Remote Text-Supplemented Audiobook Intervention Supports Children's Explicit and Incidental Vocabulary Learning
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| Title: | Remote Text-Supplemented Audiobook Intervention Supports Children's Explicit and Incidental Vocabulary Learning |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Halie A. Olson (ORCID |
| Source: | Developmental Science. 2026 29(3). |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 21 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | National Science Foundation (NSF), Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) National Institutes of Health (NIH) (DHHS) |
| Contract Number: | 1745302 F32HD100064 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Early Childhood Education Elementary Education Grade 3 Primary Education Grade 4 Intermediate Grades |
| Descriptors: | Direct Instruction, Incidental Learning, Audio Books, Intervention, Vocabulary, Distance Education, Grade 3, Grade 4, Elementary School Students, Instructional Effectiveness, Scaffolding (Teaching Technique), Individual Instruction, Reading Difficulties, Socioeconomic Status, Language Acquisition |
| DOI: | 10.1111/desc.70159 |
| ISSN: | 1363-755X 1467-7687 |
| Abstract: | Vocabulary knowledge is foundational to educational success, but significant gaps exist between students with reading disabilities or those from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. These gaps have cascading effects, as children with lower vocabulary knowledge are less likely to acquire new words through independent reading and are less responsive to vocabulary instruction methods like read-alouds and explicit teaching. The effectiveness of explicit instruction relies on individualization, which typically places substantial demands on educators and thereby hinders the adoption of evidence-based methods. A potential solution is using audiobooks supplemented by explicit and individualized remote instruction from paraprofessionals. We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) intervention study in which children listened to text-supplemented audiobooks, either alone or with scaffolded instructional support. Third and fourth-grade students (N = 314, age: mean (SD) = 9.47(0.57) years) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (Audiobooks-Only, Audiobooks+Scaffold, or active control) for 8 weeks. Participants in the two audiobook intervention groups showed significant improvements in book-specific vocabulary, while the active control group showed no improvement. The effectiveness of the intervention varied by reading ability and socioeconomic status (SES): poor readers benefited only when audiobooks were paired with one-on-one scaffolding, whereas children from lower-SES backgrounds showed modest, nonsignificant gains from audiobook access alone and did not experience additional benefits from scaffolding. Additionally, the Audiobooks+Scaffold group spent more time listening to recommended audiobooks during the study. These findings suggest that text-supplemented audiobooks, particularly when combined with personalized support, can be a valuable tool for supporting vocabulary development in struggling readers. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Notes: | https://osf.io/zac9d |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1504598 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Vocabulary knowledge is foundational to educational success, but significant gaps exist between students with reading disabilities or those from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. These gaps have cascading effects, as children with lower vocabulary knowledge are less likely to acquire new words through independent reading and are less responsive to vocabulary instruction methods like read-alouds and explicit teaching. The effectiveness of explicit instruction relies on individualization, which typically places substantial demands on educators and thereby hinders the adoption of evidence-based methods. A potential solution is using audiobooks supplemented by explicit and individualized remote instruction from paraprofessionals. We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) intervention study in which children listened to text-supplemented audiobooks, either alone or with scaffolded instructional support. Third and fourth-grade students (N = 314, age: mean (SD) = 9.47(0.57) years) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (Audiobooks-Only, Audiobooks+Scaffold, or active control) for 8 weeks. Participants in the two audiobook intervention groups showed significant improvements in book-specific vocabulary, while the active control group showed no improvement. The effectiveness of the intervention varied by reading ability and socioeconomic status (SES): poor readers benefited only when audiobooks were paired with one-on-one scaffolding, whereas children from lower-SES backgrounds showed modest, nonsignificant gains from audiobook access alone and did not experience additional benefits from scaffolding. Additionally, the Audiobooks+Scaffold group spent more time listening to recommended audiobooks during the study. These findings suggest that text-supplemented audiobooks, particularly when combined with personalized support, can be a valuable tool for supporting vocabulary development in struggling readers. |
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| ISSN: | 1363-755X 1467-7687 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/desc.70159 |
