Vocabulary frequency comparison between NYS Living Environment Textbook and NYS regents exams.

Abstract

How do science content teachers decide which academic vocabulary words to teach to their students? Do they rely on their district textbook to identify them? Which vocabulary is the important vocabulary and how much are they going to see and use it? How much vocabulary is to much vocabulary? This study examined the frequency in which academic vocabulary words found in a New York State school district textbook compared to the frequency in which they were found on the New York State Living Environment Regents exams. The analysis of data indicate that there are significantly more academic vocabulary words identified in the textbook than what students will see on the New York State Living Environment Regents exam or what they are capable of learning. The findings from this study will help curriculum directors and teachers identify which vocabulary is important to teach and in which order to teach them. Further research will need to be done to determine how the choice of words will impact student scores on the NYS Living Environment Regents exam.