Moderating role of reading comprehension in children's word learning with context versus pictures.
We investigated pictorial versus contextual support effects over and above teaching of definitions on children's word learning and retention as well as the moderating role of reading comprehension. In a between‐subject pre‐post‐retention test control group design, Dutch fourth graders learned concre...
| Publicado en: | Journal of Computer Assisted Learning Vol. 36; no. 1; pp. 29 - 46 |
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| Autores principales: | , , |
| Formato: | pictorial research tables/charts randomized controlled trial Journal Article |
| Publicado: |
Wiley-Blackwell
Feb2020
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| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| Sumario: | We investigated pictorial versus contextual support effects over and above teaching of definitions on children's word learning and retention as well as the moderating role of reading comprehension. In a between‐subject pre‐post‐retention test control group design, Dutch fourth graders learned concrete and abstract Dutch words. The context group received definitions and context sentences, the picture group received definitions and pictures, and the control group only received definitions. Children in the picture group outperformed children in the context group but not the control group on all words directly after learning. This learning gain, however, disappeared over time because participants in the context group retrieved the word meanings better than in the other groups 1 day later. Interestingly, reading comprehension moderated the forgetting effect, as low comprehenders in the experimental groups forgot less than those in the control group. Adding pictures to definitions, thus, leads to richer long‐term knowledge for low comprehenders. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter? Word meanings are taught with definitions combined with context sentences and pictures.As low comprehenders struggle with context learning, they might benefit more from pictures.Abstract words might benefit less from pictures, and more from context sentences.The benefit of either adding pictures or context sentences to definitions is not yet clear. What our paper adds to this? We taught 4th graders new words in one of three learning conditions.Definitions were provided in isolation or together with either a context sentence or picture.We examined the learning gain after training and one day later.We investigated influences of reading comprehension abilities and word concreteness. The implications of study findings for practitioners: Pictures in contrast to context sentences supported direct learning of all words.Although context sentences did not support learning, they helped to forget less over time.Low comprehenders retained knowledge better either with pictures or context.Explicit instructions should favor pictures above context sentences for all learners. |
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