Senechal, M., & Cornell, E. H. (1993). < active participation 01>

Vocabulary acquisition through shared reading experiences.Reading Research Quarterly, 28 (4), 361-374.

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Abstract

The present study aims to investigate the effects of different reading conditions on children’s receptive and expressive vocabulary. Four adult reading conditions were utilized in the experiment. The four reading measures were the use of what-and where- questions, the use of recasts, the word repetition condition, and the verbatim reading condition. Eighty 4-and eighty 5- years-old children were recruited in the study. Results indicated that requesting active participation in the book-reading interactions did not boost children’s vocabulary learning; reading the book verbatim was just as effective as asking questions or recasting new vocabulary introduced in the book. However, the researchers found the effect of a single reading of a storybook on children’s receptive vocabulary. (L1)
Design: 1 storybook
Reading conditions:(a) the use of questions (b) the use of recasts (c) repetition (d) read the book verbatim
Findings: The reading episode was sufficient to boost young learners’receptivevocabulary and that the immediate test may have primed older children to acquire target words in extraexperimental contexts. Children’s acquisition was superior to the reasonable estimate of guessing. Also, children remembered more words than they forgot words. (after investigating the influence of remembering, forgetting, and reminiscence on their receptive vocabulary development) On the other hand, although the children failed to produce the target words, after the reading, they were able to produce appropriate synonyms for the target words. Moreover, they produced few inappropriate labels and produced few failures to respond.
Multiple exposure of book reading is a must!

Senechal, M. (1997). < active participation 02>

The differential effect of storybook reading on preschoolers’ acquisition of expressive and receptive vocabulary. CambridgeUniversity Press, 24, 123-138.

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Abstract

Thepresent study was conducted to assess the effect of didactic techniques used during storybook reading on young children’s acquisition of new vocabulary introduced in storybooks. 30 three-year-old and 30 four-year-old children are included in the experiment. One storybook was utilized and three reading conditions were set up for the participants: single reading, repeated reading and questioning. In both the repeated reading and questioning conditions, the storybook was read three times. Results indicated that listening to multiple readings of a storybook facilitated children’s acquisition of expressive and receptive vocabulary, whereas answering questions during the multiple readings was more helpful to the acquisition of expressive than receptive vocabulary.(L1)
Design: 1 storybook (the same with one that used in Senechal & Cornell, 1993)
Testing: Pretest of receptive vocabulary, Posttests of receptive & expressive vocabulary
Readingconditions: (a) single-reading (b) repeated-reading (c) questioning condition.
Discussion
Increased exposure of book reading enhanced children’s receptive and expressive vocabulary similarly whereas active responding during repeated book reading events enhanced children’ expressive vocabulary more than their receptive vocabulary. Also, adults’ reading behaviors may have different effects on children’s receptive and expressive vocabulary.

Ewers. C. A., & Brownson, S. M. (1999). < active participation 03>

Kindergarteners’ vocabulary acquisition as a function of active vs. passive storybook reading, prior vocabulary, and working memory. Journal of Reading Psychology, 20, 11-20.

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Abstract
The purpose of the current study is to investigate the effect of active versus passive storybook reading conditions on the vocabulary acquisition of kindergarteners who differed in level of prior vocabulary and phonological working memory. Results revealed that children with higher vocabulary knowledge acquired significantly more words than lower vocabulary peers; active participants acquired significantly more words than passive participants; and children with high versus low working memory did not differ in word acquisition. (L1)
Design: 1 storybook
Testing:(a) the Senechal Vocabulary Test-Adapted (b) Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-R), and (c)the Children’s Test of Nonword Repetition (CNRep)  to get the current proficiency
(d) pretest (e) posttest of target words
Readingconditions: (a) active storybook reading (b) passive storybook reading.
Discussion
Kindergarteners could acquire a significant number of new vocabulary words as a result of listening to a single storybook reading. Active participation would facilitates the learning of voca.

Justice, L. M. (2002). Word exposure conditions and preschoolers’ novel word learning during shared storybook reading. Reading Psychology, 23, 87-106. < active participation 04>

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Abstract
The researcher designed an experiment in which 23 preschoolers participated in 2 adult-child shared storybook reading sessions over 1-week period. The purposes of the present study are, firstly, to characterize the influence of various conditions. Secondly, to investigate the effects of the two contrasting conditions. Results indicated that adults’ labeling of novel words facilitated children’s receptive word learning but not for expressive word learning. Also, results suggested that no differences in receptive or expressive word learning in terms of conceptual versus perceptual questions. (L1)
Design:
Testing: (a) Novel Receptive Vocabulary, and (b) Novel Expressive Vocabulary
Reading conditions: (a) questioning versus labeling of novel words, and (b) conceptual versus perceptual questions about novel words
Discussion
Adults’ labeling of novel words resulted in significantly greater gains in preschool children’s receptive learning of novel words. Also, both questioning and labeling did not exert positive effects regarding to the young children’s expressive learning of novel words. Last, nor did various types of adult questions exert differential effects on novel word learning by preschool children

Senechal, M., Thomas, E., & Monker, J. A. (1997) <active participation 05

Individual differences in 4-year-old children’s acquisition of vocabulary during storybook reading.Journal of Educational Psychology, 87 (2), 218-229.

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Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to assess how children who differ in vocabulary knowledge learn new vocabulary from listening to storybooks. Participants were pretested for their prior word knowledge and classified as high or low word knowledge based on their Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) standard scores. In experiment 1, children either listened passively or labeled pictures using novel words. Results shown that children with larger vocabularies produced more novel words than did children with smaller vocabularies, and children who answered questions during the book readings comprehended and produced more words than did children who passively listened to the story. In Experiment 2, participants either listened to readings of a book, pointed to pictures during the readings, or labeled pictures during the readings. Results indicated that children with larger vocabularies comprehended more novel words than did children with smaller vocabularies. Also, children who actively participated by labeling or pointing learned more words than did children who listened passively to book readings. Therefore, the results highlighted the importance of active participation during the readings, whether verbal or nonverbal responding, namely, labeling or pointing. (L1)
Design: 2 storybooks, 2 exposures of book reading, delayed/ post-test of comprehension & production, 32 & 48 sub.
Low & high word knowledge groups
Discussion: an example of the Matthew Effects; active participation facilitates word learning (pointing or labeling); home reading experience is a key role in children’s vocabulary base

Ehri, L. C, & Robbins, C. (1994). Reading storybooks to kindergarteners helps them learn new vocabulary words. Journal of Educational Psychology, 86 (1), 54-64.

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Abstract
33 five-year-old kindergarteners comprised the body of the subjects in this study. Two storybooks were used and were read twice to the participants. After the reading, the participants completed a posttest measuring their knowledge of the meanings if 22 unfamiliar words. Results indicated that children recognized the meanings of significantly more words from the story than words not in the story. Namely, storybook reading facilitated children’s learning of vocabulary words. The study results were another example of the Matthew Effect, which supported the phenomenon that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Moreover, four exposures to words appeared to be necessary but not sufficient for higher rates of word learning. (L1)
.Design:
Testing: 2 storybooks; multiple-choice posttest (22 words, 11 heard, 11 not-heard)
3 groups: low, middle, & high word knowledge
Discussion:
1. an example of the Matthew Effects
2. multiple exposures of book reading is a must (in this study, 4 exposures are necessary but still
not sufficient for learning all new words in a story, at least 2 exposures for enhancing word learning)

Senechal, M., LeFevre, J. A., Hudson, E., & Lawson, E. P. (1996). Knowledge of storybooks as a predictor of young children’s vocabulary. Journal of Educational Psychology, 88 (3), 520-536. <Knowledge as a Predictor of Vocabulary 01>

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Abstract In the present study, the researchers examined variables accounted for the children’s vocabulary acquisition such as frequency of storybook reading at home, frequency of reading requests during a typical week and so on. Additionally, parents’education background, socioeconomic status, occupation and other potential influencing factors were also being taken into consideration in the research. In Experiment 1, parents’knowledge of storybooks explained unique variance in children’s receptive vocabulary scores. In Experiment 2, children’s knowledge of storybook explained unique variance in their receptive and expressive vocabulary scores. The findings obtained in the present study indicate that storybook experiences during the preschool years may play a key role in children’s vocabulary development. Furthermore, a book-exposure checklist would be an alternative to self-reports of reading frequency.(L1)
.Design:
Ex.1: 119 children & parents Ex.2: 47 children & 50 parents
Checklists: CTC (Children’s Title Checklist), CAC (Children’s Author Checklist), & AAC (Adults’ Author Ckl.)
Discussion:
1. Book exposure plays a key role in enhancing young children’s vocabulary development.
2. Reading exposure checklists are relatively more reliable than parents’ self-report of children’s reading experiences. (without social desirability)
3. After controlling for other influencing factors (environmental & cognitive), storybook exposure (environmental variables) explains unique variance in children’s vocabulary knowledge

Snow, C. A., & Goldfield, B. A. (1983) Turn the page please: situation-specific language acquisition. J. Child Lang., 10, 551-569.

<mother-infant dyads 01>

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Abstract The study investigated the effects of storybook reading on children’s language development via mother-infant dyads. The research results showed that specific lexical items and constructions used to talk about a picture frequently recurred in subsequent discussions, and that the child learned many of these same items and constructions. Also, the child was most likely to acquire what he had heard his mother say about a picture if he had repeated it in an earlier discussion. (L1) syntactic structures!
.Design: one mother-child pair over a period of 11 months Age: 2.5 years old (to 3.4 years old)
Discussion:
1. The recurrences of storybook reading and discussion did facilitate the child's language development. 2. In 37.7% of the discussions, the child initiated the conversation, indicating that he acquired the lexical items he needed through the reading experiences. (the capacity and willingness to initiate the discussion)
3. In this particular interactive context, the child utilized the strategy of saying what he had heard others say in precisely the same situation.
* Book reading is a frequent and powerful source of language learning.
* Book reading is an ideal and highly routinized activity.
* Routinization of situations and predictability of adult utterances from situation crucial variables determining
optimal usability of the linguistic environment.

Ninio, A. (1983) Joint book reading as a multiple vocabulary acquisition device. Developmental Psychology, 19, 445-451.

<mother-infant dyads 02>

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Abstract The study investigated the effects of joint picture-book reading by 20 mother-infant dyads. Several labeling formats have been found from the content analysis, among them simple labeling by the mother or the infant, elicitation of labeling by “what-questions, “ elicitation of pointing by “where-questions,” and elicited and spontaneous imitation by the infant. The results imply that imitation, comprehension, and productive responses to words by vocabulary- learning infants do no represent different levels of word knowledge, and also that the respective vocabularies are overlapping at a given point in time.(EFL)
Design: The study investigates vocabulary-teaching formats occurring in the context of joint picture-book reading by mother-infant dyads. It focuses on repeated discussions of the same words occurring within a single book-reading session of 15-min duration. 3 picture books are used in the study.
Discussion:
  1. At the stage, correct responses appear intermixed with errors, implying that labeling games concentrate on words in the process of being acquired rather than with fully mastered vocabulary items.
  2. Comprehension and production of labels represent the same level of word knowledge—about 70% correct. Imitation occurs at a slightly lower level of knowledge—about 43% success rate.
  3. Words that are imitated are slightly less well-known by the child than others. That is, imitation occurs literally on the threshold of acquisition. Following imitation, the success rate in producing and comprehending the same items approaches the 70% level.
  4. Production, comprehension, and imitation represent alternative forms of rehearsal, with imitation more likely

Ninio, A. (1983) Joint book reading as a multiple vocabulary acquisition device. Developmental Psychology, 19, 445-451.

<mother-infant dyads 02>

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to occur for less well-learned, but already comprehended, items.
5. Labeling statements were preceded by a significantly lower proportion of correct responses than either what-questions or where-questions. (20.8% for labeling statements, 67.4% for what-questions, 51% for where-questions)
6. Mother exhibited a high degree of sensitivity to signals of word knowledge or lack of it in their children and chose their subsequent move accordingly. Mothers seemed to be motivated to impart labeling information only if the children appeared not to know the word; otherwise, they attempted to elicit production or recognition of the word from the children.
Snow, C.A., & Ninio, A. (1986) The contracts of literacy: What children learn from listening to read books. In W. H. Teale, & E. Sulzby (Eds.), Emergent literacy: Writing and Reading (pp.116-138). Norwood, NJ: Ablex. <mother-infants dyads 3> /

010

Abstract With complementary lines of research, Snow & Ninio turned their attention completely to the contributions of book reading to the child’s literacy development and discuss how children learn the“contracts of literacy,” the basic rules related to the use of books and the meaning of texts.(L1)
Design: mother-child dyads
infant at their initial stage of language learning (one: at his early language acquisition and the other was 8 months old)
Discussion:
*The 7 contracts:
1) Books are for reading, not for manipulating; (2) In book reading, the book is in control and the readeros led; (3) Pictures are not things but representatives of things; (4) Pictures are for naming; (5) Pictures can represent events; (6) Book events occur outside real time; (7) Books constitute an autonomous fictional world

Whitehurst, G. J. et al. (1988). Accelerating Language Development Through Picture Book Reading. Developmental Psychology, 24, 552-559. <mother-infants dyads 4>

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Abstract :The study assessed the effects of joint book reading between mothers and infants. Mothers of the experimental group, after receiving a less than 1 hour reading training, followed the instructions in their reading yet mothers in the control read in their customary fashion. Results showed that the experimental outperformed their counterparts on standardized posttests of expressive language ability. Also, the experimental had a higher MLU (mean length of utterance), frequency of phrases, and a lower frequency of single words. Follow-up 9 months showed differences between the two groups.(L1)Design: mother-child dyads / 1 month duration
The average age: 1.75~2.91 years old
Discussion:
Variations in reading to young children can have appreciable effects on language development. Results from posttests and follow-up on PPVT, EOWPVT, and ITPA indicated that children in the experimental group had a more positive results than ones in the control after being read to by their mothers under the requirements of using open-ended questions, function/attribute questions, and expansions; to respond appropriately to children’s attempts to answer these questions; and to decrease their frequency of straight reading and questions that could be answered by pointing. Moreover, the experimental showed higher MLU, frequency of phrases, and a lower frequency of single words.
PPVT: Peaboby Picture Vocabulary Test
EOWPT: Expressive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test
ITPA: Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities

Arnold, D. H. et al. (1994). Accelerating Language Development Through Picture Book Reading: Replication and Extension to a Videotape Training Format. Journal of Educational Psychology, 86, 235-243. <mother-infants dyads 5>

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Abstract:As a replication of Whitehurst et al (1988)’s study, the present study assessed the effects of joint book reading between mothers and infants using a videotape training program. The intervention program, called dialogic reading, produced substantial effects on preschool children’s language development. Concerning the costs of the reading training program, the authors developed and evaluated an inexpensive videotape training package for teaching dialogic reading techniques. Results supported the conclusions of Whitehurst et al.: Dialogic reading had powerful effects on children’s language skills and indicated that videotape training provide a cost-effective, standardized means of implementing the program. (L1)Design: mother-child dyads / 5 weeks duration/ 64 children, 27 in the control, 23 the direct, 14 in the video
The average age: 2~2. 83 years old
Discussion:
As a replication of Whitehurst, G. J. et al. (1988), the results also found that variations in reading to young children can have appreciable effects on language development. Besides, with the cost-effective concern of the application, the researchers utilized a videotape training program to provide parents with principles of reading storybook aloud. As expectation, the research results confirmed the effects of reading stories to young children did facilitate their vocabulary acquisition. Moreover, with the emphasis of eliciting production from children, the storytelling evokes children’s productive vocabulary than their receptive vocabulary. In other word, the series of dialogic reading studies demonstrates that large effects on children’s language can obtained by a storytime intervention that encourages children to talk about picture books and provides appropriate language feedback and models.

Akhtar, N., Jipson, J., & Callanen, M. A. (2001). Learning words from overhearing. Child Development, 72, 416-430.