Vocabulary Theatre: A Peer-teaching Approach for Academic Vocabulary Acquisition

Abstract

This mixed methods counterbalanced study compared the gain score means of two different approaches to vocabulary acquisition -Vocabulary Theater (VT) and Teacher Directed Instruction (TDI) for 8 th grade students from three schools in New York. The purpose of the study was to explore the effects of a peer teaching approach on students' vocabulary development. Students in the VT condition were instructed to take ownership of their words by teaching them to their peers. They received both linguistic and non-linguistic representations of 30 Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) words over a three-week period, while the TDI condition students were instructed over the same three-week period to define the same 30 SAT words through the use of a dictionary and then use the words in sentences. The study's counterbalanced design ensured that all students received each vocabulary condition. Students were given a pre-and posttest to examine their level of vocabulary acquisition in each condition. A survey given to the students in the VT condition revealed that on average 43% of the students were totally unfamiliar with the words presented, 14% had an associative connection with the words presented and 13 % were very familiar with the words. Qualitative data were collected from all three schools in the form of group discussions, VT presentations, individual interviews, teacher interviews, and classroom observations. The quantitative analysis revealed that the gain scores of students in the Vocabulary Theatre were significantly greater than the gain scores of students in the TDI condition regardless of the presentation order.

The Effects of a Peer Teaching Approach on Urban Community College Students’ Vocabulary Development Using Vocabulary Theatre

“…Both research studies found that the students who received VT first made significantly greater gains during the VT treatment (Weeks 1-3) than during the TDI treatment (Week 4-6). Robb, Sinatra and Eschenauer (2014) found that students made significantly greater gains during the VT treatment regardless of treatment order (VT first versus VT second). In contrast, the results from this research indicated that the students who had received the VT treatment first made significantly greater VT gains as compared to the VT gains for students who had received VT second.…”

“…As a follow up to the seminal research (Robb, Sinatra, & Eschenauer, 2014), the current research built on the previous research by examining the impact of VT instruction on urban community college students whereas the previous research examined the impact on 8th grade students. Both research studies found that the students who received VT first made significantly greater gains during the VT treatment (Weeks 1-3) than during the TDI treatment (Week 4-6).…”

Internet-based French as a Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning: Academic Success and Opinions on FFL Learners

“…In addition, [52], [48] and [49] justified that the learners gained autonomy and spoke efficiently in EFL and also in FFL classes. Finally, [38], [49], [41], [20] and [64] verified that the students improved their knowledge and obtained academic success in both EFL and FFL classes through web-based applications.…”

“…This is the first language level in 6 language levels of CEFR in which [3] Under this concept, many researchers have studied diverse aspects of vocabulary learning methodologies and the use of CEFR in foreign language classrooms ( [6]; [7]; [8]; [9]; [10]; [11]; [12]; [13]; [14]; [15]; [16]; [17]; [18]; [19]; [20]; [21]; [22]; [23]; [24]; [25]; [26]; [27]; [28]; [29]; [30]; [31]; [32]; [33]; [34]; [35]; [36]; [37]; [38]; [39]; [40]; [41]; [42]; [43]; [44]; [45]; [46]; [47]; [48]; [49]; [50]; [51]; [52]; [53]; …”