Teachers\u27 Beliefs and Practices of Vocabulary Instruction With Social Studies Textbooks in Grades 4-8

This investigation focused on the vocabulary beliefs and instructional practices of social studies teachers in intermediate and middle school grades as well as their use of teachers\u27 manuals. Using a self-reporting survey to measure these beliefs and practices, we found some discrepancy between what teachers believe about vocabulary learning and their actual instructional practices for supporting vocabulary in teaching social studies. While their reported beliefs appear to mirror what is currently accepted as effective vocabulary instruction, their reported practices reflect more traditional notions like those found in many social studies textbook manuals. While all teachers surveyed held many beliefs and practices in common, three beliefs and three practices were differentially affected by grade level, economic status, or number of years of teacher experience