The Word Knowledge Coding Tool: A Resource for Capturing Children’s Vocabulary Multidimensionally and Along a Continuum

Purpose: The current study presents preliminary findings on the Word Knowledge Coding Tool (WKCT), a theoretically grounded measure that captures a continuum of word knowledge across three dimensions - form, meaning, and use. Unlike prior measures, the WKCT integrates both incremental and multidimensional aspects of word knowledge. It aligns well with current understanding of what it means to know a word and has the potential to capture developing word knowledge in all children including children with developmental language disorder (DLD). Method: The WKCT was developed by adapting and expanding upon previous measures of word knowledge, theories, and conceptual frameworks. The WKCT was used to code definitions provided by 51 children with DLD. Descriptive analyses and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to analyze results.Results: The WKCT reliably captures a continuum of vocabulary knowledge in the dimensions of form, meaning, and use (ICC = 0.89). The tool revealed meaningful variability in pre-intervention word knowledge among children with DLD. Conclusion: The WKCT offers a promising approach for assessing and tracking changes in word knowledge in children with diverse learning profiles, including those with DLD.