Effects of Explicit Vocabulary Videos Delivered Through iPods on Students With Language Impairments

Poor word learning is a hallmark characteristic of students with specific language impairment (SLI). Explicit vocabulary instruction has shown to positively improve word learning in this population. Mobile technology has many advantages making it conducive for addressing the word learning needs of students with SLI. The current study utilized a within-subjects design to investigate the effects of reading paired with explicit instruction delivered through videos viewed on an iPod to reading alone (i.e., traditional) on the novel word learning of fifth- and sixth-grade students with SLI. The order of exposure to the two conditions was counterbalanced across students. The video condition consisted of the students watching a 15-min video twice in 1 week that taught three words critical to comprehending fictional text. A new video was watched each week for 4 weeks. No explicit instruction was provided under the traditional condition. Results show that students learned more words at the expressive and receptive levels under the video condition than under the traditional condition regardless of order of conditions. Specifically, students learned approximately two novel words after viewing vocabulary videos for 30 min in a single week compared to no words under the traditional condition on four of the five measures.