Words and Concepts

OVERVIEW

The Words and Concepts program is a series of computer software program designed to increase oral language skills. There are three programs in the series (Words and Concepts I, II, and III) with each covering a new set of vocabulary. An evaluation of the program among Head Start students found that Words and Concepts did not provide any benefits with regard to oral language skills compared with a usual-instruction control group. However, for students classified as low functioning, there was a positive impact on basic level of oral expression.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

Target population: Although the program has only been evaluated with preschool children, the program does not have a specific target population and can be used by children as well as adults. The program will work with individuals with language-learning disabilities, developmental disabilities, physical impairments, hearing and vision impairments, and autism.

The Words and Concepts program is a series of computer software program designed to increase oral language skills. Specifically, it addresses vocabulary, work associations, and concepts of same and different. There are three programs in the series (Words and Concepts I, II, and III). Each program includes 40 core vocabulary words and six language related units (vocabulary, categorization, word identification by function, word association, and concepts of same and different). Activities in each program have three levels of difficulty and can be set to adjust to the progress of the individual. The program activities feature graphics, animation, digitized speech, and optional text.

EVALUATION(S) OF PROGRAM

Schetz, K.F. (1994). An examination of software used with enhancement for preschool discourse skill improvement. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 11(1), 51-71.

Evaluated population: 93 low-income children from Head Start classes located in three Head Start centers in Roanoke, VA. Children were 4 and 5 years of age, and the sample was 55 percent female. Sixteen students were receiving speech language services. Due to attrition, the final sample consisted of 78 children.

Approach: Children were matched based on pre-test scores and randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups or a control group. The Preschool Language Assessment Instrument, which has four separate subtests, and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised were used to assess language levels at pre and post-test. 

Participants in both intervention groups worked in pairs and used the Words and Concept program twice a week for approximately 20 minutes over the course of 12 weeks.

Participants in the first intervention group used the Words and Concepts program with the aid of a speech-language clinician. The clinician asked questions to help the participant verbalize their responses as they used the program. Participants in the second intervention group used the Words and Concepts program where the clinician explained how to use the program but did not provide any additional instruction.

Participants in the control group received language enrichment as part of their regular Head Start program.

As a secondary analysis, the participants were separated into high and low functioning groups by a median split based on their pretest scores.  The impact of the program on these two groups was then compared. 

Results: Results of the study indicated that the Words and Concept program did not produce any significant gains in the oral language domain.  However, for those students classified as low functioning there was a significant effect found of the program for both of the computer intervention groups on scores for the first subtest of the Preschool Language Assessment Instrument, which is intended to measure the most basic level of oral expression.

SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

Curriculum materials available for purchase at:

http://www.laureatelearning.com/professionals602/products/descriptions/wcdesc.html

$230 for each copy plus $1150 for a network license. Bulk licenses are available.

References:

Schetz, K.F. (1994). An examination of software used with enhancement for preschool discourse skill improvement. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 11(1), 51-71.

KEYWORDS: Computer-based; Preschool; Children (3-11); Other Education; Males and Females (Co-ed); School-based.

Program information last updated on 6/8/11.

© Child Trends 2003