Vocabulary and reading in secondary school: Evidence from longitudinal and experimental studies
Lead Research Organisation:
Royal Holloway University of London
Department Name: Psychology
Abstract
Learning to read and acquiring a large and rich vocabulary have important implications for education and other aspects of daily life. Secondary education policy emphasises spoken and written communication. However, against a backdrop of calls for policy to focus on post-primary literacy (All-Party Parliamentary Group for Education, 2011 literacy inquiry) and recent concerns over GCSE English grades, there is a clear need to prioritise reading and oral vocabulary in secondary schools. Oral vocabulary skills underpin successful reading to the extent that a reader must understand the words in a text in order to fully understand it. Equally though, the reading process provides opportunities for new words to be learned. Therefore, growth in oral vocabulary should promote reading development and vice versa.
Existing research has focused on the relationship between reading and oral vocabulary in childhood, neglecting its importance in adolescence. Motivation for extending our understanding of oral vocabulary and reading to adolescence comes from evidence that as pupils get older and word reading becomes more automatic, oral vocabulary plays an increasingly important role in reading success. In addition, reading may be a particularly important strategy for vocabulary acquisition in secondary school, where pedagogical approaches emphasise independent reading and it is likely that unfamiliar words (e.g., science terms) are encountered in texts daily. Finally, fostering reading and vocabulary is essential for learning across the curriculum and this presents a particular challenge for secondary school education where pupils come into contact with many subject-specific teachers and little time is spent on making connections across subjects. Three studies will be conducted to investigate the development of oral vocabulary and reading in secondary school pupils.
Study 1 will track oral vocabulary and reading development in 200 pupils across the first three years of secondary school. These longitudinal data will be analysed to investigate whether there are bidirectional relationships between oral vocabulary and reading. Studies 2 and 3 will use a complementary experimental approach to investigate the role of reading in new word learning, and focus on smaller groups of secondary school pupils with and without oral vocabulary difficulties. In Study 2, pupils will encounter novel words in two successive phases. First, pupils will be taught some information about how the words sound and what they mean. Following this, pupils will read texts that contain the novel words, allowing them to see their printed forms for the first time, and learn more about their meanings. This study will probe whether secondary school pupils with oral vocabulary weaknesses struggle to learn new words from what they read. It will also explore whether teaching partial information about words promotes subsequent word learning from texts. As well as having theoretical implications, this study will have implications for how words are taught at school. Specifically, it may emphasise the value of enabling pupils to encounter words in both oral and written contexts. Study 3 will investigate a second way in which reading skills support new word learning. During the course of a lesson, teachers often write words on the board when they are explaining their meanings; there is evidence that this instructional approach is effective from two previous experimental studies with children. Study 3 will systematically investigate this phenomenon in secondary pupils with and without oral vocabulary difficulties for the first time, providing an evidence base (or not) for the value of emphasising visual word forms in secondary vocabulary instruction and intervention.
These studies will have implications across psychology, education and speech and language therapy by informing theories of reading and vocabulary development and practical approaches for teaching vocabulary.
Existing research has focused on the relationship between reading and oral vocabulary in childhood, neglecting its importance in adolescence. Motivation for extending our understanding of oral vocabulary and reading to adolescence comes from evidence that as pupils get older and word reading becomes more automatic, oral vocabulary plays an increasingly important role in reading success. In addition, reading may be a particularly important strategy for vocabulary acquisition in secondary school, where pedagogical approaches emphasise independent reading and it is likely that unfamiliar words (e.g., science terms) are encountered in texts daily. Finally, fostering reading and vocabulary is essential for learning across the curriculum and this presents a particular challenge for secondary school education where pupils come into contact with many subject-specific teachers and little time is spent on making connections across subjects. Three studies will be conducted to investigate the development of oral vocabulary and reading in secondary school pupils.
Study 1 will track oral vocabulary and reading development in 200 pupils across the first three years of secondary school. These longitudinal data will be analysed to investigate whether there are bidirectional relationships between oral vocabulary and reading. Studies 2 and 3 will use a complementary experimental approach to investigate the role of reading in new word learning, and focus on smaller groups of secondary school pupils with and without oral vocabulary difficulties. In Study 2, pupils will encounter novel words in two successive phases. First, pupils will be taught some information about how the words sound and what they mean. Following this, pupils will read texts that contain the novel words, allowing them to see their printed forms for the first time, and learn more about their meanings. This study will probe whether secondary school pupils with oral vocabulary weaknesses struggle to learn new words from what they read. It will also explore whether teaching partial information about words promotes subsequent word learning from texts. As well as having theoretical implications, this study will have implications for how words are taught at school. Specifically, it may emphasise the value of enabling pupils to encounter words in both oral and written contexts. Study 3 will investigate a second way in which reading skills support new word learning. During the course of a lesson, teachers often write words on the board when they are explaining their meanings; there is evidence that this instructional approach is effective from two previous experimental studies with children. Study 3 will systematically investigate this phenomenon in secondary pupils with and without oral vocabulary difficulties for the first time, providing an evidence base (or not) for the value of emphasising visual word forms in secondary vocabulary instruction and intervention.
These studies will have implications across psychology, education and speech and language therapy by informing theories of reading and vocabulary development and practical approaches for teaching vocabulary.
Planned Impact
It is anticipated that the main non-academic beneficiaries will be teachers, teaching assistants and pupils in secondary schools. However, the findings will also have important implications for academics involved in teacher education, policy makers and speech and language therapists.
In its potential to provide evidence for causal relationships between oral vocabulary and reading in early adolescence, the proposed research will have clear implications for secondary educational practice, policy and speech and language therapy by emphasising the contribution of oral vocabulary to reading development and reciprocally, of reading to vocabulary growth. In addition, the research will explore strategies that may be successful for working with pupils in secondary schools as part of whole class teaching (quality first teaching/wave 1) and intervention approaches for vocabulary (waves 2 and 3). Specifically, it is anticipated that Studies 1 and 2 will highlight the importance for vocabulary development of encouraging pupils to read widely and to use the reading process to learn new words. In addition, if pre-exposure to lexical information promotes learning in Study 2 (cf. Steele et al., 2012), this would motivate instructional and intervention approaches in which pupils with and without language learning needs are introduced to words before they encounter them through independent reading (e.g., homework). Finally, if orthographic facilitation is observed in Study 3 (cf. Ricketts et al., 2009; Rosenthal & Ehri, 2008), this will provide an evidence base for presenting orthography when introducing unknown vocabulary. Current expert advice on vocabulary teaching does not emphasise using orthography in this way (e.g., Beck et al., 2002). Writing key vocabulary on the board is a known pedagogical strategy. However, our observation of 25 secondary English lessons (unpublished data) indicated that in 40% of cases, teachers did not write key vocabulary on the board (see also Ehri & Rosenthal, 2007).
A programme of planned activities (INSET in schools, practitioner workshop, pupil-run survey, parliamentary seminar and briefings) will ensure that the key messages outlined above are translated directly and quickly into practice. In addition, the activities will promote engagement in the research of school staff, speech and language therapists, pupils and policy makers. Through my leadership of the First Language and Literacy Research Group and other roles at the Institute of Education, University of Reading, I will also work closely with a number of academics who are engaged in initial training and continuing professional development for teachers in the UK, impacting indirectly on a wider group of teachers through their training. For more details on how the proposed work will be managed to engage users and beneficiaries, see the 'pathways to impact' attachment.
Potential users have already been involved in the research. I have discussed its aims with a number of interested parties, who have expressed their belief in the project's importance and agreed to participate in its advisory group. The group will draw from expertise in academia, teacher education, teaching (specifically special educational needs teaching), speech and language therapy and research, the third sector, policy, and the commercial sector (a leading UK publisher of literacy and oral vocabulary assessments). These individuals will steer the design, execution and dissemination of the proposed research from its inception to its completion. In addition, they will guide pathways to impact, ensuring that the transfer, exchange and co-creation of knowledge is maximised.
In its potential to provide evidence for causal relationships between oral vocabulary and reading in early adolescence, the proposed research will have clear implications for secondary educational practice, policy and speech and language therapy by emphasising the contribution of oral vocabulary to reading development and reciprocally, of reading to vocabulary growth. In addition, the research will explore strategies that may be successful for working with pupils in secondary schools as part of whole class teaching (quality first teaching/wave 1) and intervention approaches for vocabulary (waves 2 and 3). Specifically, it is anticipated that Studies 1 and 2 will highlight the importance for vocabulary development of encouraging pupils to read widely and to use the reading process to learn new words. In addition, if pre-exposure to lexical information promotes learning in Study 2 (cf. Steele et al., 2012), this would motivate instructional and intervention approaches in which pupils with and without language learning needs are introduced to words before they encounter them through independent reading (e.g., homework). Finally, if orthographic facilitation is observed in Study 3 (cf. Ricketts et al., 2009; Rosenthal & Ehri, 2008), this will provide an evidence base for presenting orthography when introducing unknown vocabulary. Current expert advice on vocabulary teaching does not emphasise using orthography in this way (e.g., Beck et al., 2002). Writing key vocabulary on the board is a known pedagogical strategy. However, our observation of 25 secondary English lessons (unpublished data) indicated that in 40% of cases, teachers did not write key vocabulary on the board (see also Ehri & Rosenthal, 2007).
A programme of planned activities (INSET in schools, practitioner workshop, pupil-run survey, parliamentary seminar and briefings) will ensure that the key messages outlined above are translated directly and quickly into practice. In addition, the activities will promote engagement in the research of school staff, speech and language therapists, pupils and policy makers. Through my leadership of the First Language and Literacy Research Group and other roles at the Institute of Education, University of Reading, I will also work closely with a number of academics who are engaged in initial training and continuing professional development for teachers in the UK, impacting indirectly on a wider group of teachers through their training. For more details on how the proposed work will be managed to engage users and beneficiaries, see the 'pathways to impact' attachment.
Potential users have already been involved in the research. I have discussed its aims with a number of interested parties, who have expressed their belief in the project's importance and agreed to participate in its advisory group. The group will draw from expertise in academia, teacher education, teaching (specifically special educational needs teaching), speech and language therapy and research, the third sector, policy, and the commercial sector (a leading UK publisher of literacy and oral vocabulary assessments). These individuals will steer the design, execution and dissemination of the proposed research from its inception to its completion. In addition, they will guide pathways to impact, ensuring that the transfer, exchange and co-creation of knowledge is maximised.
Organisations
- Royal Holloway University of London (Lead Research Organisation)
- UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- ASTON UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- Lancaster University (Collaboration)
- University of Oslo (Collaboration)
- Dalhousie University (Collaboration)
- MGH Institute of Health Professions (Collaboration)
- Montana State University (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
Jessie Ricketts (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Alonzo CN
(2022)
Building Sustainable Models of Research-Practice Partnerships Within Educational Systems.
in American journal of speech-language pathology
Charman T
(2015)
Emotional and behavioural problems in children with language impairments and children with autism spectrum disorders.
in International journal of language & communication disorders
Dawson N
(2021)
Bridging form and meaning: support from derivational suffixes in word learning
in Journal of Research in Reading
Dawson N
(2017)
The Role of Semantic Knowledge in Learning to Read Exception Words
in Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups
Dawson N
(2018)
Morphological effects in visual word recognition: Children, adolescents, and adults.
in Journal of experimental psychology. Learning, memory, and cognition
Dawson N
(2021)
Finding the man amongst many: A developmental perspective on mechanisms of morphological decomposition.
in Cognition
Dockrell J
(2014)
Exploring writing products in students with language impairments and autism spectrum disorders
in Learning and Instruction
Hulme R
(2022)
Do family learning phonics courses improve parents' reading-related skills and ability to support their children's reading?
in Journal of Research in Reading
Komesidou R
(2022)
Educators' Perceptions of Barriers and Facilitators to the Implementation of Screeners for Developmental Language Disorder and Dyslexia.
in Journal of research in reading
Lindsay G
(2016)
Meeting the educational and social needs of children with language impairment or autism spectrum disorder: the parents' perspectives.
in International journal of language & communication disorders
Description | 1.1. The longitudinal study successfully tracked vocabulary and reading development from 12 to 14 years, resulting in a new academic collaboration with Professor Charles Hulme (Oxford) and Arne Lervåg (Oslo) and generating significant new knowledge (Ricketts et al., under revision): a. For many pupils, poor vocabulary and reading will constrain access to the secondary curriculum b. Growth in vocabulary and reading was minimal (though significant) and rank order amongst pupils was preserved over time. c. Gaps in performance between the highest and lowest performing pupils were reducing, indicating that lower achievers were catching up. d. Word reading did not predict subsequent growth in reading comprehension. e. Vocabulary and reading comprehension were best characterised as part of the same construct. 2. Experimental work elucidated two ways in which reading abilities impact on vocabulary learning in early adolescence. In the first experiment (Ricketts et al., in prep), we furthered our understanding of why emphasising written word forms helps adolescents to learn new spoken forms and their meanings, refining theory. We are currently investigating whether these findings can be replicated outside of the lab, and naturalistically in the classroom. This line of research has led to two new collaborations, with Dr Rob Davies (Lancaster) and Dr Elizabeth Wonnacott (UCL). In our second experiment, we investigated word learning through the process of reading, building on previous research (e.g., Ricketts et al., 2011). Coding and analysis of these data are underway but preliminary analyses indicate that introducing children to the spoken forms and meanings of words results in better learning when they are later encountered in print. 3. The longitudinal and experimental work has allowed me to build research capacity by using complex statistical methods. I attended four courses on longitudinal modelling (UCL, Oslo, Southampton) and the longitudinal data that we collected have been modelled within a structural equation modelling framework, using Mplus, in collaboration with Professor Hulme and Dr Lervåg. I also attended two courses on using R and mixed-effects models (Reading, Royal Holloway) and analysed data for the orthographic facilitation experiment (Ricketts et al., in prep) and another project (Ricketts et al., 2016) using R and mixed-effects models, in collaboration with Dr Davies. 4. The grant has enabled me to maintain existing networks and build important new networks with non-academic stakeholders. Regular meetings with the advisory group allowed me to build long-standing relationships with teachers (primary and secondary), a teacher educator, a speech and language therapist, an educational publisher and a policy expert. I have benefitted enormously from their expertise: discussions have informed dissemination and interpretation, and shaped my research focus more generally. Annual practitioner workshops have enabled two-way engagement with a large number of teachers and other professionals working with pupils in school. Finally, the parliamentary seminar extended my networks within parliament and government, and generated important new contacts and opportunities in the charity sector. For example, I advise the Educational Endowment Foundation and am on the expert advisory group for National Literacy Trust. |
Exploitation Route | Academic beneficiaries: The findings have cross-disciplinary implications for psychology, education and language sciences. Research and theory have focused on language and literacy in childhood, neglecting adolescence, and need to be refined to accommodate our findings. In using latent constructs and a relatively large sample, our methodological approach has set a standard for future longitudinal research. In addition, theories of language development need to be amended to acknowledge that, once children can read, their reading abilities affect language development. Non-academic: The findings have informed education by showing that, for many secondary pupils, poor vocabulary knowledge and reading will constrain access to the curriculum. It is clear from working with teachers that secondary teachers lack the knowledge and resources needed to support these children. It is hoped that the findings will pave the way for changes in educational policy and practice that will address low language and literacy in secondary pupils (e.g., targeted teacher training, curriculum changes, age-appropriate intervention materials), and close the gaps between these low achievers and their higher performing peers. In addition, many teachers and speech and language therapists who I have engaged with have used my findings, harnessing reading to promote vocabulary learning in children and adolescents. 1. Findings from the longitudinal study will have implications for educational policy and practice, indicating that universal approaches are needed to ensure that secondary pupils make progress in oral vocabulary and reading during early adolescence. In addition, targeted approaches are required to promote oral vocabulary and reading in pupils who do not have the requisite vocabulary knowledge and reading ability to successfully access the curriculum, and close the gaps between these low achievers and their higher performing peers. Despite success in teaching reading in primary schools, explicit reading instruction is absent from the secondary curriculum and secondary teachers do not receive training on how to support poor readers. Initial teacher education and continuing professional development for secondary teachers should include details of how to support poor readers. 2. Findings from this experiment indicate that practitioners who are engaged in teaching words to children (e.g., teachers, speech and language therapists) should harness children's reading abilities to support oral vocabulary learning. 3. Findings may indicate strategies that teachers can use in the classroom to promote the learning that takes place independently through reading. |
Sectors | Education Healthcare |
URL | http://www.variss.org |
Description | My future research leaders grant gave me an opportunity to develop my impact activities, building extensive networks with stakeholders and developing my understanding of their contexts, pressures and needs. The key findings from the research are outlined in detail elsewhere but importantly: 1) the longitudinal study highlighted that important developments in vocabulary knowledge and reading are happening in adolescence; 2) the longitudinal study showed that there is a small minority of secondary pupils for which a lack of vocabulary knowledge and reading ability will constrain access to the curriculum and educational progress at school; and 3) the experimental studies provided evidence for teaching strategies that take into account reading when considering how to promote vocabulary growth in adolescents. Overall, this project has foregrounded the importance of focusing on language and literacy in secondary pupils. Till now research has focused almost exclusively on primary-aged pupils and adults, neglecting the intervening adolescent period. The project led to two important research developments that have or will have impact. First, the Nuffield Foundation Reading and Vocabulary project. Second, the development of a decision tree for identifying reading needs and aligning them to support and intervention. In the pathways to impact I proposed a series of activities to engage key non-academic beneficiaries, namely pupils and their families, teachers, educational policy makers and speech and language therapists. I undertook those activities, and have continued to work with these groups, key national and international charities (e.g. National Literacy Trust, Reading Agency, Right to Succeed), industry (GL Assessment, Oxford University Press) and the educational press (e.g. Tes). The following impacts are emerging: Schools, teachers and pupils: Findings have directly influenced work that I have undertaken with schools to promote capacity and increase knowledge and confidence around reading for teachers and other school staff. This work has also led to changes in school-level policies and practices. I organise our annual 'Working Together' research-practice workshop at the university. Questionnaires have indicated clear changes to thinking and practice around vocabulary and reading in primary and secondary schools. Findings have also impacted schools, teachers and pupils indirectly. They contributed to the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) Secondary Literacy Guidance, which has been used as a basis for widespread training provided by the EEF and its Research Schools nationally. Government and parliament: The findings were discussed in a parliamentary seminar hosted by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology in 2016. They have since been shared with English Curriculum and Post-16 teams in the Department for Education. Findings have contributed to the DfE Reading Framework (due 2023) on which I have advised, and may also showcase work that I led with Blackpool secondary schools. Findings have contributed to meetings and inquiries conducted by the APPG for literacy and APPG for oracy. Industry/commercial and charity sectors: Findings have contributed to work undertaken by GL Assessment (e.g. reluctant readers campaign) and Oxford University Press (e.g. transition word gap report). I have worked closely with several charities, including the National Literacy Trust, culminating in a report on secondary reading (due 2023). Media/public: My work has underpinned or contributed to a large number of articles from Tes (was Times Educational Supplement) where I also advise on articles, and have acted as a guest columnist. This and other work has been picked up by the educational press more widely (e.g. schools week). |
First Year Of Impact | 2016 |
Sector | Education,Healthcare,Government, Democracy and Justice |
Impact Types | Societal Economic Policy & public services |
Description | Advising Department for Education on Reading Framework Part 2 |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | Change to guidance for schools, to emphasise importance of supporting reading beyond early primary |
Description | EEF secondary literacy guidance |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | This guidance is used nationally by the EEF research schools and others to train teachers on how to support literacy in secondary school. |
URL | https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/literacy-ks3-ks4 |
Description | Ofsted reading on secondary reading |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | Emphasising the importance of assessing and supporting reading in secondary school |
URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/now-the-whole-school-is-reading-supporting-struggling-rea... |
Description | School practices |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | Change to teacher and school staff knowledge Change to teacher and school staff practice Change to school-level practices and policies Some of these changes are linked to assessment and diagnostic guidance, see link below |
URL | https://osf.io/tm5cg |
Description | Do Infants Learn New Words from Educational Picture Books? |
Amount | £305,823 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EDO/43951 |
Organisation | Nuffield Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2019 |
End | 09/2022 |
Description | ESRC DTC CASE studentship |
Amount | £6,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2015 |
End | 09/2018 |
Description | ESRC SeNSS DTP studentship |
Amount | £0 (GBP) |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2018 |
End | 09/2021 |
Description | Experimental Psychology Society Small Grant |
Amount | £2,500 (GBP) |
Organisation | Experimental Psychology Society (EPS) |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2016 |
End | 12/2017 |
Description | Experimental Psychology Society Workshop Funding |
Amount | £4,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Experimental Psychology Society (EPS) |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2018 |
End | 02/2019 |
Description | Love to Read: A co-designed intervention to motivate and engage child readers |
Amount | £159,999 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EDO/FR-000022626 |
Organisation | Nuffield Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2021 |
End | 02/2023 |
Description | Nuffield Foundation Grant |
Amount | £305,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EDO/43287 |
Organisation | Nuffield Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2018 |
End | 05/2020 |
Description | US National Institute of Health (NIH) R01 |
Amount | $3,718,181 (USD) |
Funding ID | R01 DC016895 |
Organisation | National Institutes of Health (NIH) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United States |
Start | 06/2018 |
End | 06/2023 |
Description | Waterloo Foundation |
Amount | £37,540 (GBP) |
Organisation | The Waterloo Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2019 |
End | 12/2021 |
Description | Crystalised vs. fluid knowledge |
Organisation | Dalhousie University |
Department | Department of Psychology and Neuroscience |
Country | Canada |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Contributions to the design of an experiment |
Collaborator Contribution | Funding (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, NSERC) and design, data collection |
Impact | Mimeau, C., Ricketts, J., & Deacon, S.H. (under revision). The role of orthographic and ortho-semantic learning in word-level reading and reading comprehension. Scientific Studies of Reading. A second article is in process. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Eye tracking |
Organisation | Oxford Brookes University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Theoretical, design and data collection |
Collaborator Contribution | Dr Holly Joseph has provided training on how to use the Eyelink 1000 eye tracker |
Impact | Talk at Oxford Brookes (November 2014) and plans for future research funding application |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Hogan Wolter |
Organisation | MGH Institute of Health Professions |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Contribution to all aspects of study design |
Collaborator Contribution | Contribution to all aspects of study design |
Impact | NIH R1 grant application awarded 2018 (total value USD $3,718,181) |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Hogan Wolter |
Organisation | Montana State University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Contribution to all aspects of study design |
Collaborator Contribution | Contribution to all aspects of study design |
Impact | NIH R1 grant application awarded 2018 (total value USD $3,718,181) |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Longitudinal analysis |
Organisation | University of Oslo |
Country | Norway |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Design and collection of extensive longitudinal data (phase 1 of 3 now completed) |
Collaborator Contribution | Professor Charles Hulme (involved since 2013) and Professor Arne Lervåg (involved since 2017) have and will contribute knowledge of growth curve modelling for longitudinal analysis |
Impact | Data collection from Study 1 (longitudinal study) finished in July 2016, analysis is underway and the article will be submitted in due course: Ricketts, J., Dawson, N., Lervåg, A. & Hulme, C. (in prep). Vocabulary and reading development in early adolescence. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Longitudinal analysis |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Department of Education |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Design and collection of extensive longitudinal data (phase 1 of 3 now completed) |
Collaborator Contribution | Professor Charles Hulme (involved since 2013) and Professor Arne Lervåg (involved since 2017) have and will contribute knowledge of growth curve modelling for longitudinal analysis |
Impact | Data collection from Study 1 (longitudinal study) finished in July 2016, analysis is underway and the article will be submitted in due course: Ricketts, J., Dawson, N., Lervåg, A. & Hulme, C. (in prep). Vocabulary and reading development in early adolescence. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | McGeown |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Co-I on a grant to co-construct a reading motivation intervention with teachers |
Collaborator Contribution | PI for the project |
Impact | Forthcoming |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Mixed effects modelling |
Organisation | Lancaster University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Theoretical, design and data collection |
Collaborator Contribution | Dr Robert Davies has provided expertise on how to analyse experimental data using mixed effects models |
Impact | Talk at Lancaster University (October 2014) Ricketts, J., Stuart, M., Masterson, J., Davies, R., & Duff, F. (2016). Evidence for semantic involvement in regular and exception word reading in emergent readers of English. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 150, 330-345. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2016.05.013 Ricketts, J., Dawson, N., & Davies, R. (in prep). Hear a word, see a word, learn a word: The impact of orthography on oral vocabulary acquisition in children and adolescents. Based on data collected under this award (Study 3) |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Shapiro |
Organisation | Aston University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Contribution to all stages of study design |
Collaborator Contribution | Leading contribution to all stages of study design |
Impact | Outline grant application to the Nuffield Foundation (submitted 13.3.2017), the full application was then submitted and successful (starts March 2018, total value: £304,872) |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | . Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Talk entitled: Hear a word, see a word, learn a word: The impact of orthography on oral vocabulary acquisition |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Advisory Group meetings |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Across five advisory group meetings, we have discussed our research plans and progress with the group, which includes experts in reading policy (Professor Rhona Stainthorp, Univerity of Reading, Sir Jim Rose, CfBT Education Trust), local government (Jenny Tuck, Reading Borough Council), teacher education (Eileen Hyder, University of Reading), speech and language therapy (Susan Ebbels, Moor House School), publishing educational materials (Sue Thompson, GL Assessment), teaching in secondary schools (Margaret Sampson, St Crispins Secondary School), teaching in primary schools (Carol Pedley, Holly Lodge school) We have had extensive discussions and the design, execution and dissemination of the project, including planned impact activities |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013,2014,2015,2016,2017 |
Description | City University of New York Colloquium |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Invited colloquium entitled 'Orthographic facilitation in vocabulary acquisition: Where are we now?' |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Department for Education literacy team |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | I have been in regular contact with the Senior Executive Officer for Policy in the English team, reporting on the findings from this project. I have also provided input on literacy (word reading and reading comprehension) interventions/best practice for pupils in the 8-11. In my response I emphasised assessment issues and CPD for teachers as these are where my expertise lie. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
Description | Dyslexia Guild Keynote |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited keynote entitled: 'Reciprocal relationships between vocabulary and reading'. Attendees were mostly practitioners working with children with dyslexia. Approximately 200 people attended, with 22 providing feedback. Of these, the majority expressed changes to their understanding or future behaviour. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Education Endowment Foundation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | I provided input on the North East Primary Literacy campaign and be a panel member for the secondary literacy review |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017,2018 |
Description | GL Assessment |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | I have been advising on a new spelling test that GL Assessment are developing, for use by teachers and other professionals to assess spelling progress. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
Description | Helen Arkell Keynote |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Keynote address entitled 'How can we harness children's reading skills to promote vocabulary learning?' with ensuing discussion of how to support reading and vocabulary in school. Approximately 120 people attended, of these, 48 provided feedback, with the majority expressing change to their understanding or future behaviour. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Human Communication Sciences, University of Sheffield |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Talk entitled: The VaRiSS Project: Vocabulary and Reading in Secondary School |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | INSET training for schools |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Nicky Dawson (RA on the project) gave presentations on the project and on speech and language therapy to a school and also at a regional SENCO conference in Brackness, which led to discussion None as yet |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014,2015 |
Description | Invited talk: Beyond primary school: Reading development in adolescence. Macquarie University Centre for Reading (MQCR) Seminar Series (online) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Talk for practitioners and researchers |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SNSpyTVeis |
Description | National Literacy Trust Literacy Expert Group |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | Input on literacy research to the expert panel, attending meetings, commenting on documents |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
Description | National Literacy Trust Literacy for Life conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Keynote address: Vocabulary and Reading in Secondary School |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Oxford Department of Education |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Keynote entitled 'The VaRiSS Project: Vocabulary and Reading in Secondary School' to academics and teachers |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Parliamentary Seminar on Measuring Literacy |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | I organised the event in collaboration with Sarah Bunn and others at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology. Academic colleagues gave short presentations (Professor Kathy Rastle on the value of testing for learning, Professor Maggie Snowling on early language and literacy development) and I talked about this project and measuring literacy in secondary school. David Weston (former teacher and expert in education and continuing professional development) acted as discussant. The session and ensuing discussion was chaired by Suella Fernandes MP (member of the Education Select Committee), with important points about motivation for reading and the lack of continuing professional development for secondary teachers and age-appropriate materials for secondary pupils. 78 delegates signed up to attend from government, parliament, charities, research, speech and language therapies and schools. Of these, 29 provided feedback, with the majority expressing change to their understanding or behaviour. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://pc.rhul.ac.uk/sites/lara/2016/10/11/parliamentary-seminar-measuring-literacy/ |
Description | Patoss workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | This workshop was entitled 'How can we harness children's reading skills to promote vocabulary learning?'. It showcased my research, including Study 3, which was supported with this award. Teachers and other dyslexia practitioners worked with me to consider the implications of the research for their practice. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Presentation at Moor House School |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A talk was given to speech and language therapists and teachers at this school, which is a special school for children with language impairments. We shared plans for the project with practitioners but also sought their advice in the design of an experiment in which we are teaching children new vocabulary items - something that is central to speech and language therapy practice. Through this we hoped to capture some aspects of best practice in relation to vocabulary teaching. We adopted suggestions from the practitioners, including how to structure our vocabulary teaching (30-60 minutes per week on the same day of two consecutive weeks), how to incorporate active tasks in our teaching to maximise learning |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Pupil survey |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | We worked with a group of pupils in school to engage them in the research process, from its inception to completion. In an initial session, we worked with pupils to develop a questionnaire, with pupils coming up with the questions and responses. Pupils helped to enter the survey into surveymonkey and then administered the survey to their friends at school. In a second follow-up session we looked at the data and worked together to come up with explanations for the findings. Pupils then wrote the findings up for the school newsletter. The article was posted on our website (URL below). Before and after the activity, pupils were asked about whether they would consider a career in research and whether reading is important for being successful in life (the topic of the questionnaire that they designed). In both questions, there was evidence of change. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014,2015 |
URL | http://variss.org/2015/10/01/involving-secondary-pupils-in-research/ |
Description | Reading in adolescence: skills, practice and outcomes. Talk given to the Department of Psychology, University of York, UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk to academics |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Reading, oracy and vocabulary. Webinar given as part of the Greenshaw Research School series: The importance of developing reading. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Webinar |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Research-practice Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Workshop to encourage discussion of research between researchers and practitioners working with children in and around schools (teachers, speech and language therapists, mental health practitioners etc.). Also attended by policy experts, charities and the commercial sector. We discussed issues relating to literacy in primary and secondary school, and mental health. Just over 100 people registered to attend, with 41 providing feedback, the majority reported change to their understanding of reading, and/or to their future behaviour/practice. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
Description | School visits |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Developing relationships with schools participating in the research (particularly head teachers, SENCOs, senior management) to conduct research, provide feedback on the project and discuss research findings and teaching practice. We visited the following schools in and around Berkshire: Downsway Primary School, St Crispins Secondary School, Cox Green Secondary School, Emmbrook Secondary School, Garth Hill Secondary School. The meeting at St Crispins will lead to a joint research project between my research team and Year 8 pupils, in which pupils will be guided to carry out some research and disseminate findings within school (newsletter), the local region (local newspaper, pracitioner workshop) and nationally (parliament) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014,2015,2016 |
Description | Social media engagement (website, facebook, twitter) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Disseminated information about the project through our websites (see below and my lab's website http://pc.rhul.ac.uk/sites/lara/) and invited the public to take part in a vocabulary survey. We are also active on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/varissproject/) and twitter under two handles (@ricketts_lara and @varissproject). Following our posts on the website, facebook and twitter we have met with the designers of Word Aware, a popular approach for supporting vocabulary learning in schools |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013,2014,2015,2016,2017 |
URL | http://variss.org/ |
Description | Supporting low ability readers. Workshop with Right to Succeed and Sarah Minton |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Full-day workshop CPD for teachers, who reported change to knowledge and planned activities/school processes and policies. Workshop will be followed up with individual meetings with schools. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Surrey SLI CEN |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Talk entitled: How can we harness children's reading skills to promote vocabulary learning? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Talk at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Talk led to discussion In part, the talk led to a collaboration with colleagues at Dalhousie University |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Talk at Lancaster University, UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Talk with discussion afterwards Contributed to developing a collaboration at Lancaster University |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Talk at Oxford Brookes University |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Talk with ensuing discussion Contributed to collaboration with Oxford Brookes University for eye tracking training and future research funding bid |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Teacher conference (Reading Quest) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presentation from me that generated discussion afterwards. Feedback forms were completed immediately afterwards to monitor impact and these have been redistributed to assess impact longer term. Teachers reported that the presentation had changed the way that they think about reading development, emphasising the importance of comprehension and vocabulary knowledge and insights on how to assess reading in schools. Also has improved confidence in emphasising the importance of these aspects. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Thinking Reading Advisory Board |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Research input to the advisory board, attending meetings, commenting on documents and decisions |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
Description | Times Educational Supplement interviews |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Written interview, followed up by a podcast |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
Description | UCL |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Presentation to academics, students and speech and language therapists: Hear a word, see a word, learn a word: The impact of orthography on oral vocabulary acquisition |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Using assessment to align pupil needs to support. Calderdale Schools |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | I gave two talks, with discussions. All feedback was positive. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Vocabulary and reading development: From primary to secondary school. Keynote address for the Oldham Research School English Hub conference. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Keynote followed by rich discussion with teachers and others, excellent feedback and indication of change to knowledge/practice |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Vocabulary and reading development: From primary to secondary school. Webinar for General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS). |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | The webinar was well attended and is now available on youtube: youtu.be/ykN1SRt37kI |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Vocabulary and reading in early adolescence, talk at Aston University |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Academic talk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Vocabulary and reading in secondary. Online Continuing Professional Development provided for Charters Secondary School, Ascot UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Continuing Professional Development for a school |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Wellcome Trust Science of Learning Zone |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Answering teacher questions and contributing to live chat |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |