Date of Award
Spring 2026
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Department
Educational Studies
First Advisor
Stephen Thompson
Abstract
Accurate application of the domain-specific language of chemistry is often a challenge for students. To address this problem of practice, an action research intervention was implemented in a suburban high school chemistry classroom. Integrated with the predict-observe-explain instructional sequence, students participated in a targeted vocabulary intervention designed to ground abstract chemistry terms in concrete laboratory-based learning experiences. In concretizing abstract terms, students had more access to challenging chemistry vocabulary, consistent with the principles of the dual coding theory of cognition. The study’s findings suggest growth in students’ conceptual understanding of chemistry topics and ability to accurately articulate explanations of chemistry phenomena in domain-specific language. Findings also suggest growth in students’ ability to engage in the science and engineering practices of the Next Generation Science Standards. Consistent with the action research design of this study, the study’s findings were fed back into the specific classroom context in which they were generated, with the dual goals of enhancing teaching practices as well as student concept and language knowledge.
Rights
© 2026, David Thibodeau
Recommended Citation
Thibodeau, D.(2026). Vocabulary Learning in High School Chemistry to Enhance Conceptual Understanding: An Action Research Case Study. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/8954