Working in special education, I interact with many students who, for various reasons, struggle to comprehend figurative (non-literal) language. They miss out on these nuances in our speech and often take everything they hear literally. If they hear someone say, “That was the last straw!” they’ll assume the person is upset that there are no more straws left in the basket. However, there are thousands of these figurative sayings that we hear and use throughout our day to day lives, often without ever realizing it. Misunderstandings over figurative language not only make schoolwork difficult, but they leave individuals missing out on a lot of crucial information. For a glimpse of just how crucial understanding nuances in language can be, check out the Amelia Bedelia books by Peggy Parish which have been wildly popular with children across many decades.
For teachers, parents, and caregivers of students with special needs, this means that these expressions must be explicitly explained to ensure children are not left out of the richness of both spoken and written language has to offer. Directly teaching idioms can help students start recognizing when a phrase is not meant literally and interpreting what is said more accurately. The challenge is finding an engaging way to introduce these students to the topsy turvey world of idioms. Incidentally, most children also find animals to be a very engaging topic. So, to that end, I have complied an extensive collection of commonly used idioms, all of which have to do with the behavior or characteristics of various animals. The same collection is provided here in both print (.docx) and braille (.brf) downloadable formats. Please enjoy!
Teaching Tip
One way I have integrated a few minutes of direct figurative language instruction a day into my small group classes is to print out/emboss then cut out the idioms into strips, place in a canister, and have students take turns drawing one to read and discuss as a warm up activity. The kids enjoy discovering different expressions, sharing thoughts with classmates, and brainstorming ways they’ve heard the expression used in their interactions with people. This 10 focus activity starts literacy wheels turning while into a window appropriate even for kids with the shortest attentions spans.
Print Version
Braille Version
