Multimedia Vocabulary

The research study

Based on this, we conducted a research study to investigate the effects of video support during read-aloud vocabulary instruction, looking specifically at the performance of ELLs. The study was set in a small, semi-urban public school in the northeast. Eighty-five children from pre-school through kindergarten participated in the study.

There were two intervention conditions in this study: (a) non-multimedia and (b) multimedia. In both of these conditions, teachers taught a scripted intervention lesson 45 minutes per day for three days a week over the course of twelve weeks. The length and duration of the intervention was the same across conditions. The content of both conditions was habitats (i.e., rainforests, savannahs, coral reefs, and deserts). There were two main reasons why we chose to use science content in our intervention. First, by combining vocabulary and science, teachers would be able to address both of these important instructional components at the same time. Second, a focus on content area topics in the early grades is essential for building children's background knowledge.

Teachers read both fiction and non-fiction books on these topics to children. For example, for the focus on savannahs, teachers read The Giraffe who was Afraid of Heights (Ufer, 2006) and Life on the African Savannah (Berger, 1995). During read-alouds of the selected books, teachers focused on words such as herd, prey, graze, migrate, predator, path, charge, and defend. Then, in the video condition, teachers showed video clips that illustrated these words. After reading the books on savannahs, for example, teachers showed video clips from Swinging Safari from National Geographic's Really Wild Animals Series (2005). Teachers in the non-video condition continued with more traditional vocabulary activities.

presentacion 

Day 1: Read aloud

Pre-reading: Introduce vocabulary words

Today's special words are herd, graze, migrate, and prey. Listen as I read this book, Life on the African Savannah. We will stop and talk about these words as we read.

Reading: Read and stop to point out words in context

A herd is a group of animals of one kind that live together. Can you say that word, herd? The book says that herds of animals move about the savannah looking for food. Can you see the herd of animals in this picture? What kind of animal is this herd made of? (Show the page from book then similarly review other target words when you get to them.)

Post-reading: Review new vocabulary

We learned some new words today. Let's review them. What do these words mean: herd, graze, migrate, and prey?

Word Games: Have children think critically about words in various contexts

Let's play a word game. I will ask you a question and if you think the answer is yes, show me a thumbs up or if you think the answer is no, show me a thumbs down. If an animal is drinking water, is that grazing? If an animal is eating grass, is that grazing? (Continue to ask questions related to the target words.)

Day 2: Multimedia presentation

Pre-viewing: Review vocabulary words and make connections to the read aloud

Yesterday we learned four new words: herd, graze, migrate, and prey? Let's review what they mean and what we read about them yesterday in our book. (Review definitions of words.)

Viewing: Show full video clip

(Show about 5 minutes of video. Let the children watch the video without stopping.)

Re-viewing: Show video clip again and stop at designated places to review words

Let's look at different parts of the video and talk about how these parts show the words we learned yesterday in our book.

Post-viewing: Have children discuss the words in the context of the book and video

Let's think about the words we are learning. What did the book tell us? Where did we see the words in the book? (Show pages in the book for support.) What did the video show us? Where did we see the words in the video?

video recomended

link: 

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/using-multimedia-promote-vocabulary-learning-supporting-english-language-learners-inclusive