How to Use Blank Levels to Support Language Development with ChooseIt Maker.
Language development is a critical part of education, particularly for students with additional needs. Blank Levels, a widely recognised framework, provides educators with a structured approach to assessing and supporting learners’ language comprehension and reasoning skills. Combined with HelpKidzLearn’s ChooseIt Maker, it becomes an even more powerful tool to tailor learning activities to each student’s comprehension level.
What are Blank Levels?
Blank Levels, developed by developmental psychologist Dr Marion Blank in the 1970s, is a framework designed to support children’s oral language comprehension and cognitive development. It organises questions into four levels of increasing complexity - from simple, concrete tasks to more abstract, higher-order reasoning. This progression mirrors the natural development of language and reasoning skills. Early learning focuses on tangible experiences, like naming or identifying objects. As children grow, their ability to reason verbally and think abstractly evolves. Blank Levels leverages this journey, helping educators develop meaningful connections between language and thought.
Four levels of the Blank framework:
Level 1: Naming
Focuses on recognising and labelling objects. Example questions: • What’s this? • Find the pen. • What did you hear?
Level 2: Describing
Encourages basic analysis and sorting based on features or functions. Example questions: • What colour is it? • What do we use this for? • What is happening in the picture?
Level 3: Identifying
Introduces reasoning, predicting, and basic definitions. Example questions: • What will happen next? • How does the boy feel? • Tell me a story.
Level 4: Predicting
Focuses on abstract reasoning, problem-solving, and explanations. Example questions: • Why do we wear coats in winter? • What would you do if your toy broke? • How can we tell they’re sad?
Using Blank Levels with ChooseIt Maker.
ChooseIt Maker enhances the Blank Levels framework by allowing educators to create customised, interactive activities that align with each comprehension level. This combination supports students’ language and cognitive development in a way that’s both engaging and accessible.
Here’s how you can use ChooseIt Maker for each Blank Level:
- Level 1: Create activities to help learners recognise and name objects, such as identifying familiar faces, story characters, or objects by sound using ChooseIt Maker’s text-to-speech or audio recording features.
- Level 2: Develop tasks that focus on describing attributes or functions, like finding something red or answering “Who is this?” questions about a story character.
- Level 3: Design activities that encourage sequencing or predicting, such as arranging a story in the correct order or answering, “What will happen next?”
- Level 4: Challenge learners to solve problems and explain their thinking. Use questions like “Why do we wear coats in winter?” or sound cues to prompt verbal or AAC-supported explanations of their choices.
These personalised activities help learners engage with material at their level, building confidence and comprehension step by step.
Real-world success: Ysgol Y Gogarth.
At Ysgol Y Gogarth School in Wales, educators have seamlessly integrated Blank Levels with ChooseIt Maker to support over 270 pupils aged 3 to 19 with additional learning needs. The school uses ChooseIt Maker to assess each student’s Blank Level and create activities that meet their individual comprehension needs. From recognising objects to answering complex reasoning questions, the platform has made language and cognitive development more engaging and inclusive. “We like using ChooseIt Maker as it enhances our approach to speech and language development. For example, we use it with stories like The Gruffalo and ask Blank Level questions about the story to understand their comprehension levels. It’s easy to adapt tasks to suit each child’s needs,” shared the staff at Ysgol Y Gogarth.
Tips for using Blank Levels effectively.
1. Start at the right level: Assess each learner’s current comprehension and build from there. 2. Use supports: Incorporate pictures, symbols, and gestures to reinforce understanding. 3. Break down questions: Simplify complex queries into smaller parts. 4. Make it engaging: Use stories, games, and real-life scenarios that resonate with learners. 5. Be patient and positive: Give learners time to respond and celebrate every bit of progress. 6. Prepare learners: Introduce new vocabulary and concepts gradually.
Blank Levels and ChooseIt Maker.
The integration of Blank Levels and ChooseIt Maker demonstrates how technology and evidence-based frameworks can create meaningful learning experiences. By tailoring activities to individual comprehension levels, educators can empower students to develop their language and cognitive skills at their own pace.
