Word Knowledge Instruction (WKI): Enhancing the Word Knowledge of Grade 5 Students to Improve Reading Achievement
About the Intervention
Word Knowledge Instruction (WKI) is a curriculum that aims to enhance the word knowledge of grade 5 students to improve reading achievement. WKI consists of 15-minute lessons, 4 days a week, for 20 weeks, and covers 20 prefixes and suffixes. The lessons address state standards and are designed to teach students about the minimal units of meaning in multisyllabic words (base word, root word, and affixes) as a strategy to build word knowledge.
Statistical Findings
Positive effect on students' ability to extract and spell a base word from a derived word
No effect on students' ability to select a nonword that best fits the grammatical context of a sentence
No effect on students' ability to use knowledge of word parts to infer meaning of new words
No effect on students' vocabulary
No effect on students' reading scores.
More Intervention Details
Focus Areas
English Learners, Economically DisadvantagedPrograms & Services
General EducationDelivery Methods
Face-to-FaceDisability Support
Specific learning disabilityTarget Groups
Student(s)Source
Barbara R., F., Carla, W., Jennifer L., D., Linda, G., Lynn, D. & Sarah, H. (2021). The Impact of Word Knowledge Instruction on Literacy Outcomes in Grade 5. REL 2021-083 (ED611683). ERIC. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED611683.pdf.
Study Demographics
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