30/05/2025
😞 “I don’t know that word…”
😣 “I know the word… it’s right there in my brain… but I can’t remember/find it.”
If your child has DLD, you might hear both of these. Sometimes they haven't retained the meaning of a word, even after hearing it many times. Other times, the word is in there—but they can’t pull it out when they need it. And when that happens again and again, it can shake their confidence and leave them feeling frustrated or defeated.
We know that kids with DLD often need more exposures to new words before they really stick (some research says they may need to hear a new word up to 36 times). And even then, the words they do use may not be understood as deeply as they are by neurotypical peers. They might say a word correctly in a sentence—but still struggle to explain what it means, how it’s different from similar words, or how to use it in a new situation.
This more surface-level understanding can make it harder to express ideas clearly, participate in classroom conversations, and build on existing knowledge. It also contributes to word-finding challenges, where they hesitate, substitute, or freeze—especially when under pressure.
💡 But there’s a simple and powerful way to help: semantic feature analysis.
It sounds technical, but it just means helping kids build deep, meaningful connections around a word so they don’t just recognize it—they truly understand and remember it.
🧠 For example, if your child is learning the word "jaguar", you might explore these types of features:
Category: What kind of thing is it? (animal, mammal)
Location: Where would you find it? (rainforest, zoo)
Appearance / Parts: What does it look like? What body parts stand out? (spotted, big, strong, sharp teeth)
Function: What does it do? (hunts, runs fast, climbs trees)
Associations: What does it remind you of? (tiger, lion, jungle book, car brand)
Size: How big is it compared to other animals? (bigger than a dog, smaller than a lion)
Group/Compare: How is it like or different from other animals?
The more features they can connect to a word, the more deeply it's understood—and the easier it is to find and use later.
🏡 Try this at home:
Pick a word from a book, show, or real-life moment and walk through questions like:
“What kind of thing is this?” (Category)
“Where would you find it?” (Location)
“What does it look like?” (Appearance / Parts)
“What does it do?” (Function)
“What does it remind you of?” (Associations)
“How is it the same or different from other things you know?” (Compare/Contrast)
Draw a quick word web, act it out, sort toys or pictures—whatever fits your child’s learning style. The goal is not memorization. It’s connection, confidence, and comprehension.
💜 When we help kids understand words more deeply, we don’t just grow their vocabulary—we help them communicate more fully and feel more capable. And that changes everything.
📥 Want help getting started? Visit our website to download our free Dan and Daria Word Finding Poster—a kid-friendly visual you can use at home, in therapy, or in the classroom:
👉 empowereddldparenting.com/
