4. Information Carrying Words
Arooba Asmat Dev
Speech-Language Pathologist

5. 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.

6. Concept History
• The concept of Information Carrying Words
(ICWs) was devised by Knowles and
Massidlover
• The Derbyshire Language Scheme and
Language Steps explains ICWs

7. Normal Development of
Comprehension
Number of ICWs
understood
Age equivalent
1 1y
2 2y
3 3y
4 4y

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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’

11. 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.

12. Example (ICW 1)
• “Pass me the scissors” when
there is a choice of scissors,
pencils and rubber

13. Example (ICW 1)
• “Where’s the book?” when
there is a choice of book, key
and mobile

14. Example (ICW 1)
• “Where’s your nose?” when there
is a choice of other body parts

15. 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.

16. 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

17. 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)

18. ICW Level 3
• At this level a three key word level we can
start to introduce concepts such as ‘under’
and ‘big/little’.

19. 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

20. 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

21. ICW Level 4
• At a four key word level you can introduce
colours and more complex position words
such as ‘behind’ and ‘next to’.

22. 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.

23. 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

24. 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).

26. Anyquestions?

27. T
h
a
n
k
y
o
u