Questions and Answers About
Take Aim! at Vocabulary

Field studies were conducted at three sites: Minneapolis, MN, Cumming, GA, and Manayunck, PA, with students in grades 4–6.  Approximately 65 students used the materials for a 14–16 week time span.  Control groups were established.  Data was collected throughout the study and some initial evaluation has begun.  All students took a study pretest which was a random selection of 24 of the 144 words the student would learn.  At the end of the trial, students took a study posttest, which contained the same words but in a different order.  See the charts below for these results. 

Students also took the Gate test for vocabulary and comprehension both pre and post.  Initial analysis of that data is underway but results are not yet available.

The charts below show each group plotted by pre vs. post scores.  The study group used Take Aim materials between the pre and posttests; the control group did not.  The x-axis shows the pretest scores, and the y-axis shows the posttest scores.  If there was no change, the scores would fall along the diagonal line. 

Data Summary by C. Seifert, Ph.D., University of Michigan

The improvement in the study group is much larger than in the control group.  In fact, even with only these scores, the difference is statistically significant. 

• The study group's pretest vs. study posttest scores show significant improvement. 
• The control group's pretest and posttest scores are also significantly different, but smaller.
• Comparing difference scores (posttest minus pretest), the study group improved significantly more than the control group.
• The group means and standard deviations are somewhat comparable, even with this few subjects.  So no statistical difference in the control group pretest to study group pretest (the two groups were about the same).

Each unit includes an activity called Extend the Target Words.  An example of a question in this section is: "If you adapt (target word) to the cold weather by putting on a hat, you have made an adaptation.  Another example of an adaptation is ____________."  Some of the ways teachers can use the Extend the Target Words section include the following:

• Teachers can add this section to their core program.
• Teachers can assign this section if a student does not pass the posttest.
• Teachers can use this section as a review activity by giving the student Extend the Target Words questions from Take Aim units the student has previously completed.

You can see more examples of these questions in the Student Packet.  The Student Packet is where students record responses to the activities.

We teach one meaning of the target word directly.  However, if the target word has another meaning that occurs in a different context or story in the unit, we will define both in the glossary.  In addition, in the Answer the Comprehension Questions section, one of the questions asks the student to define what one of the words in the passage means.  The two distracters are most often other meanings of the word.

You can see examples of these questions in the Unit Textbook.  The third question in this section is always a vocabulary context question.   

Each unit includes Enrichment: Apply the Target Words questions that require this kind of writing.  An example of a question in this section is:  "What are some ways you could promote (target word) your favorite book?"  Teachers can include these questions in the core program or assign them on an as-needed basis.

You can see examples of these questions in the Enrichment: Apply the Target Words questions in the Unit Textbook.