Graduation Term

2014

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Department of Special Education

Committee Chair

Julia B. Stoner

Abstract

Vocabulary knowledge is critical for academic success; and research has indicated that students with low vocabularies can learn metalinguistic strategies that can improve their performance in school. In this study, I investigated the impact of metalinguistic strategy instruction on the oral and written expression abilities of elementary-aged children (third grade). The strategy was the Expanding Expression Tool (EET; Smith), which can help students to increase their oral and written expression by describing words using semantic features. I used a pretest-posttest-posttest between groups design to investigate the impact of three experimental conditions on oral and written expression over a nine week period: 1) Condition T1, which received metalinguistic strategy instruction twice per week, 2) Condition T2, which received metalinguistic strategy instruction four times per week, and 3) the control condition, which received standard enrichment in the area of reading and literacy.

Results indicated that all conditions were effective in increasing the oral describing abilities across testing time; although the two groups who received EET instruction improved slightly more than the control condition. Students in all conditions improved the number of semantic features used in written expression; however the treatment conditions were more effective than the control condition in improving the diversity of semantic features students used. Condition T1 was equally effective in improving written describing abilities compared to Condition T2; however students in Condition T2 had better retention of the strategy following a brief cessation in treatment. I have explained implications, limitations, and needed future research relating to these findings in my discussion.

Access Type

Dissertation-Open Access

DOI

http://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2014.Dudek.K

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