Colourful Semantics with Rockerbox

What is it?

Colourful Semantics is a structured approach to teaching language and sentence structure. Different elements of a sentence are associated with different colours.

Why is it important?

Colourful Semantics is particularly beneficial for children with language disorders, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or developmental language disorders. It helps individuals understand how to construct sentences and develop understanding of ‘wh-’ questions, e.g. ‘who?’, ‘what?’, ‘where?’

Where to find Colourful Semantics resources on Rockerbox:

The Colourful Semantics colours we follow:

Who? = orange

Doing what? = yellow

What? = green

Where? = blue

When? = brown

To whom? = pink

What is it like? (description) = cloud shape

Best practice:

• Rockerbox Colourful Semantics resources are designed to be used as part of a wider Colourful Semantics strategy. Ensure pupils have their normal reference cards available for the different elements.
• Some Colourful Semantics programmes vary the colours or shapes used for different elements. Ensure you’re using colours consistently. Edit the colours we’ve chosen in the Widgit Inprint file when necessary.
• Select Rockerbox texts and lessons that a student is interested in to increase retention and motivation.

If you’re interested in learning more about Colourful Semantics, here are some valuable resources:

“Is Colourful Semantics an effective therapy for improving language development in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder?” This report provides insights into the use of Colourful Semantics in speech and language therapy. You can find the full report here.

“The Ultimate Colourful Semantics Resource Pack”. Download from Twinkl.

Downloadable Resources for Colourful Semantics: Integrated Treatment Services. Check out their resources here.

Get Hackney Talking. Learn more on the Get Hackney Talking website.

Colourful Semantics: A Teacher’s Guide. Read it on Structural Learning.