In this cluster randomized control trial study, the authors explored the efficacy of an intervention designed to improve second-grade English learners’ knowledge of challenging, high-utility English vocabulary. The authors also examined whether the intervention had a differential effect on content words that differ on two attributes (cognate status and abstractness designation) and whether the effects lasted across time. Within schools, teachers were randomly assigned to treatment or control conditions, resulting in 12 treatment classrooms and 10 control classrooms. Teachers in the treatment condition developed vocabulary using six methods: interactive shared reading, direct instruction of individual words, instruction in cognate use, activities to foster word consciousness and reinforce instructed words, and use of visual and linguistic supports. Teachers in the control condition read the same books with the target vocabulary inserted into the stories. Findings on the curriculum-based and standardized measure of vocabulary indicated that the intervention implemented for four 50-minute lessons per week for 18 weeks was effective in helping English learners acquire challenging high-utility school-relevant vocabulary (Cohen’s d = 1.88 for content words; d = 0.41 for connecting words; d = 0.47 for the Test of Oral Language Development). The effects differed by word characteristics, with higher effect sizes for words that are noncognates (d = 1.57 for both concrete and abstract noncognates; d = 1.02 concrete cognates; d = 0.81 for abstract cognates). Ten months after the intervention, treatment students still outperformed control students on content vocabulary learned during the intervention (d = 1.31). This study helps validate a multifaceted approach to vocabulary intervention and research.

中文翻译：

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英语学习者对学术词汇的习得：教学很重要，但词汇特征也很重要

在这项集群随机对照试验研究中，作者探讨了旨在提高二年级英语学习者对具有挑战性的、实用性强的英语词汇知识的干预措施的有效性。作者还检查了干预是否对在两个属性（同源状态和抽象指定）上不同的内容词产生不同的影响，以及这种影响是否会随着时间的推移而持续。在学校内，教师被随机分配到治疗或控制条件，导致 12 个治疗教室和 10 个控制教室。治疗条件下的教师使用六种方法开发词汇：交互式共享阅读、单个单词的直接指导、同源使用指导、培养单词意识和强化指导单词的活动以及视觉和语言支持的使用。控制条件下的教师阅读相同的书籍，并将目标词汇插入故事中。基于课程和标准化词汇测量的结果表明，在 18 周内每周 4 节 50 分钟的课程实施的干预有效地帮助英语学习者获得具有挑战性的高效学校相关词汇（Cohen'sd  = 1.88 对于内容词；d  = 0.41 用于连接词；d  = 0.47 用于口语发展测试）。效果因单词特征 而异，非 同源词的效果更大（具体和抽象非同源词d = 1.57；具体同源词d = 1.02； 抽象同源词d = 0.81）。干预十个月后，治疗学生在干预期间学习的内容词汇方面仍然优于对照组学生（d  = 1.31）。这项研究有助于验证多方面的词汇干预和研究方法。