanding and the novel word learning task. As expected, the number of items endorsed on the M-CHAT also relates to infants’ expressive vocabulary at 18 months of age. Taken together, these findings confirm the concurrent validity of the M-CHAT at the youngest age this measure can reliably be administered. Within a broader clinical context, the present results provide preliminary evidence that controlled laboratory tasks assessing early social cognitive and verbal abilities could be added to the battery of screening instruments for ASD.

C001 Comparison of hearing tests to speech discrimination tests in prelingually deaf children with cochlear implants

Age-appropriate speech/language outcomes for children with early identified hearing loss are a possibility but not a certainty. Identification of children most likely to achieve optimal outcomes is complicated by the heterogeneity of the children involved in outcome research, who present with a range of malleable (e.g. age of identification and cochlear implantation, type of intervention, communication mode) and non-malleable (e.g. degree of hearing loss) factors. This study considered whether a homogenous cohort of early identified children (≤12 months), with all severities of hearing loss and no other concomitant diagnoses could not only significantly outperform a similarly homogenous cohort of children who were later identified (>12 months to <5 years), but also achieve and maintain age-appropriate speech/language outcomes by 3, 4 and 5 years of age.A mixed prospective/retrospective comparative study of a homogenous cohort of 45 early identified (≤12 months) and 49 late identified (>12 months to <5 years) children with hearing loss was conducted. The children all attended the same oral auditory-verbal early intervention programme. Speech/language assessments standardized on typically developing hearing children were conducted at 3, 4 and 5 years of age.The early identified children significantly outperformed the late identified at all ages and for all severities of HL. By 3 years of age, 93% of all early identified participants scored within normal limits (WNL) for speech; 90% were WNL for understanding vocabulary; and 95% were WNL for receptive and expressive language. Progress was maintained and improved so that by 5 years of age, 96% were WNL for speech, with 100% WNL for language.This study found that most children with all severities of hearing loss and no other concomitant diagnosed condition, who were early diagnosed; received amplification by 3 months; enrolled into AV intervention by 6 months and received a cochlear implant by 18 months if required, were able to “keep up with” rather than “catch up to” their typically hearing peers by 3 years of age on measures of speech and language, including children with profound hearing loss. By 5 years, all children achieved typical language development and 96% typical speech.

The Visual Sound-Shapes of Spectromorphology: an illustrative guide to composition

Since its conception, Denis Smalley's spectromorphology has equipped listeners and practitioners of electroacoustic music with appropriate and relevant vocabulary to describe the sound-shapes, sensations and evocations associated with experiences of acousmatic sound. This liberation has facilitated and permitted much-needed discussion about sound events, structures and other significant sonic detail. More than 20 years on, it is safe to assume that within the electroacoustic music community there is an agreed and collective understanding of spectromorphological vocabulary and its descriptive application. Spectromorphology's influence has been far reaching, inciting approaches to electroacoustic music analysis (Thoresen 2007), notation (Patton 2007), composition and education through its flexible functionality and accessible pool of vocabulary.

화학 I 교과서의 "물"단원에 사용된 어휘의 적절성 분석

ABSTRACT. This study analyzed the vocabulary level in the 'Water' unit of chemistry I textbook. It also analyzed its relevance to the 11th graders' vocabulary level. The main tool for analyzing vocabulary level was SWA(Science Word Analysis) program which was referenced the Standard Korean Dictionary and Graduated Vocabulary of Korean Language Education. The results in this study turned out to be as follows: The distribution of scientific vocabulary level increased from Level-1 to Level-3 and showed a tendency to decrease from Level-3 until Level-5. The average percentage of Out of level is the largest as 37%. The highest percentage of non-scienti fic vocabulary was Level-1. The distribution of non-scientific vocabulary level decreased progressively. The Level-5 and Out of level are used 18% averagely. So, there are 6 vocabularies of Level-5 and 82 vocabularies of extra-level inappropriate in scien tific vocabularies. And there are 53 vocabularies of Level-5 and 145 vocabularies of Out of level inappropriate in non-scientific vocabularies. Therefore, the overall state of textbooks for grade 11 students are reasonable. But there are a great many vocabularies inappropriate for them. Those should be used minimum, and to be changed to the 1-4 of level vocabulary as stated in the student's level of understanding of appropriate vocabulary.