Date of Award

11-30-2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Kent Layton

Second Advisor

William Kerns

Abstract

The link between vocabulary knowledge acquisition and its effect on reading comprehension has been well established over years of research, however, students from lowincome backgrounds may have less access to the opportunities that allow for the building of this vocabulary knowledge prior to and including entry into formal schooling. Therefore, it is necessary to develop more equitable opportunities for learning and practice in literacy. It is important to begin to understand what teachers currently know and understand about how vocabulary develops and how to best teach it. A nationwide survey collected data about Title I elementary classroom teachers’ knowledge of development and instructional practices in the area of vocabulary and their sources for this knowledge. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate their performance on the knowledge survey and a regression analysis was calculated to establish any meaningful relationships between performance on the knowledge survey and the self-reported factors of years of teaching experience and acquisition of knowledge specific to vocabulary development and instruction in teacher preparation programs in college, participation in professional development opportunities, and teacher collaboration. Teachers scored an average of 81% on the vocabulary knowledge survey and that acquisition of vocabulary knowledge in both development and instruction may have affected these mean scores though no statistically significant relationships were determined. Keywords: vocabulary, Title I teachers, elementary, low-income, survey research

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