Semester of Graduation
Spring 2025
Degree
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Psychology
Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
Two fundamental literacy skills essential for students to achieve academic success include proficient reading comprehension and vocabulary. In this study, we assessed the effects of incorporating a picture component to teaching science vocabulary via strategic incremental rehearsal (SIR) on vocabulary acquisition and sentence-level reading comprehension in five 8- to 9-year-old third-grade students identified by their teachers as needing supplemental vocabulary instruction. We used an adapted alternating treatment design with control, SIR, and SIR + Picture conditions to evaluate the effects of including pictures during SIR and pretest-posttest assessments to evaluate sentence-level reading comprehension outcomes. All four participants increased correct responses for vocabulary definitions in both intervention conditions. The number of sessions to mastery of vocabulary definitions and vocabulary sets varied across participants: one participant required fewer sessions to master words in the SIR + Picture condition, and three participants required fewer sessions to master vocabulary words in the SIR condition. Two of the four participants showed the most improvement on the post-test in the SIR + Picture condition, one showed the most improvement in the SIR condition, and one showed the same improvement in the SIR and control condition. The integration of pictures in vocabulary instruction did not enhance the student's sentence-level reading comprehension but was just as effective as traditional SIR.
Date
4-23-2025
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Abigail, "Effects of Incorporating Pictures in Vocabulary Instruction on Vocabulary Acquisition and Reading Comprehension in Elementary Students" (2025). LSU Master's Theses. 6148.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/6148
Committee Chair
Dr. Jeanne Donaldson