Rebus

High school (ages 12+)
Thinking & Learning

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/rebus

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the semiotic function?A device that combines iconic and phonetic signs to represent linguistic units
2. What is the cognitive engagement?Requires integration of visual perception, phonological processing, and semantic retrieval for solution
3. How do rebuses use pictures to help you find the word?Pictures act like clues that sound like parts of a word. For example, a picture of an eye can stand for the sound "I".
4. Why were rebuses used in the Middle Ages?In the Middle Ages, people used rebuses to show family names and important ideas without writing full words. They liked to show things instead of words.

Semiotics: The study of signs and symbols and their interpretation.
Heraldic Expression: The use of symbols and devices to represent individuals, families, or institutions, especially in a formal or symbolic manner.
Phonetic Substitution: Replacing a sound or syllable with a word or image that sounds similar.