An Alternative Method to Rote Memorization of Science Vocabulary

A thesis for Masters degree in Science Education

Karen Sommerhauser, M.Ed.

Account Executive

JoVE for Middle & High Schools

An Alternative Method to Rote Memorization of Science Vocabulary

A Research Project

Submitted to Dr. Tommerdahl

Karen Sommerhauser

The University of Texas at Arlington

In partial fulfillment of requirements for the course

EDUC 5397: IMPLEMENTING AND DISSEMINATING CLASSROOM RESEARCH

Fall 2018

Abstract

The purpose of this research study was to provide an alternative to rote memorization through vocabulary cards. An alternative was given to one class of students and a group of special education students who only wrote vocabulary cards for the words they did not know. Then the vocabulary words were written in their own words. The control class wrote all of the vocabulary words and copied the definitions from the dictionary or rote memorization. Studies show that rote memorization is not conducive to learning science vocabulary. Students do not typically learn science vocabulary by making vocabulary cards for every word and then copying the definitions. Requiring students to strictly write their own definitions for only the words they do not know is shown to be more beneficial. The study, special education, and control groups were given a pre-lesson and post-lesson vocabulary quiz using Google Forms for three units of study in the eighth-grade science curriculum. A study of the benefits of the research method for special education students was also conducted. The results showed the method to be beneficial. There was a substantial gain in vocabulary learning in both the research group and the special education group. Both groups had an increase in vocabulary knowledge in all three units, proving that rote memorization is not beneficial. The results of this study will provide teachers with research that will lead to better methods of learning science vocabulary.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Abstract

Table of Contents

Table of Tables and Figures

Chapter Introduction and Literature Review

Statement of the Problem

The significance of the Problem

Literature Review

Purpose of the Study

Specific Research Questions

Hypothesis

Chapter 2 Methods

Setting

Participants

Data Collection Procedures

Data Analysis Procedures

Procedures of Study

Chapter 3 Results

Chapter 4 Discussion

Limitations

Implications

Suggestions for Future Research

Summary and Conclusion

References

Table of Figures

Tables

Atomic Structure Unit Pre-quiz and post-quiz student scores
Weather unit pre-quiz and post-quiz student scores
Force and Motion pre-quiz and post-quiz scores

Figures

Atomic Structure Unit Student Score Analysis
Weather Unit Student Score Analysis
Force and Motion Student Score Analysis

Introduction and Literature Review

Research has shown writing definitions from a textbook for a vocabulary word is not effective or beneficial. Students do learn in this manner. Copying definitions from the dictionary we probably agree is not an effective way to learn vocabulary; Passive learning hardly ever is (Alber, 2014). Another common mistake teachers make is picking the words for the students or assigning all vocabulary words at the beginning of a unit. One of the biggest mistakes we teachers make in vocabulary instruction is selecting all the words for the students and not giving them a say in the matter (Alber, 2014).

Learning and understanding vocabulary to be able to conceptualize the subject is not only in science, but all subjects. In some subjects, like science, the vocabulary word is the concept being taught. Students' level of understanding concerning their science vocabulary is an excellent predictor of their ability to understand science text; In addition, prior knowledge and building background knowledge facilitates student’s comprehension of science text, vocabulary, and key concepts (Young, 2005). Without the complete understanding of the vocabulary, the student may be missing the key concept to the lesson. It is an essential part of the learning of ideas and concepts of the subject.

In order for learning vocabulary to be beneficial and useful, teachers need to change their teaching methods. Conceptual development is a major goal of content-area instruction. Without a clear understanding of the language of the science content, students will certainly experience difficulty and a lack of interest in their science content material (Young, 2005). Several studies have shown the effectiveness of other teaching practices for students learning vocabulary. It is suggested to make it personal to them in order to make it more meaningful. This means that vocabulary instruction must be deliberate, include direct instruction, and in some instances involve small group interventional instruction in order to adequately support and accelerate these student’s vocabulary development (Sweeny & Mason, 2011). We want students to draw on their background knowledge, be metacognitive as they encounter new words, notice things about the words, predict and infer meanings, question the use of specific words, analyze words and parts of words, make judgments about the selection and use of certain worked, and evaluate theirs’ and others’ use of words (Sweeny & Mason, 2011).

The proposed more effective ways to teach vocabulary were similar across research. The most common was to move away from the teacher choosing the words and allow the students to choose them. Research recommends that students learn fewer words but that they know how words and the English language works so they can infer the meanings of words. Effective vocabulary instruction is characterized by deliberate selection of words to be taught and frequent opportunities for students to interact with words in meaningful contexts (Sweeny & Mason, 2011). Many offered the suggestion to allow students to compile the words into a list or chart. Then have them write their own definition without the use of a dictionary. Including students in the selection process helps to make the purpose for learning personal and therefore meaningful, it elevates their metacognition while reading and increases their awareness of work and the way the language works (Sweeny & Mason, 2011). The idea is to rank the word in basically three ways; words they know, words they aren’t sure about, and words they don’t know. Then as a class, a list of vocabulary words to work on can be compiled while eliminating the words they may already know.

The students write their own definition using a thinking process that breaks down the sometimes complicated words in a definition into their own words. Student’s are also exploring their background knowledge. This activity can be done individually or as a group. Drawing pictures is another way to help students learn vocabulary. Using the visualization will help them personalize their learning. The teaching of complex concepts requires multidimensional teaching techniques; this is especially true for concepts germane to science education and bridging the gap between the language of the content and the language of the students (Young, 2005).

Statement of the Problem

Vocabulary is an integral part of learning. It is important to understand concepts in content areas, as most vocabulary words are the concept. Conceptual development is a major goal of content-area instruction. According to The Language of Science, the Language of students (Young, 2005), without a clear understanding of the language of science content, students will certainly experience difficulty and lack of interest concerning the language of science. Teachers have for years have students write the definition to the vocabulary words at the beginning of the unit, or rote memorization. The problem is students have difficulties learning science vocabulary words which are the basis of the concepts in the science curriculum. The acquisition of content-related academic vocabulary poses difficulties: Words may have specialized meanings within a specific content area; (Lee, 2010). Researched-based Practices in Vocabulary in Instruction states Rote memorization does not help students retain vocabulary knowledge over time, but activities that provide them with opportunities to work frequently with words and concepts and connect them to other words and concepts do result in more substantial learning (August, 2011). Also stated in Doing it Differently: Tips for Teaching Vocabulary, The truth is, and research shows, students need multiple and various exposures to a word before they fully understand that word and can apply it (January, 2014). It is important for students to learn vocabulary in a meaningful way.

The significance of the Problem

This research will be relevant and beneficial because teachers have used the rote method for students to learn vocabulary. Research shows this is not an effective method and the students are not learning by copying definitions for vocabulary words and then a test at the end of the week. They are missing the key importance of learning the vocabulary which ties to the learning of the concept being taught. This is an old-school practice that needs to change to more effective techniques as shown in research. Students will be able to absorb the meaning of the vocabulary words and apply it to the content lesson.

It has been shown that a multitude of activities is beneficial to learning vocabulary. Some examples are allowing the students to choose the vocabulary words that are most difficult to them and concentrate on those words. Another has the students work in groups to come up with their own definitions without a textbook or dictionary, even before the material is introduced. This will allow the students to use their own thinking by putting the definition in their own words. Drawing a picture for the word will also personalize the students' learning and remember the word. Using visual media or online review games can also be more beneficial. If teaching methods of vocabulary can move away from regurgitating definitions from a textbook to more meaningful ways, students would succeed in learning the words.

The importance of this research study will help bridge the gap between learning vocabulary and applying it to content knowledge. Students have a hard time learning the content if they are not familiar with the vocabulary, especially when a word is a content concept. Science is very word heavy and some words are very foreign to students. Some do not make sense, so, therefore, make it difficult for a student to fully grasp the learning. Using these suggested methods will improve students' success in their content classes. Using teaching techniques that allow students to be more involved in how they learn the words will also be valuable because it will personalize their learning making it more meaningful for them. With the understanding of the science vocabulary, the increase in content knowledge will follow.

The benefit of this research will identify the benefits of the student's involvement in the choice of vocabulary and use of the multi-dimensional activities to help them understand the words. The vocabulary in science is very numerous and intensive. It is important to understand the vocabulary to be able to grasp the content. Being able to understand the words will help bridge the gap between reading the material and regurgitating a definition to the understanding and comprehension of the science lesson at hand. It will show an increase in performance in different types of assessments. This research will be proposed to my school’s science department and perhaps our instructional coach who can share with other schools. She can share the ideas and findings of the techniques for students' vocabulary comprehension that will allow them to be successful in science.

Literature Review

Overview of the importance of learning vocabulary as it is the basis of learning science concepts. Without a clear understanding of science vocabulary, learning the concepts of science may be difficult.
Specifically, the knowledge of science vocabulary plays a pivotal role in the understanding of overarching concepts as well as specific science information (Rollins, 2012).
Scientific words are often technical and abstract, and understanding them is essential to building conceptual knowledge in science (Fazio & Gallagher, 2013).

II. Importance of Learning Science Vocabulary

Science vocabulary is an esoteric language that is critical for learning scientific concepts and is fundamental for scientific literacy development in students (Fang 2006).
Thus, students who do not know how to interpret the meaning of scientific vocabulary will struggle with the comprehension of science texts (Bravo & Cervetti, 2008).
Science is a discipline that relies heavily on a student's ability to understand new terms and concepts (Cohen, 2013).
In K-12 school settings, the acquisition of academic vocabulary and the learning of academic content are inextricably linked (Lee, 2010).

III. Problems with rote or indirect instruction for vocabulary learning

An instructional goal for science teachers should be to facilitate the full participation of all students in the classroom and in all aspects of a rich science educational experience (Wessels, 2013).
Rote memorization does not help students retain vocabulary knowledge over time, but activities that provide them with opportunities to work frequently with words and concepts and connect them to other words and concepts do result in more sustained learning (Sweeny & Mason, 2011).
Copying definitions from the dictionary we would probably all agree is not an effective way to learn vocabulary. Passive learning hardly ever is (Alber, 2014)

IV. Successful methods, new methods, direct teaching methods for science vocabulary learning

Learning vocabulary beyond the rote memorization of terms and definitions required a combination of direct learning in which an instructor gave the meanings of words and allowed students the opportunity to develop an understanding of the processes and purposes that each vocabulary word represents (Monroe & Orme, 2002).
Contextual learning could help students to develop images of the word meanings, thereby creating a deeper understanding of the term (Bicer, Boedecker, Capraro, R.M, & Capraro M.M., 2015).
The rational cloze has been shown to promote vocabulary acquisition (Lee, 2010)
Teacher’s subject area knowledge, ability to identify important terms and concepts in texts, and knowledge of their students are all factors of that impact of the selection of words to be studied (Sweeny & Mason, 2011):
Read text selections in advance to determine the instructional purpose
Identify words or concepts students need to know
Identify connections and relationships between words or concepts chosen for instruction
Choose words students must know prior to teaching

V. Use of technology for vocabulary learning

The collaborative group learning with technology were able to remember more of the vocabulary after a one-month delayed post-test (Rollins, 2012)
Our research indicates, however, that in contrast to one-dimensional forms of word learning (e.g., reading and memorizing a word’s definition), having students learn about words on the Internet can rapidly accelerate their deep understanding of words (Ebner & Ehri, 2016)
Technology-based learning games have been growing in popularity for educators as they offer a learner-centered approach and increase buy-in for learning (Donovan, 2017)

VI. Difficulties learning vocabulary in science

Students specifically have a difficult time in science because of the difficulty of acquiring science vocabulary (Rollins, 2012).
Two of the most important contributors to students’ reading comprehension and academic success are the volume of their vocabulary upon entering school and their ability to learn new vocabulary, with that learning enduring over time (Sweeny & Mason, 2011).

VII. How student inquiry can help students learn vocabulary on their own successfully

Providing students with inquiry strategic vocabulary strategies can significantly support their understanding and interest concerning the language of science (Young, 2005).
Vocabulary instruction should support students as independent learners by helping them develop strategies for learning words that can be applied in any context and as they move through their educational careers (Sweeny & Mason, 2011).
The use of Quizlet (online vocabulary game) will allow the students to work independently at their own pace and receive additional instructional support (Donovan, 2017).

VII Summary

In order for students to really “know” a word, they must be able to understand its meaning, uses, and pronunciation in a variety of contexts (Ebner & Ehri, 2016).
The vocabulary of science can be particularly problematic. Words such as work, table, and wave take on meanings specific from those of everyday usage (Wessels, 2013).
Reading and discussion assist learners to expand on their experiences with the prior scientific phenomenon and cognitively juxtapose them with classroom scientific inquiry experiences (Fazio & Gallagher, 2013).
The truth is, and the research shows, students need multiple and various exposures to a word before they fully understand that word and can apply it (Alber, 2014).
Research has shown that words and text which enable the formation of images facilitate recall (Cohen, 2013).
For instance, a student that did not comprehend the meaning behind the word “evaporation” would not be able to fully understand the complex system of the water cycle, of which “evaporation” is only a part (Bicer, Boedeker, Capraro, R.M., & Capraro, M.M., 2015).
Conceptual development is a major goal of content-area instruction. Without a clear understanding of the language of the science content, students will certainly experience difficulty and lack of interest in their science content area material (Young, 2005).

Research Questions

Two Research questions are the basis of this study. Vocabulary in science is very intensive and most times are the concept of the lesson being taught. The first question in all inclusive of two classes being studied.

One class was the research class and one was the control class. The first research question is testing one class on an alternative way to learn vocabulary. The students will choose as a class the words they do not know. They will write a vocabulary card for each of the words they chose and write the definition in their own words. The control class will write all of the vocabulary words and copy the definitions out of the textbook.

writing their own definitions instead of rote memorization and copying definitions out of a text? (Quantitative)

The second class deals only with special education students. Their scores were extracted from the original data from the research class and control class. Their scores were analyzed for differences in scores among a concentrated group who typically have difficulties with vocabulary.

What will the effects of this method have on low-level learners and special education students in light of their success in learning science vocabulary and science concepts when typically they have difficulties? (Quantitative)

Hypothesis

The findings of this study will prove that assigning students to write vocabulary cards for every word in a unit and copying the definition from a textbook is not beneficial. According to research, students do not learn by rote memorization. They need another method to learn vocabulary that allows them to process the meaning and apply it to the concepts being taught. Many vocabulary words are the concept or concepts embedded in the lesson. If a student does not understand the vocabulary word, they will miss the concept.

Using the alternative method as laid out in this study, will provide a better method of learning science vocabulary for students. The students will only concentrate on the words they know and write the definitions in their own words. The requirement to write the definitions in their own words will cause the student to process the meaning rather than write the definition as rote memorization.

The expected results of this study will show an improvement of student retention of the vocabulary of three units of study. The after the lesson quiz will prove that the alternative method is a better option for students to learn science vocabulary and apply them to the lesson.

Methods

Settings

This study will take place at a public middle school located in Austin, Texas. According to the Round Rock ISD’s website, the school had a total of 1428 students during the 2015-2016 school year. Of the 1428 students, 478 were sixth-grade, 481 were seventh-grade, and 460 were eighth-grade. Also according to the Round Rock ISD’s website, the student population in 2016 consisted of 4.6% African American, 18.5% Hispanic, 44.8% White, 0.2% Native American, 28.1% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, and 3.7% Two or more races. In 2016, 2.3% of the school population was Bilingual/ESL, 11.1% was economically disadvantaged, 5.5% was ELL, 4.6 was Gifted and Talented, 5.4 was Special Education, according to the Round Rock ISD’s website. This data is the latest data available.

Participants

The study will contain 120 eighth grade students. All will be enrolled in science class taught by the same teacher. Of the 120 students, 18 are in the special education program. These students will receive special accommodations as stated in their Individualized Education Programs (IEP’s). There are 5 classes of students consisting of approximately 25 students each. Two classes will contain a similar number of special education students. Each student will be assigned a number in order to keep anonymity.

Each student will be given a pre-test in the form of a teacher created test. The test will be given electronically through Google Forms. This will allow for quick and accurate data that can be manipulated for the information needed.

The control group will consist of one of the two classes containing special education students. The other three classes will be placed according to the performance on the pre-test. The two classes that perform similarly on the pre-test will be split as one in the control group and one in the experimental group. The fifth class will remain neutral and not included in the study. This will allow for an equal number of students in the control group and an equal number in the experimental group.

A separate study of the special education students. They will be included in both the general experimental group and also looked at for special education learning purposes. This data will be included in the final analysis to show the effectiveness of the experiment on the special education population.

If the groups are not proportional, the teacher will make every effort to adjust the groups accordingly. Every effort will be made to ensure that the groups have an equal amount of distributed skill level within each of the two groups.

There will be one teacher involved in this study. The teacher is also the researcher behind the study. She has six years of teaching experience. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and is working on her Master’s degree at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Data Collection Procedures

The first measure of this study will be the use of a pre-test. The pre-test will comprise of the current unit’s vocabulary words taken by Google Forms. The pre-test will be given in class during class time. The means of taking the test will be online in a classroom Chromebook. The students will complete the test and the data will automatically generate on the researcher's computer.

The students will have dividers on their tables to ensure they cannot see each other’s answers. This will allow for the reliability of the study. Each student will have numbers in order to keep their identity anonymous. The results of the test will be the basis to compare with the post-test and prolonged test. This will allow the researcher to compare the results of the experimental technique.

The special education group will be pulled according to the number they were assigned. Their data will be included in the main study and the special education study. The purpose is to conduct a second study on the success of the experimental technique on the special education students.

The pre-test will allow the researcher to see what vocabulary words the students already know and which ones they do not. This will allow the researcher to gather data to show growth of vocabulary knowledge of the students. The end process of comparing to the post-test and prolonged test will show if there is an improvement in vocabulary learning from the experimental technique.

After the unit is complete, the students will be given a post-test. The students will be administered the test in the same form as the pre-test. It will be a Google Form test given online during class time. Students will complete the test on a class Chromebook.

After the test has completed, the post-test scores will be compared to the pre-test scores. The only measure to be looked at this time will be the raw scores. The researcher will be looking for improvement of scores in the experimental group. If there is an improvement, this will show the experimental technique was more effective.

Two weeks after the post-test, a prolonged test will be administered. It will test for long-term memory of the vocabulary learned from that unit. The results of the prolonged test will be compared to the post-test to determine if the students retained their knowledge of the vocabulary words. If the scores are similar, then the results will show the success of the experimental technique.

Data Analysis Procedures

In order to be sure both groups have conformity, the data from the pre-test will be taken for statistical calculations. The mean will be measured to ensure similarities between the experimental and control groups are approximately the same. This same calculation will be taken for the post-test and prolonged test. This will show any growth with the experimental group with regards to the experimental technique.

Additional calculations will be performed to obtain statistical data for the study. One calculation would be the standard deviation. This will show a pattern and further show the groups are evenly matched throughout the study. The standard deviation will be calculated for each test. These calculations will be used to determine the progress and success of the experimental technique. The data will also be used to determine how well the special education students benefited. The data will also be used to determine if long-term retention occurred from the results of the prolonged test.

For answering question 1, I will be collecting data from the research class and a control class. The research class will choose the vocab words to learn and administered before the quiz. The before quiz data will be used to compare to the after learning quiz. The idea is growth should be apparent when the students are only required to learn. This will be compared to the control class that will not choose words.

The control class wrote out their definitions in a rote manner by copying the definitions from a textbook. The test class chose the words they didn’t know and wrote the definitions of those words in their own words.

For answering question 2, Special education students have a difficult time with new vocabulary, especially when there is a lot. Using the choice of unknown words helps the overwhelming sense they get when given numerous words. The retention of vocabulary words was successful using the choice of the unknown words and writing the definition in their own words.

Procedures of the Study

The first step to be completed is for the researcher to meet with their principal. During the meeting, the researcher will discuss the study and purpose. The researcher will inform the principal that the students' identity will be protected and will not be harmed in any way. Once the principal has approved the study, parent permission slips will be sent home. Each student must have permission from their parents to participate. The permission slip will explain the study, the purpose, ensuring their child’s identity will be private, and they will not be harmed.

The pre-test will be made by the researcher. The researcher will construct questions based on the current units vocabulary words. Several types of questions will be included. The pre-test will be given through Google Forms online. The students will complete the pre-test on a Chromebook from the class set of Chromebooks during class time. Dividers on the student desks will prevent students from sharing answers. The data for the test will be immediate. The time required for this task will be one day. Any absent students will take the test upon their return.

Pre-test scores will be saved in a Google File on the researcher's computer. The data will have numbers rather than student names to ensure the anonymity of the students. The data for each class will be compared. There are two classes containing special education students. One will be the control, the other will be in the experimental group. The remaining three classes will be compared. The two with the most similar score will be used in the study. One will be placed in the control group and the other in the experimental group. The fifth class will remain neutral and not a part of the study. If the numbers are not even, the researcher will move students accordingly. This process should take no more than two days.

The instruction for the vocabulary of the current unit will take place during the entire unit. The class instruction will be the same with all five classes, only the vocabulary techniques will be different. The control class will be instructed to copy the definitions of the vocabulary words for that unit. The experimental group will choose the vocabulary words they feel are most difficult or unknown and will come up with their own definitions.

The experimental group will be given the list of vocabulary words for the current unit. As a class, they will discuss and choose the words they would like to concentrate on. These words would be either unfamiliar and/or difficult to the students. The experimental group will write definitions in their own words to their partners. They may include a picture if preferred. They will enter these definitions in their notebooks. This process will take one day in class.

The control group will be given the list of vocabulary words for the current unit. They will be required to write the definition of each vocabulary word on note cards. The definitions can be found online or in the textbook. When they have finished, they will turn them in for use at the end of the unit. This process will take one day in class.

Both groups will have the same content instruction throughout the study. The only difference is how they are learning vocabulary words. All other portions of instruction for this unit will remain the same with all classes.

The post-test will be given at the end of the unit. The same test will be given to the control and experimental group. The post-test will be administered in the same manner as the pre-test. The post-test will be written in a Google Form and administered during class online. The students will use the class Chromebooks. All students will have dividers on their desks to prevent students from looking at others' work.

Two weeks after the post-test, a prolonged test will be administered. This will test the long-term retention of the vocabulary words. Both the control and the experimental group will take this test during class time. Again, it will be written in a Google Form and administered online.

The researcher will gather the data from the pre-test, the post-test, and the prolonged test for analysis. The scores will be recorded in the Google file in the researcher's computer. All data will be compiled by the student’s number to keep the anonymity of the students. The researcher will use the scores gathered and perform a series of statistical analyses. The researcher will report the findings in the final results of the study.

Results

Qualitative data was collected for this research. Data was collected via Google Form Vocabulary quizzes before the lesson and after. Three groups were in the study and data was collected individually from each group. The research group was given an alternative vocabulary assignment that was shown to be a better way for students to learn vocabulary. They chose the words they did not know. They wrote vocabulary cards for only the words they chose. The definitions were written in their words.

The SPED (special education) group was given the same method as the research group. Their data was collected separately to record their results independently. The independent data allowed to analyze the benefits of the alternative vocabulary assignment for special education students. Learning vocabulary is sometimes difficult for these students, so it is important that they learn vocabulary in order to have a deeper understanding of the content.

The research group was assigned all of the vocabulary words for the unit and wrote the definitions out of a textbook. The rote memorization method is shown to be ineffective for learning vocabulary. The purpose of this research study was to test if an alternative method would be more effective.

Data Tables

Table 1

Comparison of research, control and SPED groups pre and post vocab quiz scores for Atomic Structure Unit.

Pre Vocab Quiz (%)

Post Vocab Quiz (%)

Research Group

45. 3

73.1

Control Group

SPED Group

41.5

38.6

62.5

46.0

Table 2

Comparison of research, control and SPED groups pre and post vocab quiz scores for Weather Unit.

Pre Vocab Quiz (%)

Post Vocab Quiz (%)

Research Group

64.8

90.7

Control Group

SPED Group

65.2

59.7

88.3

87.1

Table 3

Comparison of research, control and SPED groups pre and post vocab quiz scores for Force and Motion Unit.

Pre Vocab Quiz (%)

Post Vocab Quiz (%)

Research Group

77.1

79.2

Control Group

SPED Group

78.8

75.6

81.3

79.5

Figure 1. Comparison of research, control and SPED groups pre and post vocab quiz scores for Atomic Structure Unit.

Figure 2. Comparison of research, control and SPED groups pre and post vocab quiz scores for Weather Unit.

Figure 3. Comparison of research, control and SPED groups pre and post vocab quiz scores for Force and Motion Unit.

Data analysis

Data from pre-quizzes and post-quizzes was taken from three units in eighth-grade science. The units the data was taken from were “Atomic Structure”, “Weather”, and “Force and Motion”. Each unit has its own separate set of data. Each unit was analyzed separately due to the individual nature of the vocabulary words for each unit.

The first unit tested was the Atomic Structure unit. The vocabulary words in this unit tend to be difficult when compared to other units in eighth-grade science. The control class was given all of the vocab words, whereas the research class chose the words they did not know. The research class wrote vocabulary cards on the chosen groups and wrote definitions in their own words. The control class wrote all of the vocabulary words and copied definitions out of the textbook.

The results of the study show improvement in the research class with a 27.8 point increase after the lesson, whereas the control class only had a 21 point increase. The special education group had an increase of 7.4.

Table 1 indicates the results of the study for the Atomic Structure Unit. This unit's vocabulary tends to be difficult for students. They have not been exposed to some words and the content is abstract to them.

Table 1

Comparison of research, control and SPED groups pre and post vocab quiz scores for Atomic Structure Unit.

Pre Vocab Quiz (%)

Post Vocab Quiz (%)

Research Group

45. 3

73.1

Control Group

SPED Group

41.5

38.6

62.5

46.0

Figure 1 indicates the growth in all groups. Pre and Post quizzes were not given in the previous years, so there is no data to observe if they were effective. All groups had improvement, but significant improvement in the research class.

Figure 1. Comparison of research, control and SPED groups pre and post vocab quiz scores for Atomic Structure Unit.

For the Weather unit, the special education group had a remarkable increase in vocabulary retention. They had a 27.4 point increase from pretest to post-test. Compared to a 7.4 point increase in the Atomic Structure unit, the results were a broader difference. Table 2 indicates the results for all three study groups.

Table 2

Comparison of research, control and SPED groups pre and post vocab quiz scores for Weather Unit.

Pre Vocab Quiz (%)

Post Vocab Quiz (%)

Research Group

64.8

90.7

Control Group

SPED Group

65.2

59.7

88.3

87.1

Figure 2 provides a graphical comparison between the study groups. The research group had a 25.9 point increase, the control group had a 23.1 increase and the special education group had a 27.4 increase. The vocabulary for the weather unit is not as difficult as the Atomic Structure unit. The large margin increase for the special education group was due to the inclusion teacher and classroom teacher working with this group during class time. The students were able to learn the vocabulary due to more hands-on activities in this unit.

Figure 2. Comparison of research, control and SPED groups pre and post vocab quiz scores for Weather Unit.

The last unit that was tested was the Force and Motion Unit. This is another unit that has difficult vocabulary for the students. Although they learned some of the vocabulary in sixth-grade, the eighth-grade students still have difficulties. Students were given a pre-test and post-test according to the study. Table 3 shows the results for all three study groups.

Table 3

Comparison of research, control and SPED groups pre and post vocab quiz scores for Force and Motion Unit.

Pre Vocab Quiz (%)

Post Vocab Quiz (%)

Research Group

77.1

79.2

Control Group

SPED Group

78.8

75.6

81.3

79.5

In this unit, the special education group performed better than the control and research group. The special education students were assisted with the vocabulary and the concepts in this unit. They did not have any additional instruction as they have had in previous years. There was no change in instruction in this unit or the other two units in this research.

In figure 3, the graphical representation of the data shows the special education students had a 3.9 point increase. This was higher than the 2.1 point increase for the research group and 2.5 point increase for the control group. The cause of the research group having a higher increase is unknown. It is possible that the research group was the first-period class and the control group was a second-period class. The first-period class could have been affected due to being the first class of the day.

Figure 3. Comparison of research, control and SPED groups pre and post vocab quiz scores for Force and Motion Unit.

Results

Understanding science vocabulary and how they are, at times, the concept being learned is difficult for young learners. According to The Language of Science, the Language of students (Young, 2005), without a clear understanding of the language of science content, students will certainly experience difficulty and lack of interest concerning the language of science. The method of rote memorization through vocabulary cards has shown not be effective. This study experimented with a different way to implement vocabulary to help students learn and apply the words to the concept at that time.

The findings showed that the tested method proved more successful than the rote method. The tested method entailed students choosing the difficult or unknown words only and writing the definitions in their own words. A pre and post quiz was administered to the research group and the control group. The control group wrote all of the words for the unit and copied the definitions out of the textbook.

Three units in the eighth-grade science curriculum were tested; the atomic structure unit, the weather unit, and the force and motion unit. All three units were very vocabulary heavy and had difficult terms that are sometimes hard for students to understand. Each unit started with a pre-quiz and post-quiz. They were the same quiz, just one was given at the beginning of the unit and the other at the end of the unit before the test. The quizzes were given in a Google Form format, so data was easy to calculate.

The special education students were also included in the study. Typically, this group scores much lower than the on-level kids when it comes to science vocabulary. They have a difficult time comprehending the word and in turn, cannot apply it as a concept. The difficulty with vocabulary is detrimental to the learning of the concept for the special education student. The study showed marked improvement in this group learning the vocabulary. In all three units, the special education group had a large margin of improvement when comparing the pre and post quizzes. In the atomic structure unit that contains difficult vocabulary, this group had a gain of 7.4 points. In the weather unit, the special education group had a remarkable 27.4 point gain. In the force and motion unit, this group had a 3.9 point gain. These results provide an example of how the research study has proven the hypothesis for the special education group.

The research group also had results showing improvement with learning the vocabulary in the three tested groups. In the atomic structure unit, this group had a gain of 27.8 points, whereas the control group had a 21 point gain. In the weather unit, the study group had a 25.9 point gain and the control group had a 23.1 point gain. In the force and motion unit, the control group scored higher than the study group. The control group had a 2.5 point gain and the study group had a 2.1 point gain. The margin is close, but the control group had a bigger gain. This might be due to teacher instruction or the interest of the students in the group. This unit tends to engage students more than the atomic structure and weather units. The actual reason is unclear, but the overall results of the study prove the hypothesis that science vocabulary is not learned by rote memorization.

Discussion

Limitations

This study had several limitations that need to be discussed. One would be the makeup of the two classes in this study. They were chosen as evenly as possible, but students could not be moved because that was out of the researcher's hands. The researcher chose two classes out of their five classes for that year. They chose the two that matched closely based on student abilities, class size, and a number of special education students. Special education students needed to have a close amount due to they were a part of the study. The two classes were as close as possible, but not perfect. This could show that the data is not perfect or accurate. It does, however, show that there is a benefit to not teaching vocabulary by rote memorization.

Another limitation would be this one year of study. Several subsequent studies will provide more accurate data that can be combined and averaged. A longer period of study would have more impact on the study because it would provide more accurate data over a long period of time. A study of five years would provide better and more accurate results than the one year for this study. A larger population of participants would be more statistically sound.

Implications

The progress of the research group and the special education group revealed the importance of using an alternative method of teaching science vocabulary. It is not beneficial to require students to write and learn vocabulary through the rote method. The participants in the method used in this research exhibited marked improvement over the control group. Proving writing the definition in their own words for only the words they did not know was a better teaching method. The reduced amount of vocabulary cards assigned also gave relief to students. They did not worry about the amount of work and concentrated on the words they did not know.

Another implication of this study would be that teachers should recognize that assigning vocabulary cards and requiring to copy definitions out a textbook are not the best practice. Teachers should recognize this type of vocabulary assignment is not helping students learn difficult science vocabulary. A better practice would be to assign the words the students do not know or are difficult. Require the students to write the definitions in their own words, rather than copy them out of a textbook. Students do not learn from rote memorization.

Suggestions for future research

In the future, researchers who want to develop further studies on this topic should allow for more time. One year was not enough time to gain enough data to be highly accurate. A study of five or more years would provide more detailed data over a larger study group. If feasible, a suggestion of mixing the participants between classes to ensure a more equal group of participants. Looking at test scores and matching the participant groups accordingly would also provide a more accurate study group.

Summary

This study provided the researcher a chance to research and prove that rote memorization by their students was not beneficial. The researcher’s hypothesis was supported by the study because the resulting data showed improvement in learned vocabulary with the method in the study. The success in this study has inspired the researcher to implement an additional piece to their research. The researcher has added vocabulary matching for the students at the end of the unit. The results of the method in this study and the new addition have shown to be successful.

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An Alternative Method to Rote Memorization of Science Vocabulary

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