MEANING IN LANGUAGE

Meaning in Language

Meaning in Language

Semantic Feature Analysis

An instructional approach that is a close cousin to the concept of definition issemantic feature analysis (feature analysis, for short). This technique involvesa simple chart that lists members of the same category together with theirfeatures. The chart may be connected with a particular text, or it may be partof a lesson in which a cluster of new words is presented without a written con-text.

What Kind of Reader Will Feature Analysis Help?

Feature analysis has been used successfully with all kinds of readers, from profi-cient to struggling. We have watched second-grade teachers use it effectively andsuspect that teachers of kindergarten and first grade could make it work with pic-ture support and plenty of oral explanation.

What Is the Instructional Focus of Feature Analysis?

This approach, like so many of the best vocabulary techniques, introduceswords in a related cluster. It is an excellent way to compare and contrast mem-bers of the same category and also to grasp the two elements of a good defini-tion: the category to which a concept belongs and the features that distinguish itfrom other members of that category. In fact, after students become involved inthis activity, they can craft definitions of their own from a completed featureanalysis chart.

Where Does Feature Analysis Come from?

Feature analysis was first suggested by Dale Johnson and David Pearson (1984) intheir classic book on vocabulary instruction. A more recent book-length treatmentof this well-researched approach was written by Susan Pittelman and her col-leagues (Pittelman, Heimlich, Berglund, & French, 1991).

What Materials Are Needed for Feature Analysis?

All you need is a list of nouns that represent members of the same category, aset of markers, and some means of displaying the words in a small chart, suchas a whiteboard or piece of chart paper. Butcher paper can be used with youn-ger students, who may prefer to build a larger chart on the floor. (Word cardsare not necessary since the words will not be moved once they become part of the chart.)

How Do You Prepare for Feature Analysis?

It is important to think through the words you plan to introduce, making sure thatthey are all nouns and all members of the same category. For example, a unit of study on insects would be an ideal time to give students who may be strugglingwith new concepts a chance to study word relationships through feature analy-sis. Insects are a good example of a category that includes several members theclass may be studying. Figure 1 shows how one second-grade teacher organizedsuch a chart. You must decide in advance what features to include as column head-ings, making sure that these features are presented in the text or through discus-sion.

How Do You Implement Feature Analysis?

For students who are relatively unfamiliar with semantic feature analysis, you willneed to explain how the chart works after you have introduced the concepts. Fol-lowing the unit on insects, you would say, “Now we are going to make a littlechart that puts some of our insect words ...