Holiday Synonyms, Antonyms, and Figurative Language

Link to PREVIEW of Holiday Synonyms,

Antonyms and Figurative Language Unit

Link to unit at Teachers Notebook

Link to packet at Teachers Pay Teachers

I know that our kiddos at our speech therapy clinic need to expand their vocabulary and their overall expressive and receptive use of language, and that is why I often work on the targeted areas of synonyms and antonyms.  English vocabulary is very large (full of over one million words) and it is full of several words that share the same meanings and nuances of one meaning.  I think that helping to broaden a students ability to name synonyms and antonyms, will only increase that student's vocabulary and ultimately make it easier for them to find the correct word that they need when they try to express themselves on paper and in expressive speech.   Please link to our new holiday language packet if you would like some fun North Pole themed activities for your children to work on this December that will help increase their understanding, knowledge, and use of synonyms and antonyms. As a result, their vocabulary will expand! 

What is a Synonym?

Synonyms are words that have the same or almost the same meaning.

Examples include: big/large, wet/damp, and pretty/beautiful.

 What is an Antonym?

Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. 

 Examples include: happy/sad, young/old, and big/little.

In addition, the same holiday language packet includes some super fun games and worksheets to be used with your children to help increase their figurative language understanding.  We use figurative language to describe an object, person, or situation by comparing it to or with something else.  For example, "She was as quiet as a mouse".  Or, "He is as strong as an ox". Figurative language is a way to make a statement more "colorful". I like to work on figurative language with my students (especially those that have special needs such as autism, language deficits, or use English as a second language) because they have a lot of trouble understanding some of the comparisons.  Metaphors are especially difficult because they suggest something or someone actually becomes or is something else and those suggestions are not always obvious.  Some metaphors need to be described and rehearsed before the child will actually understand them enough to comprehend them when heard in speech or for them to use in their own conversations. I hope you can practice increasing metaphor and simile understanding with your children as well.  Please link to one of our stores to buy this new language packet! 

What is Figurative Language?

Whenever you describe something by comparing it with something else,

you are using figurative language.  Metaphors and similes

are two forms of figurative language.

Metaphor

The metaphor states a fact or draws a verbal picture by the use of comparison.

 A metaphor is used for comparing two things indirectly. Unlike a simile, the words 'like'

and 'as' are not used, in fact, no direct words are used for comparison.

Simile A simile uses the words “like” or “as” to compare one object or idea with another to suggest they are alike. 

Thanks so much and Happy Holiday's!!

Manda & Shanda, Speech Language Pathologists

Twin Sisters Speech and Language Therapy