How to Target Vocabulary Through Play

Targeting Vocabulary in Speech Therapy

We have all been there...where we have students on our caseload who need extra help, support and exposure to vocabulary in order to retain it, retrieve it and use it independently in their day-to-day routines. When providing vocabulary intervention strategies for our students we want to give our students targeted and meaningful practice in building their vocabulary skills...what better way than creating meaningful interactions and use than in play?! 

How can you target vocabulary skills through play?

1) Story Book Vocabulary

Plan your session around a book. Begin your session with a book for initial exposure to the key vocabulary items you want to focus on throughout the rest of your session. Pull out the key vocabulary words from the text and provide a definition for those words. Use those key vocabulary targets in your play-props, game and/or session activities for repetitive exposure and use of targets. 

2) Descriptive Vocabulary

Pair semantic, descriptive vocabulary web mats with surprise container activities. Place the mini objects inside the surprise eggs and hide them around the room. Have the child hunt for the surprise containers one at a time and bring them back to the table. Open the container and have the child use the descriptive semantic map to describe the object hidden inside. Talk about 1) what category it belongs to, 2) what we use it for, 3) what it looks for, 4) where we find it. For older students you can take tier 2 vocabulary and hide words inside the surprise eggs and do the same. Instead of surprise eggs you can also do the same activities using a "headband" game approach. 

3) Taxonomies & Thematic Vocabulary

Research suggests that using taxonomies & themes in therapy 1) helps children make meaningful connections between various concepts, 2) improves vocabulary & understanding of semantic relations, 3) allows opportunities to teach new concepts in context & deeper understanding of functions, categories, & features, 4) provides a foundation that promotes generalization outside the therapy room, and 5) minimizes your planning time & streamlines your therapy. Themes naturally provide multiple exposures to new vocabulary in context, allowing opportunity to build upon the child's semantic network. Themes and play based therapy DO NOT need to be separate things but rather can be an incredible pairing in your therapy room to engage and teach your students.  

**In our play based speech therapy course we go through just HOW to elicit and target vocabulary through play while making it meaningful for the child and motivating! Check out our play based speech therapy course here: https://www.playbasedspeechtherapycourse.com/