Improving Elementary Grade Students’ Science and Social Studies Vocabulary Knowledge Depth, Reading Comprehension, and Argumentative Writing: A Conceptual Replication

This evidence brief from CEPR's READS Lab presents results from a randomized study testing the Model of Reading Engagement (MORE) program across first and second grade science and social studies classrooms. Designed to build “rich and connected ideas” through vocabulary, concept mapping, and writing, MORE helps students link learned and untaught topics to strengthen comprehension. Students in MORE classrooms outperformed peers on measures of vocabulary depth—especially for words not directly taught—and demonstrated stronger argumentative writing skills. The findings show that systematic, content-integrated literacy instruction can improve students’ reading, writing, and knowledge development across multiple grades and subjects.

Read more about the READS Lab at readslab.org/research.