Exaggeration, repeating sounds and playing with language grabs attention. It just does! That's why people use it. It's also why teachers use figurative language to dazzle students with listening, speaking, or reading language. So what's the key? How is it done? Will it really make that totally bored kid in the corner sit up and take notice? You bet it will! Just check out the suggestions below.
Be sure to check out the two free activity sheets on idioms at the bottom of the post. They include grading keys.
1. SUPRISE....POETRY
Yup! I'm not "pulling your leg" or "spitting into the wind", Poetry can be the super-engaging way to reach even students who are struggling the most, or who think they are bored out of their minds. Start with Shel Silveerstein and you can't go wrong. He uses figurative language that plays with language in every poem. You can't niss it! Once students learn to recognize the basic forms of figurative language ( idioms, similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia, personification, proverbs, hyperbole, and alliteration) It makes finding them in poetry even more fun.a. Use poetry to have a figurative language hunt in pairs or small groups
b. Choose a poem and have groups of students replace language used with figurative language. Read together and enjoy.
2. For Reluctant Writers
Focusing on Figurative language often helps reluctant writers get out of "writer's block" since they have something to focus on.a. Give students a well known figurative language saying (When pigs fly, etc) and asks them to write a paragraph using that saying in a way that makes sense. Doing this with a partner offers even more help and support to reluctant writers. Then get together to read the paragraphs and enjoy.
b. Challenge students to use as many figurative language examples as possible in one paragraph. This one works great when done in small groups. It's also a ton of fun.
c. Ask students to list something they would like to personify. (desk, pencil, shirt, car etc.) Then ask students to list ten words only a person would normally do. Next ask students to write a paragraph personifying the thing they choose, using words from their list.
3. To Encourage Fluency
Someetimes it's really hard to get kids to read with better fluency. Often that means they have to learn how to read faster In cases like that, and to encourage reading in even the most reluctant reader, give students a long sentence filled with alliteration. Then challenge students to read the sentence as fast as possible and still be understood. It will get everyone laughing and accomplish the goal at hand. Some well known examples you might use are below:1. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where are the peppers that Peter Piper picked?
2. A big bug bit the little beetle, but the little beetle bit the big bug back.
3. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck would chuck wood? A woodchuck would chuck all the wood he could chuck, if a woodchuck would chuck wood.
4. Silly Sally swiftly shooed seven silly sheep. The seven silly sheep Silly Sally shooed shilly-shallied south. These sheep shouldn't sleep in a shack.
I Have a FREEBIE....in fact two freebies complete with grading keys! Click on the link below the pictures! If you are interested in the 103 page Figurative language resource the freebies come from, check out: Figurative Language Teaching Pages
Are you interested in resources that teach, and reinforce the different types of figurative language? This resource includes worksheets, task cards and more! Click on the picture below to check it out!
