Recent Research on Children's Metaphoric Understanding [microform] / Paula J. Gaus.

Research by developmental psychologists has investigated metaphor comprehension without its surrounding context. This research has the positive feature of being unidirectional, all indicating that the older the child, the greater the possibility that metaphor will be understood. The disadvantages of...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Online Access: Request ERIC Document
Main Author: Gaus, Paula J.
Format: Microfilm Book
Language:English
Published: [S.l.] : Distributed by ERIC Clearinghouse, 1979.
Subjects:
Description
Summary:Research by developmental psychologists has investigated metaphor comprehension without its surrounding context. This research has the positive feature of being unidirectional, all indicating that the older the child, the greater the possibility that metaphor will be understood. The disadvantages of the studies for educators include the fact that these studies provide no context for metaphor; children would seldom if ever encounter a metaphor completely in isolation. Also, children are seldom asked in school-related tasks to specify the meaning of a sentence, especially not one isolated from context. Research results suggest that when metaphors are presented in isolation, and when children are required to explain their meaning, the metaphors themselves and the explanation task are difficult for children. However, when children are presented metaphors in their natural context, metaphors do not seem to impede comprehension, and in one study, metaphors facilitated comprehension. (DF)
Item Description:ERIC Note: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Reading Association (24th, Atlanta, Georgia, April 23-27, 1979).
ERIC Document Number: ED170725.
Physical Description:14 p.
Reproduction Note:Microfiche.
Action Note:committed to retain