This is a semantic processing resource  that is an effective tool to quickly check a child’s expressive vocabulary skills in the area of categories. There are 8 forms. There are 4 forms that require the child to name items in a category (divergent naming) and 4 forms that require the child to name the category when told items in a list (convergent naming).

The SLP, teacher or parent should instruct the child to name five items in the 10 included categories: food, clothes, animals, transportation, things at home, things in your classroom, shapes, sports, fruits, vegetables on form # 1.

The child’s percentage of accuracy should be recorded in the designated space for baseline or progress check on the form. Second, the SLP, teacher, or parent should read the list of items and tell the child to name the categories on form # 2.These are the same categories on form # 1.

The 10 categories included on divergent naming form
# 3 are: letters, numbers, colors, feelings, weather, pets, drinks, desserts, jobs, school subjects/classes. Convergent naming form # 4 elicits a child’s ability to name these categories.

The 10 categories included on divergent naming form
# 5 are: days of the week, months of the year, living things, art supplies, furniture, musical instruments, electronics, tools, things that are hot, things that are cold. Convergent naming form # 6 elicits a child’s ability to name these categories.

Form # 7 & 8 provide you an opportunity to write your own categories and elicitation questions. This way a child will have endless opportunities to practice additional divergent and convergent naming tasks.

If you need language homework for a child, this is an ideal opportunity to have a child practice his or her vocabulary skills at home and for the parents to see what their child is learning in language therapy.

Working on categorization in speech-language therapy will enable children to increase their word retrieval and language processing skills. It will allow them to build connections that will aid in memory and spoken language. Language processing requires children to understand a spoken or written message and demonstrate their comprehension by communicating their ideas. Language skills build on each other. The hierarchy of some of these language areas are: labeling, stating functions, associations, categorization, similarities, differences, multiple meanings, and attributes.