The purpose of this study was to explore the benefits of using the Colourful Semantics approach in scaffolding the development of sentence structure for both spoken and eventually written language in the EYFS.
“Colourful semantics is an approach created by Alison Bryan. It is aimed at helping children to develop their grammar but is rooted in the meaning of words (semantics). Colourful semantics reassembles sentences by cutting them up into their thematic roles and then colour codes them”
(What is Colourful Semantics? n.d.)
Using whole class lessons and small group delivery, the study examined the impact of using the signifying colours and gestures which identify the subject, object, action and location of an event on the children’s ability to understand questions; respond appropriately and craft their own sentences. All children tracked in the study made accelerated progress with the majority achieving the Early Learning Goals (ELGs) for Communication, Language and Literacy (CLL) in the ‘speaking’ strand with some meeting the descriptors for ‘exceeding’.