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CHILDREN’S SERVICES Information Sheet
COLOURFUL
SEMANTICS
What is Colourful Semantics?
Colourful Semantics was created by Alison Bryan with the aim of helping
individuals to develop their grammar and is rooted in the meaning (semantics)
of words. The approach is based on sentence structure, cutting up each type
of language into their thematic roles and then colour coding them. There are
four key colour coded core vocabulary stages and additional colour categories
have been developed for adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions, and negatives.
Who is it for?
Colourful Semantics can be used to help
children with a range of Speech, Language,
and Communication needs, including but not
limited to:
Specific Language Impairment
Developmental Delay or Disorder
Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Down Syndrome
Literacy Difficulties
Traumatic Brain Injury
Colourful Semantics has also been used
to help adults and young adults to re-learn
language following Stroke and Traumatic
Brain Injury.
Why should you use it?
There are many benefits to using Colourful
Semantics that support all areas of
communication, not limited to just semantics.
Key areas targeted, but not limited to, are:
Building sentence length
Encouraging the use of wider vocabulary
Developing confidence in answering
questions
Developing the use of nouns, verbs,
prepositions, and adjectives
Improving story telling skills
Skills are transferrable to written
sentences and written language
comprehensions.
Approach can be carried out individually
and/or in a small group setting.
PSI-3718D-2025-01
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