Information Carrying Words

Arooba Asmat Dev

Speech-Language Pathologist

Information Carrying Word

• An ICW or key word is a word that carries meaning.

• The minimum number of words the child needs to understand in order to comprehend an utterance.

Concept History

• The concept of Information Carrying Words (ICWs) was devised by Knowles and Massidlover

• The Derbyshire Language Scheme and Language Steps explains ICWs

Normal Development of Comprehension

Number of ICWs understood

Age equivalent

1 1y

2 2y

3 3y

4 4y

Levels of ICWS

• There are 5 main levels of ICWs

I. ICW level 0

II. ICW level 1

III. ICW level 2

IV. ICW level 3

V. ICW level 4

ICW Level 0

• No choice is given

• The child does not need to understand any of the words because they can see what is needed from the context.

Example (ICW 0)

• If everyone is going out to play and the teacher holds up a child’s coat and says,

“Put your coat on”,

• If child has something, an adult gestures to ‘come here’ or points to the item and says ‘Give me that’

ICW Level 1

• At this level there is only one word in a phrase or short sentence which the child has to understand to follow an instruction.

Example (ICW 1)

• “Pass me the scissors” when there is a choice of scissors, pencils and rubber

Example (ICW 1)

• “Where’s the book?” when there is a choice of book, key and mobile

Example (ICW 1)

• “Where’s your nose?” when there is a choice of other body parts

ICW Level 2

• At this level there are two words in a sentence that have to be understood for the child to follow the instruction accurately.

Example (ICW 2)

• ‘Put teddy on the chair’ when there is a choice of teddy or dolly and chair or table

1st key word 2nd key word

Example (ICW 2)

• ‘Wash teddy’s ears’ when there is a choice of teddy or dolly and a range of body parts (ear, feet, face, nose etc)

ICW Level 3

• At this level a three key word level we can start to introduce concepts such as ‘under’ and ‘big/little’.

Example (ICW 3)

• ‘Put big minion in the car’ when there is a choice of a big minion, a small minion, a big monkey and a small monkey, a car and a boat

Example (ICW 3)

• ‘Give Hina the small crayon’ with a choice of Mina or Hina, a small and big crayon and a small and big felt tip.

1st key word 2nd key word 3rd key word

ICW Level 4

• At a four key word level you can introduce colours and more complex position words such as ‘behind’ and ‘next to’.

Example (ICW 4)

• ‘Give Ali the big red car’ with a choice of Ali or Maaz, and red/yellow bricks, ball and cars which are big and small.

Example (ICW 4)

• ‘Put Sponge Bob in the box and Barbie in the house’, where there is a choice of Sponge Bob/Barbie/cow and box/house/basket

Example (ICW 4)

• ‘Put the car behind the big tree’ with a choice of car/lorry/toy, big/small tree, big/small house and different options for position (e.g. behind/next to/on).

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