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INDEX OF
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Semantic-Feature
Analysis (Anders & Bos, 1986) is a strategy that helps reinforce vocabulary
that is essential to understanding important concepts in a text. The teacher
builds a grid in which essential vocabulary words are listed vertically and
features and/ or ideas are listed horizontally. Students complete the grid by
indicating with a check mark (ό) or minus sign (-) whether each word possesses
the stated features or is related to the ideas.
Anders,
P.L., & Bos, C.S. (1986). Semantic feature analysis: An interactive strategy
for vocabulary development and text comprehension. Journal of Reading, 29(7),
610-616.
The
purpose of using the semantic-feature analysis strategy is to help students
develop word associations and to extend their content knowledge. In addition,
this strategy can elicit prior knowledge if used before students read the text.
It can serve as a purpose for reading as well as an activity that allows
students to monitor comprehension if used during reading. And will allow
students to assess their comprehension if used or discussed after reading.
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1. |
Choose
a text.
This strategy works best with expository texts. |
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2. |
Create
a grid. Put
the vocabulary words you want students to focus on vertically down one
axis. List features or ideas associated with those words horizontally
across the other axis. |
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3. |
Have
students complete the grid. Students complete the grid by indicating
with a check mark (ό)
or minus sign (-) whether each word possesses the stated features or is
related to the ideas. A check mark indicates that the word does possess
the feature (or is related to the idea), and a minus sign indicates that
it does not.
When students do this depends on the function you want the grid to serve.
Completing the grid before
reading: If you want to elicit students prior
knowledge, have students complete the grid before they begin reading the
text. Then, after students have read the text, they can come back to the
grid and see if they have changed their minds about any of their
decisions. If you use the grid in this way, you might want to provide
students with a place to indicate their responses for both before and
after reading:
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Feature/
Idea
#1
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Feature/
Idea
#2
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Feature/
Idea
#3
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Feature/
Idea
#4
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Feature/
Idea
#5
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Word #1
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Word
#2
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Word
#3
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Word
#4
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Word
#5
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Word
#6
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Completing
the grid during and/or after reading only: If you choose to have students complete the grid
during and/or after they read, you will be providing them with a purpose
for reading and giving them a tool they can use to monitor their
comprehension.
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4. |
Discuss
completed grids with students. Regardless of when students complete the grids, it is
important to discuss their grids with them after they are finished
reading. Doing so will allow students to learn from one another, and will
reinforce the ideas in the grid. |
Below
is a grid that might be used if students were going to be reading a text that
focused on the last eight presidents of the United States. The grid has been
completed, with a check mark indicating that a president is related to an idea,
feature or characteristic across the top of the grid , and a minus sign
indicating that he is not.
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Democrat
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Republican
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Former
Governor
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Former
Vice-President
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2
Full Terms in Office
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Still
Living
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L. B. Johnson
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ό
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ό
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Nixon
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ό
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ό
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Ford
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ό
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ό
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ό
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Carter
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ό
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ό
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ό
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Reagan
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ό
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ό
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ό
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Bush
(sr.)
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ό
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ό
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ό
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Clinton
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ό
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ό
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ό
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ό
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Bush
(jr.)
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ό
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ό
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ό
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