
Objectives
- The learner can differentiate between literal and figurative language.
- The learner can understand proverbs.
Preparation
- Choose proverbs in the target language.
- Find similar proverbs in the learners’ mother tongues.
Instructions
- Sit in a circle.
- Explain the difference between literal and figurative meaning, using proverbs to illustrate the difference.*
- Share a proverb in the target language with the learners.
- Let the learners guess the meaning of a proverb. If necessary, give hints.
- Explain the proverb after the guessing round.
- Ask the learners if there is an equivalent in their mother tongue for the Do they use the same metaphor?
- Alternate a proverb from the target language with a proverb from a native language given by a learner.
- Let the learner translate and explain.
ad*: You can give the explanation about literal and figurative meaning before or after the exercise.
Closing Up
Let the learners share proverbs with each other.