Semantic Mapping : Vocabulary, Fluency

Maps can help display with the help of visuals, the set of relatable conceptions or words, the meaningful connections between a word and a phrase.

Students with disabilities and struggling students can identify, understand and recall word meanings with the help of semantic maps.

The three ELA Common Core State Standards with which these maps are built includes – 

1. CCSS.ELA – Literacy.CCRA.L.3 – Enhance listening or reading comprehension and choose over styles and meanings to understand multi-contextual linguistic functions better and in a much easier way.

2. CCSS.ELA – Literacy.CCRA.L.4 – Use contextual clues, scrutinize meaningful word portions, and refer to advanced or straightforward references to identify and clarify the meaning of multiple-meaning or unknown words.

3. CCSS.ELA – Literacy.CCRA.L.5 – Begin to understand the word relationships, word meaning nuances or, figurative language.

Training students to make better use of semantic maps

Teachers can advise students by giving direct instructions to use semantic maps.

Students who are struggling to learn can use the following procedure – 

1. Identify and mark an unknown word from a reading text. One can even underline, bold, or highlight that word over a digital text.

2. Draw a web or map on the paper, virtually, or make use of a blank map.

3. Put the unknown word at the map center.

4. Try to pronounce the word verbally and, if needed, make use of an online dictionary that has audio pronunciation.

5. Refer to the reading text to figure out whether the teacher can add the relatable texts to the map.

Digital text can make use of the “text-to-speech” function to read out the text.

6. Search for the word and its meaningful definition over the Internet in an online thesaurus or dictionary.

7. Identify the words or phrases that have a resemblance with the meaning.

Draw or choose images or pictures from the Internet that best fits the meaning.

8. Place such words, phrases, and images in the semantic map.

9. Print out a map if there is an internet facility available with the help of a connected printer.

10. Re-read the text and apply the meaning of that word to the text.

11. Compare and share the maps with your peers.

Students who face problems with their vocabulary can use these semantic maps and benefit from them. 

Planning lessons

Pre-Reading or Before Reading

1. Reveal the objectives of the units. Use the new vocabulary to develop multimodal president cards.

2. Review and discuss the three semantic map variations.

3. Show and talk about the website discussing Abraham Lincoln's personality.

4. Request the students to use words, definitions, and pictures to fill the map.

5. Save the map.

On Reading

1. Keep practicing with semantic maps.

2. Groups should make new multimedia apps.

3. Students must share and discuss new vocabulary maps.

 Post-Reading or After Reading

1. The students must start with the multimodal president cards.

2. Settle criteria on the cards like definitions, president names, vocabulary words, sentences, and pictures.