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Abstract

Word comprehension is a complex process that requires several different skills, including morphological knowledge. This study examines the relationship between students’ word comprehension and their morphological knowledge and assesses how morphological knowledge differs for students with weak and strong word comprehension. The research questions to be answered are (1) What is the relationship between morphological knowledge and word comprehension in students in grades 2 and 4?  (2) How do students with strong word comprehension differ from students with weak vocabulary comprehension in terms of their results on a word inflection test? These questions were answered using a quantitative approach to data analysis. The results show that word comprehension correlates with morphological knowledge in students in grades 2 and 4. Students with a strong understanding of word comprehension also show stronger results on a word inflection test.

The results of the study indicate that word comprehension and morphological knowledge are related to each other, which leads to discussions about to what degree morphology should be part of vocabulary instruction. This study argues that instruction in morphology will help students comprehend words and enhance vocabulary development, not least for students with word comprehension difficulties.