Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

6-1981

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Major

Curriculum and Instruction

Major Professor

A Montgomery Johnston

Committee Members

J Estill Alexander, Paul C Burns, John Peters

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of labeling objects in the classroom upon the subsequent recognition of those words by first grade children. All first grade children in four schools were tested to determine those students who were unfamiliar with eight experimental words to be used as labels associated with concrete objects. Only those first grade children who were unfamiliar with the eight words were I considered as possible subjects for the experiment.

The pretest-posttest control group design was used as the experimental design for this study, consisting of four experimental groups. Students were randomly assigned to one of the four groups, including the label-object group, label-only group, object-only group, and no label-no object group. Subjects in the label-object group were exposed to words (names of circus animals) used as labels associated with concrete objects (stuffed animals). Subjects in the label-only group were exposed to words used as labels not associated with concrete objects. Subjects in the object-only group were exposed to objects and words as used in the Language Experience Story. Subjects in the no label-no object group were not exposed to labels or labels associated with concrete objects; they served as the control group. All groups participated in a Language Experience Story about circus animals.

The treatment consisted of five 15-minute sessions. Each group wrote A Language Experience Story over a five-day period. Day 1 was used to arouse interest in the circus. Students were shown various circus scenes and discussed different aspects of the circus. On day 2, students discussed animals found in a circus. During day 3, students began writing ,a story about circus animals. Students completed the story about circus animals on day 4. On day 5, students read the completed story. Throughput the five days, the experimenter served as a guide, discussion leader, and facilitator. All students were posttested the week following the treatment.

Analyses were made of the differences in the total number of words recognized between the label—object group, label—only group, object-only group, and no label—no object group. Data were statistically analyzed by the use of a two-tailed t-test and analysis of variance to test four null hypotheses.

The hypotheses of this study were written in the null form for testing purposes only. They are:

HO1: There will be no significant difference between the means of numbers of words used as labels recognized by first grade children in the label-object group as compared with first grade children in the no label-no object group. HO1 was rejected.

HO2: There will be no significant difference between the means of numbers of words used as labels recognized by first grade children in the label-only group as compared with first grade children in the no label-no object group. HO2 was rejected.

HO3: There will be no significant difference between the means of numbers of words used as labels recognized by first grade children in the 1 object—only group as compared with first grade children in the no label-no object group. HO3 was rejected.

HO4: There will be no significant differences between the means of numbers of words used as labels recognized by first grade boys as compared with first grade girls; blacks as compared with whites; low socioeconomic levels as compared with high socio-economic levels; and low achievement levels as compared with high achievement levels. HO4 was accepted.

Download
Files over 3MB may be slow to open. For best results, right-click and select "save as..."

Share

COinS