Elizabeth Stevens, Ph.D., published “Examining Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, and Content Knowledge Instruction During Fourth Grade Social Studies Teaching” in Reading and Writing. We asked her about this work.
How does this publication help with your research goals and/or interests?
Dr. Stevens researches effective practices for improving students’ reading comprehension. Many experts and state standards call for the integration of reading comprehension and vocabulary practices during content-area teaching (e.g., social studies). In this study, Dr. Stevens and her co-authors conducted an observation study to examine how current elementary teachers integrate vocabulary and reading comprehension practices during social studies instruction. The authors coded 87 social studies lessons from 33 fourth-grade teachers. Key findings include:
- Teachers provided vocabulary instruction in one-fourth of the lessons; however, instruction consisted mostly of defining words or providing example sentences (versus more extensive word learning that results in a deeper understanding of word meanings).
- Students engaged with social studies texts in two-thirds of the lessons. During and after-reading teachers asked questions to monitor students’ understanding. Teachers infrequently used explicit comprehension strategies or extended discussions.
- Teachers utilized the following features of effective instruction: promoting active engagement, asking a range of questions, and providing high-quality feedback. Teachers infrequently used explicit instructional routines, scaffolding and providing sufficient practice opportunities.
Overall, it is encouraging that teachers integrate vocabulary and comprehension instruction during social studies — this represents a shift from previous observation studies. However, professional development is needed to assist teachers with implementing high-yield, evidence-based instructional practices to support reading comprehension, vocabulary, and content learning during social studies.
Article Abstract
Teaching vocabulary and reading comprehension during social studies instruction is critical for reading development and the acquisition of content knowledge. This study systematically investigated how elementary teachers integrate vocabulary and reading comprehension instruction during social studies teaching, as well as the extent to which this instruction aligned with evidence-based practices. Thirty-three fourth grade teachers from 12 schools across three school districts recorded their social studies instruction for a total of 2,429 min. Findings revealed that two-thirds of social studies instructional time-integrated practices for developing vocabulary and reading comprehension. Yet, the approaches for teaching comprehension and methods for instructional delivery (e.g., explicit instruction, high-quality feedback) teachers used infrequently aligned with those identified as effective in previous research. We present opportunities for improving content-area instruction and future research.
View the article at Springer.com »