Defining

Defining Goal Ideas

• NAME will define a pretaught and practiced vocabulary word (optional: found in a short text) using a complete sentence in 2 out of 3 opportunities.
• NAME will define nouns/words by category and by two or more key attributes in 80% of opportunities across 3 sessions.
• Given 1 cue, NAME will define a curricular vocabulary word using a complete sentence with correct grammar in 70% of opportunities.
• NAME will use a vocabulary graphic organizer to generate their own definition for a word on 4/5 trials following a discussion of parts of speech, related words, etc.
• NAME will define pretaught vocabulary words using synonyms, by negation (not a…), antonyms, or by example during structured activities with 80% accuracy and minimal cues.
• NAME will define math vocabulary words found in given word problems in 4 out of 5 opportunities.
• Given a sentence frame, NAME will define verbs/adjectives using synonyms or examples in 80% of opportunties across 2 sessions.
• After listening to a 2-3 paragraph informational text, NAME will define two tier 2 vocabulary words that were used in the passage in 75% of opportunities across 3 sessions.

Read more about my goals here.

Teaching Defining Skills in Speech Therapy

In its simplest terms, I like to think about defining as taking all of the skills and strategies we learned when describing and putting the information together using definition syntax. Definition syntax is the framework or sentence structure we use to define words.

In general, nouns and high frequency words (words that your learner has encountered many times and is familiar with) are easier to define (Marinellie & Chan, 2006).

For nouns, definition syntax often looks like “A (noun) is a (category) that (attribute – including function, appearance, etc..)”.

Notice that all of those skills your students learned when working on categories/word associations and describing are built upon when targeting defining.

For other parts of speech, like verbs or adjectives, the sentence structure we use to define words looks a little different.

When defining verbs or adjectives, we often use synonyms or examples to define the word. For instance, we might say “Sprint means to run really fast” or “Beautiful means pretty”.

This is why you see synonyms and antonyms targeted so often in speech therapy materials.

Below are the sentence frames I love to use when targeting this skill:

Noun Definitions:

Description: It’s a __________ (category/group) that _____________ (attribute).

Function: You __________ with it.

Association: It’s like a __________ but ____________.

Verb/Adjective Definitions:

Synonym: It’s like _________ – but _________. (e.g., “Sprinting is like running but faster”).

Once your students are able to create word definitions using the sentence structures identified above, they’re ready to move on to defining more difficult vocabulary words including tier 2 words like analyze, evaluate, and valuable. When defining these words, it can be difficult to follow an exact recipe using a specific sentence structure, so it’s a great challenge for your students to pull from all of the language strategies they’ve learned so far (describing, definition syntax, synonyms/antonyms, examples, explanations, word defining, etc…).

One fun, low prep game I like to play to work on word definitions is called Swat It! 🪰

To play Swat It, tape ~10 words or pictures onto the wall. Give each student a fly swatter. Read a word definition and have the students try to find the matching word/picture and swat it first using their fly swatter! It’s fun, engaging, and movement filled! And usually results in a lot of laughter!

Defining Skills in Context

Defining skills are great to target within contextualized activities including games, themed units, and picture books.

Some of my favorite games that make it easy to target defining are:

1. Apples to Apples
2. Zingo!
3. Hedbanz

When using themed units and picture books, simply defining key objects or words from the unit/book can be an effective way to work on defining skills.

And don’t forget to use the sentence frames I shared above to provide additional support! And if you want a simple printable freebie with my favorite sentence frames on it, sign up for my email newsletter below to snag it! ⬇