Abstract
We report the results of a study with 30 teachers designed to examine the effects of teacher knowledge on the achievement of struggling readers. We worked with teachers of grades three, four, and five during a 10-day intervention focused on literacy instruction and related linguistic knowledge, and we assessed their students’ learning across the year. Hierarchical models of student outcomes indicated that lower-performing students in intervention classrooms showed significantly higher levels of performance at year end on all literacy measures, compared with their peers in control classrooms (n = 140). In addition, teacher’s linguistic knowledge was related to improved student performance, regardless of condition. Additional analyses including all students (n = 718) indicated that benefits for the lower performing students in intervention classrooms were shared by their classmates, but to a more limited extent.
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Acknowledgements
This research was supported by Center Grant P50HD 33812 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The authors wish to thank the teachers and students who cooperated in the research.
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Appendix
Appendix
Informal Survey of Linguistic Knowledge (from Moats, 1994)
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1.
From the list below, find an example of each of the following:
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inflected verb _______________________
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compound noun _____________________
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bound root _________________________
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derivational suffix ___________________
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scarecrow nameless terrible phonograph
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impeached tables weakly
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2.
For each word on the left, determine the number of syllables and the number of morphemes:
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salamander
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crocodile
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attached
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unbelievable
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finger
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pies
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gardener
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psychometrics
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3.
How many speech sounds are in the following words?
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ox
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boil
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king
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thank
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straight
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shout
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though
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precious
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4.
What is the third speech sound in each of the following words?
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boyfriend prayer
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thankyou higher
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educate witchcraft
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stood badger
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5.
Underline the schwa vowels:
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About melody sofa effect difficult definition
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6.
Underline the consonant blends:
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Doubt known first pumpkin squawk scratch
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7.
Underline the consonant digraphs:
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wholesale psychic doubt wrap daughter think
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8.
When is a “ck” used in spelling?
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9.
What letters signal that a “g” is pronounced /j/?
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10.
List all the ways you can think of to spell “long a”:
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11.
List all the ways you can think of to spell /k/: )
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12.
What are six common syllable types in English?
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13.
When adding a suffix to a word ending with “y”, what is the rule?
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14.
How can you recognize a word of Greek origin?
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15.
Account for the double “m” in comment or commitment
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McCutchen, D., Green, L., Abbott, R.D. et al. Further evidence for teacher knowledge: supporting struggling readers in grades three through five. Read Writ 22, 401–423 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-009-9163-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-009-9163-0