Semantics
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Semantics is the meaning side of language: vocabulary, word relationships, categories and multiple meanings.
Topic: Speech and language
In plain terms
Semantic skills include knowing many words, sorting words into categories, understanding synonyms and antonyms, describing words by their features, and understanding words with more than one meaning, like "bat" or "run." A rich, connected vocabulary supports reading comprehension and expression. Words are learned best through repeated, meaningful use across lessons, not from a definition alone.
How it shows up in an IEP
Goals target vocabulary depth as well as breadth: defining words with category and features, using new curriculum words, or explaining multiple meanings, measured with probes using unit vocabulary.
Example
Asked to define "volcano," a student moves from "it's hot" to "a mountain that has melted rock and gas that can burst out of the top," including category and two features.
Related terms
- SyntaxSyntax is the set of rules for combining words into phrases and sentences, including word order and sentence structure.
- Receptive languageReceptive language is the ability to understand language: words, sentences, directions, questions and stories.
- Expressive languageExpressive language is the ability to put thoughts into words and sentences to communicate, through speech, sign, writing or AAC.
- MorphologyMorphology is the study of morphemes, the smallest units of meaning in words, such as roots, prefixes and suffixes.
On IEP Atlas
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