Metaphor Task Bank is a repository of frame-based tasks for raising learners’ awareness of metaphor. It was compiled in the context of the Project Integrating frame semantic resources into EFL instruction: Developing and piloting materials for enhancing learners’ metaphoric competence in EFL.
Types of tasks: The tasks utilize frame semantic resources (FrameNet and MetaNet) and form a continuum from receptive to productive and from controlled to open-ended activities. They provide scaffolding for more creative use of metaphor while promoting discovery learning and critical thinking.
Structure of teaching units: The tasks are thematically organized into teaching units which follow the Task-based Language Teaching framework: pre-task, task cycle, and language focus.
- Pre-task: Each lesson starts by inviting learners to identify the communicative function of a conventional metaphor systematically realized in a naturally occurring (written or oral) text and to relate the conceptual link to their own experiences.
- Task cycle (Task, Planning, Report): During the task cycle learners are encouraged to take fresh and interesting viewpoints in their descriptions (pointing to the communicative function of metaphor), but they are not explicitly asked to use specific linguistic or conceptual metaphors; these are incidentally encountered while searching information on the Internet.
- Language focus (Analysis and Practice): In the language focus phase learners’ attention is drawn to the linguistic realization of frames and the conceptual metaphor involved, while they also have the opportunity to practise using metaphor more creatively to effect a deliberate change of perspective.
Digital tools: In the language focus phase FrameNet and MetaNet are used directly and explicitly in metaphor-related tasks promoting discovery learning and critical thinking. However, these online encyclopedic repositories of knowledge could also be used implicitly by teachers to inform their instructional practices and decisions without asking learners to act as researchers.
Metaphor: The tasks illustrate the different faces of metaphor (conventional metaphor, which may even be invisible, and novel metaphor, which is creative and disruptive), the different levels at which metaphor can occur (language or image, thought and communication), and different methods of metaphor identification and analysis (top-down and bottom-up) that complement each other.
EFL CEFR level: B2+/ C1
Genres: Descriptive, Narrative, Expository
Navigation through topic: To help EFL teachers supplement their coursebooks, metaphor-related teaching units are accessed through topic links.
Topics
Feedback: We welcome any feedback regarding the Metaphor Task Bank and any questions you might have about the project or the tasks. Please send your email to thomdalp@enl.auth.gr.
Contribute: If you are interested in creating tasks for the Metaphor Task Bank, send your message to thomdalp@enl.auth.gr.
Principal researcher: Dr Thomai Dalpanagioti
Advisor: Prof Marina Mattheoudakis
Technical support: Tasos Paschalis
Funding: A.S. Hornby Educational Trust (A.S. Hornby Dictionary Research Awards 2022)
