Computer-Delivered Morphology-Focused Vocabulary Instruction: A Pilot Study.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effects of a computer-delivered morphology instruction on morphological knowledge (MK) of students in third grade and test whether the treatment had similar effects across students who differed in their initial MK performance.

Method: We employed a randomized trial with randomization blocked within classrooms. Students (N = 263) in 14 third-grade classrooms in three schools were randomly assigned to a 6-week treatment or a wait-list comparison group that received business-as-usual instruction. The modules provided explicit instruction on derivational morphemes, roots and bases, and the meanings of derived words. Students assigned to treatment received individual log-ins to access the online program within their classrooms at least 3 times a week for 15-20 min per session. MK outcomes based on the Morphological Awareness Test for Reading and Spelling were assessed at the student level, using a gain score multilevel model approach to examine treatment effects.

Results: The treatment had significant positive effects on MK skills for students in the treatment condition with an effect size of 0.33 for affix identification and 0.24 for suffix choice. Students with low MK performance at pretest demonstrated similar gains from the treatment as students who were high performing at the onset of the study.

Conclusions: Computer-delivered supplemental instruction that includes explicit instruction on derivational morphology is associated with positive effects on students' MK. This finding has practical implications for minimizing the burden on teachers for implementation and enhancing language and literacy outcomes of students.

Supplemental material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.28439768.