How effective is the "Wonderful Words" intervention
programme at teaching target vocabulary?
Hannah Dyson (PhD Researcher)
Professor Charles Hulme (Principal Supervisor)
Developmental Science Department
1. INTRODUCTION
Research Questions:
1. Is the “Wonderful Words” intervention programme
effective at teaching target vocabulary?
2. Does the “Wonderful Words” programme have an
effect on general vocabulary development, thereby
helping to close the vocabulary gap?
 Children’s vocabulary levels are strongly linked to current and future educational performance (Lee,
2011).
 A vocabulary gap exists between higher and lower achievers, which impacts negatively on educational
attainment and therefore on life chances (Biemiller, 2012).
 Researchers and practitioners have concluded that vocabulary needs to be taught explicitly in
classrooms in order to address this gap (Beck, McKeown and Kucan, 2002).
 The “Wonderful Words” programme was therefore developed to equip teachers with a ready-made
vocabulary building programme.
WORD MAP WORKSHEET
Write today’s word here:
2. MATERIALS
…………………………………………………………….
Principle
Example
Which picture matches the word fragile best?
Target word is introduced in written and spoken
format. Children are encouraged to say the word
aloud.
“Today’s word is fragile”.
Teacher reads aloud student-friendly definition.
“If something is fragile, it means it is easy to break.
A person can also be fragile if they are tired or
upset.”
Teacher reads aloud sentences containing the
word to expose children to different contexts in
which the word is used.
“The fragile glass horse shattered into pieces when
I dropped it on the floor.”
“Mum was feeling fragile because she had a cold
and a temperature.”
Word games allow the children to engage with
different examples and rate whether they apply
to the target word.
“Which of the following objects is fragile:
- a wine glass
- a plastic bottle
- a scarf
- a teacher’s chair
- a window.
Can you think of your own example?”
Which of these words means the same as fragile?
lovely
breakable
easy
Can you think of any more words that mean the same as fragile?
……………………………………………………………………………………………
Children are encouraged to generate their own
examples.
Children complete worksheets to consolidate
their learning.
Which of these words means the opposite of fragile?
strong
shocking
Worksheets include writing the word, identifying
pictures to match the word and generating
synonyms and antonyms.
sad
Can you think of any more words that mean the opposite of fragile?
……………………………………………………………………………………
On a separate piece of paper, draw a picture of another object you think is
fragile. What makes it fragile?
This trial was conducted using the Regression Discontinuity Design
(RDD). In this design, all children who achieve below a certain level
on their pre-intervention tests take part in the programme, while their
more able peers act as controls.
A significant result is demonstrated if there is a break (discontinuity)
in the regression line at the point where the groups divide.
3. STUDY DESIGN
4. RESULTS
 The trial was conducted in three schools over ten weeks.
 A total of 199 children took part (43 in the intervention group and 156 acting as controls)
 Children who received the intervention took part in small-group sessions two-three times per week for 2025 minutes per session.
 Children were tested on the target words, a control word-set and a general measure of their vocabulary,
before and after the intervention programme.
 The results of the Regression Discontinuity analysis showed a group difference of 3.95 at
the cut-off point (p<0.001).
 This is shown by the break (discontinuity) in the fitted lines of the intervention and control
group.
 The graph demonstrates that the intervention group’s scores improved significantly in
relation to their pre-intervention test results.
Conclusions:
1. “Wonderful Words” is effective at teaching
target vocabulary to lower-achieving 6-9 year old
children in a small group context.
2. Learning from the programme did not transfer to
the untreated control words or have a
measureable impact on children’s general
vocabulary knowledge.
Funding for this research has been provided jointly through the UCL Impact Studentship Award and
contributions from Dr Jonathan Solity of KRM-PER Research Consultants
REFERENCES:
Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction. New
York: Guilford Press.
Biemiller, A. (2012). Teaching Vocabulary in the Primary Grades: Vocabulary Instruction Needed. In E. J.
Kame'enui & J. F. Baumann (Eds.), Vocabulary Instruction: Research to Practice (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford
Press.
Lee, J. (2011). Size matters: Early vocabulary as a predictor of language and literacy competence. Applied
Psycholinguistics, 32(1), 69-92.
 The children in the intervention group did not improve significantly on the control words or on
the general measure of vocabulary.