Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1993. / Also available in print.

xii, 79 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Results of the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reported the need for improving reading comprehension, especially in the upper elementary and middle school grades. Because the field of vocabulary research evidenced the strong relationship between vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension, the National Reading Panel (2000) recommended the inclusion of direct vocabulary instruction as a necessary component in a comprehensive reading program. The field of vocabulary research, however, lacks consensus on which strategies result in the most gains in vocabulary development and reading comprehension. In this study, vocabulary development of students who learned word meanings through socially mediated strategies was contrasted with students who learned word meanings using contextually driven strategies. A total of 14 teachers of fifth grade students were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. The intervention group taught the socially mediated strategies of semantic mapping and the Frayer model. The teachers in the comparison group taught contextual and morphemic analysis, both contextually driven strategies. The effects of these two types of vocabulary instruction were measured using three tests, two proximal researcher developed vocabulary assessments and the more distal Gates MacGinitie vocabulary assessment. Results of this study revealed that while students in both groups made significant gains as measured by the more proximal measures, students taught through contextually driven strategies gained the most. On the distal measure only the students taught socially mediated strategies improved their performance. This study adds to the field by confirming three prior findings. Direct vocabulary instruction improved students' vocabulary development. Instruction in contextually driven strategies improved students' vocabulary learning when the dependent measure assessed knowledge of taught words. Instruction in socially mediated strategies improved students' vocabulary development when the dependent measure assessed unknown words. / Adviser: Gerald Tindal

The aim of this study was to contribute to the scarce amount of research on self-selected Spanish foreign language (FL) vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) by adult learners of Spanish in the United States and to investigate which type of learning strategies may result in higher vocabulary gains and why. This study investigated the relationships between the type of VLS university Spanish FL students at different levels of proficiency use, the amount of time they devote to the weekly study of Spanish outside the classroom, and their vocabulary size. In addition, the correlations between the VLS used by students with high and low vocabulary test scores and their vocabulary size were investigated. A total of 477 military cadets/students at the United States Air Force Academy enrolled in Spanish courses at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced language proficiency levels participated in this study. The data were analyzed through quantitative methods using two measuring instruments: a) a vocabulary learning questionnaire used to discover students’ VLS preferences, and b) a Spanish vocabulary tests used to estimate the participants’ Spanish vocabulary size. Analyses of the data suggest that a significant relationship exits between learning strategy use and vocabulary size among advanced, more experienced Spanish learners but not among beginning- or intermediate-level students. Findings suggest that novice or inexperienced Spanish FL learners may be ineffective at the management of their own vocabulary learning. Different patterns in VLS use were also identified between advanced students with high and low vocabulary test scores. Those with higher vocabulary test scores use significantly more social and metacognitive learning strategies, while those with lower vocabulary test scores resort to memorization and other less-cognitively-demanding strategies for learning Spanish vocabulary. Pedagogical implications and limitations are addressed. / text

This applied dissertation was designed to describe the effects of using a computerized reading and vocabulary development program with struggling third-grade students in a low socio-economic school setting. Vocabulary knowledge is paramount to developing and understanding unknown or unfamiliar words. Many students struggle with comprehension due to their limited exposure of vocabulary words. Students who have a limited vocabulary are often poor readers and continue to be a part of the academic achievement gap. This achievement gap appears to continue throughout the student’s time in school. In an effort to lessen this achievement gap, the educational system is now incorporating computerized instructions as a means to increase student’s academic achievement. Several benefits of incorporating computerize instructions into the school’s daily curriculum can be seen in both reading comprehension and literacy skills. Computer assisted instructions or CAI are designed to fit the specific needs of students and to provide differentiated activities that will further supplement the instructions in the classrooms. Computers are being used to present activities that are more interesting thereby motivating the students to become active learners who are also actively engaged in the learning process. The computers and the computer programs that are being implemented into the school systems are beginning to become an integral part in the daily curriculum of the schools. Using technology is just another way to provide students with opportunities to improve in the areas of vocabulary, reading, writing and their listening skills.

Issued also as Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University. / Bibliography: p. 36-37.

Issued also as Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University. / Bibliography: p. 51-52.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-83).

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-89).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 231-245).