The selection of appropriate vocabulary is a crucial and challenging aspect of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention. Core vocabulary lists are frequently used to support vocabulary selection for children who require AAC. A vocabulary domain that has garnered limited attention within the AAC literature is relational basic…

We evaluate the impact of gestures during the teaching of vocabulary in a foreign language (FL). Spanish speakers learned words in a FL in four gesture conditions according to the relationship between the meaning of the words and the gestures (congruent gestures, incongruent gestures, gestures without meaning, and no gestures). The participants…

For children with complex communication needs in the early stages of language development, access to appropriate vocabulary provides a means for social interaction and participation, and the foundation for the acquisition of grammar and other language related skills. While numerous resources are available to support decision making for speakers of…

This article focuses on low-performing adult readers in the Scandinavian countries, seeking to identify and describe some of the literacy-related problems that they face. Following a presentation of the Reading Components Assessment (RCA) used in PIAAC (Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies), we provide profiles for those…

It is beneficial for students to experience situational learning, especially for English as a foreign language (EFL) learning. Providing more listening and speaking opportunities could help EFL students with English learning. Our research proposes a listening and speaking practice system employing personal digital assistants (PDAs) for situated…

Literacy instruction for students with significant intellectual disabilities traditionally emphasizes isolated skills instruction focusing on sight words and basic vocabulary. Recent research suggests these students benefit from high-quality instruction that includes comprehension and storybook reading. This study examined the effect of a…

This paper reports the findings of a survey conducted to investigate students' knowledge of geography, such as an accurate understanding of the basic vocabulary and essential concepts associated with the representative geographic locations, described here as "spatial landmarks". The factors that influence their learning, and how their…

Children with unintelligible speech differ in severity, underlying deficit, type of surface error patterns and response to treatment. Detailed treatment case studies, evaluating specific intervention protocols for particular diagnostic groups, can identify best practice for children with speech disorder. Three treatment case studies evaluated the…

We report on a small scale study with six experienced teachers of mathematics in which we have applied a general theoretical model of expert practice (developed by the second author) to explore the nature of the knowledge base that enables teachers to operate effectively in the complexity of a class of 30 pupils. This model uses the notion of…

Two hundred job application forms from retail, food, service, and light industry were analyzed for vocabulary. Frequency and relative rankings were revealed for 131 words which were found on at least 80 percent of the forms. (CL)

Sight word lists have been used since prior to 20 B.C. and have changed forms many times. Today sight word lists are numerous and are widely and variously used. They differ in source, intended purpose and/or audience, and criteria for including specific words. Despite the differences, there is much agreement that they do reflect the most basic…

Eight studies that explored the effects of vocabulary instruction on subsequent reading comprehension found an increase in work knowledge but only a few studies reported any reading comprehension improvement. Methodological and instructional differences across studies are examined in an attempt to account for the different results. (Author/PN)

After examining how Dolch developed his list of 220 basic sight words and identifying major criticisms of this list, the author reports two studies undertaken to revise the Dolch list. Five advantages of the revised Dolch list over the original are identified and discussed. The revised list is included. (Editor/SJL)

Basic words have been defined as those from which other words can be derived semantically. The assumption underlying the instructional utility of a list of basic words is that a knowledge of them would provide a key to the understanding of a much larger set of related words. Although it has been shown that there are far too many basic words in the…

The Instructional Concepts Program of the Southwest Regional Laboratory (SWRL) is designed to help kindergarten children learn the labels of concepts which are important to success in school. Since vocabulary differences are characteristic of dialect differences, it is possible that some items taught in the Instructional Concepts Program are…