Vocabulary Instruction in Ratio and Proportion for Seventh Graders

The purpose of the study was to determine whether seventh graders' achievement in a unit on ratio and proportion was facilitated by vocabulary-oriented instruction. One hundred eleven students in three experimental classes completed some vocabulary-oriented activities daily for 4 weeks; 102 students in three control classes received similar instruction with no vocabulary-oriented activities. On an examination at the end of the unit, the mean score for students in the experimental classes was significantly higher than for students in the control classes on a set of computational items and a set of verbal items. The vocabulary-oriented activities appeared to enhance achievement by improving students' comprehension.