Take Aim at Vocabulary Studies

Read Naturally conducted case studies at multiple sites across the country. Results show that the Take Aim curriculum effectively taught students high-quality vocabulary words. Results also show that students were able to retain knowledge of these words over an extended period of time.

Take Aim Study 1: Minneapolis, MN

Control Group Study

During the fall of the 2007–2008 school year, a group of ten fourth-grade students receiving reading support in an intervention setting participated in a study of Take Aim curriculum.

Prior to the study, the Gates MacGinitie test of reading was administered to several students to obtain a baseline measure of vocabulary development. Ten students scoring between the ninth and 29th percentiles on the Gates MacGinitie vocabulary subtest were selected for participation in the study. Of these ten students, four served as the study group, while the other six served as the control group. The study group worked in six units of the Take Aim curriculum. The control group did not work in Take Aim curriculum.

At the beginning of the study, all ten participants were administered a study pretest. The pretest consisted of 24 words randomly selected from the 144 words taught in the six units of Take Aim curriculum in which the study group would be working.

After completing the pretest, the four students in the study group worked in the Take Aim curriculum for a period of 12 weeks. They worked in the program five times per week for approximately 30 minutes per day. They completed six units of Take Aim. The six students in the control group worked for 12 weeks on activities to improve their reading skills.

At the end of the 12 weeks, all ten students were administered a study posttest. The posttest consisted of the same randomly selected words used in the study pretest.

Results show that students in the study group made significant gains in learning the words taught in the Take Aim curriculum. Students in the control group showed limited growth in vocabulary. Eight weeks later, all ten students were administered a delayed posttest consisting of the same words used in the study pre- and posttests. Results show that students in the study group experienced an increase in knowledge of the vocabulary. Students in the control group did not show growth in vocabulary.

Results for School H-I

Group	Number of Students	Grade	Take Aim Units Completed	Gates MacGinitie Score	Study Pretest % Correct	Study Posttest % Correct	Delayed Posttest % Correct
Study	4	4	6	9th–29th percentile	15%	58%	80%
Control	6	4	0	9th–26th percentile	9%	19%	17%

Results Graph for School H-I

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