Child, Youth, and Family Studies, Department of
ORCID IDs
Julie Dwyer https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7872-8849
Rachel E. Schachter https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3951-858X
Date of this Version
9-2019
Citation
Published in Dyslexia. 2019; pp 1–27. DOI: 10.1002/dys.1637
Abstract
Previous research investigating both the knowledge of early childhood educators and the support for vocabulary development present in early childhood settings has indicated that both educator knowledge and enacted practice are less than optimal, which has grave implications for children's early vocabulary learning and later reading achievement. Further, the nature of the relationship between educators' knowledge and practice is unclear, making it difficult to discern the best path towards improved knowledge, practice, and children's vocabulary outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to add to the existing literature by using stimulated recall interviews and a grounded approach to examine how 10 preschool educators used their knowledge to made decisions about their moment-to-moment instruction in support of children's vocabulary development. Results indicate that educators were thinking in highly context-specific ways about their goals and strategies for supporting vocabulary learning, taking into account important knowledge of their instructional history with children and of the children themselves to inform their decision making in the moment. In addition, they reported thinking about research-based goals and strategies for supporting vocabulary learning that went beyond simply defining words for children. Implications for research and professional development are discussed.
Included in
Developmental Psychology Commons, Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Other Psychology Commons, Other Sociology Commons
Comments
Copyright © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Used by permission.