Basic figurative vocabulary for young EFL learners

master's thesis

• Title (croatian): Osnovni figurativni vokabular za mlade učenike EFL-a
• Author: Karla Vrabec
• Mentor: Jelena Parizoska (mentor)
• Committee member: Lovorka Zergollern-Miletić (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Silvija Hanžić Deda (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Jelena Parizoska (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Teacher Education; Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2024-11-29, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; General Linguistics

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to determine how figurative language is taught in EFL textbooks for lower primary and provide a list of activities based on the Cognitive Linguistic approach to teaching figurative expressions which can be used with young learners. The activities contain six similes motivated by the same conceptual metaphor, PEOPLE ARE ANIMALS.
The paper gives an overview of methods and strategies used in the EFL classroom when teaching vocabulary in general and figurative expressions in particular. The analysis of the selected textbooks shows that there are no figurative expressions up until the sixth grade. Some idioms are mentioned, but are not taught explicitly.
Research has shown that young EFL learners are able to understand figurative expressions if they are selected carefully. Figurative expressions motivated by the same conceptual metaphor should be grouped together. The same has been done in the suggested activities, which were successfully implemented in teaching fourth grade students. The expressions were chosen based on the topics featured in textbooks and the national curriculum. They were taught explicitly, based on the Cognitive Linguistic approach to figurative language. A variety of activities and tasks were used in class, which enabled students to connect the literal and figurative meanings of the six similes.
It was concluded that basic figurative vocabulary for young EFL learners should be selected by taking into consideration students' age, interests and the level of knowledge of English, and that figurative expressions should be grouped around the same conceptual metaphor.

Abstract (croatian)

Cilj je ovog rada utvrditi kako se figurativni jezik poučava u udžbenicima engleskoga kao stranog jezika za niže razrede osnovne škole i dati popis aktivnosti utemeljenih na kognitivnolingvističkom pristupu poučavanju figurativnih izraza koje se mogu koristiti u nastavi s učenicima mlađe školske dobi. Aktivnosti sadrže šest poredbenih frazema koje motivira ista konceptualna metafora, LJUDI SU ŽIVOTINJE.
U radu se daje pregled metoda i strategija koje se koriste za poučavanje vokabulara općenito i figurativnih izraza konkretno. Analiza odabranih udžbenika pokazuje da se figurativni izrazi ne poučavaju sve do šestog razreda. Neki frazemi se spominju, no ne poučavaju se eksplicitno. Istraživanja su pokazala da učenici engleskog jezika mlađe školske dobi mogu razumjeti figurativne izraze ako su oni pažljivo izabrani. Zajedno se trebaju grupirati figurativni izrazi koje motivira ista konceptualna metafora. Tako je učinjeno u predloženim aktivnostima koje su uspješno provedene na satu s učenicima četvrtog razreda. Izrazi su odabrani prema temama iz udžbenika i nacionalnog kurikuluma. Poučavani su eksplicitno na temelju kognitivnolingvističkog pristupa figurativnom jeziku. Na satu su provedene različite aktivnosti i zadaci u kojima su učenici mogli povezati doslovno i figurativno značenje šest poredbenih frazema.
Zaključeno je da temeljni figurativni vokabular za učenike engleskog jezika mlađe školske dobi treba biti izabran s obzirom na njihovu dob, interese i razinu znanja engleskoga, a da izrazi trebaju biti grupirani prema konceptualnoj metafori.

• Keywords: figurative language; EFL; textbooks; Cognitive Linguistics; similes
• Keywords (croatian): figurativni jezik; engleski kao strani jezik; udžbenici; kognitivna lingvistika; poredbeni frazemi
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:147:819697
• Study programme: Title: Integrated undergraduated university study with english language and german language; specializations in: English language, Deutsche sprache; Course: English language; Study programme type: university; Study level: integrated undergraduate and graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja (magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2025-04-14 11:41:53