Abstract Educators generally accept that semiotics theory should be taught in design; however, there is need of more evidence and documented practices about how to incorporate semiotics into design education. Existing references propose techniques to use semiotics as source of inspiration and as an analysis tool. In this study, the authors examined how a reflective didactic strategy, one that uses semiotic theoretical reflection in several analytical and creative activities, stimulates learning and bridges semiotic theory and design practice. Even though students’ theoretical knowledge about semiotics increased modestly, they were more aware about how design artefacts convey meaning to the audience, which is the main reason semiotics are part of the design curriculum. This study shows that a reflective didactic strategy supports learning applied semiotics, which helps students to understand the central role of theory for a legitimized design practice.