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Published on: October 11, 2018
Vocabulary use across genres: implications for students with complex communication needs
Sally A Clendon1, Janet M Sturm, Kathleen S Cali
1Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand. s.clendon@massey.ac.nz
Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools
|July 25, 2012
Summary
This study analyzed kindergarten and 1st-grade writing, finding that specific vocabulary and multiword sequences vary by genre. These findings can inform vocabulary instruction for beginning writers.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
- Education
Background:
- Early writing development involves acquiring vocabulary and understanding genre conventions.
- Previous research has focused on general vocabulary use in children's writing.
- The role of genre in shaping vocabulary selection in young writers requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine vocabulary words and multiword sequences in the writing of typically developing kindergarten and 1st-grade students.
- To extend previous research by analyzing vocabulary use across different writing genres.
- To identify genre-specific vocabulary patterns in early written language.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 457 writing samples from 124 typically developing students.
- Classification of writing samples into 9 distinct genres.
- Utilizing the Child Language Analysis (CLAN) software for linguistic analysis.
Main Results:
- A core set of 140 words constituted 70% of the total vocabulary produced.
- Narrative recounts and opinions were the most frequent genres observed.
- Word and multiword sequence frequencies differed significantly across genres, with some words showing high genre specificity (e.g., 'going') while others were more general (e.g., 'mom').
- Structure words appeared with high frequency across all genres.
Conclusions:
- The generated word lists provide valuable insights for vocabulary selection and instructional strategies.
- Findings can inform the development of targeted vocabulary instruction for beginning writers, particularly those with complex communication needs.
- Understanding genre-based vocabulary variation is crucial for supporting early literacy development.
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