Although metaphors are essential tools in everyday communication and educational settings, the literature lacks evidence of effective training tools to promote metaphor comprehension in typical development. Grounding in theoretical pragmatics, we developed a novel metaphor comprehension training (MetaCom) for school-age children that focuses on inferential and contextual aspects of metaphors. The effects of the MetaCom were tested against a control training focusing on text comprehension in a randomized controlled trial involving 55 children aged between 8;8 and 9;8. Only children in the MetaCom group improved in the ability to verbally explain the meaning of a metaphor. Moreover, only the MetaCom showed transfer effects to reading comprehension. These findings suggest that targeting inference and attention to context is key to promote metaphor understanding, and that the benefits might extend to linguistic and communicative skills at large. The MetaCom training can thus represent a promising tool for educational programs, possibly also in atypical populations.

(2022). Efficacy and benefits of the MetaCom training to promote metaphor comprehension in typical development [journal article - articolo]. In FIRST LANGUAGE. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10446/211192

Efficacy and benefits of the MetaCom training to promote metaphor comprehension in typical development

Bianco, Federica;
2022-01-01

Abstract

Although metaphors are essential tools in everyday communication and educational settings, the literature lacks evidence of effective training tools to promote metaphor comprehension in typical development. Grounding in theoretical pragmatics, we developed a novel metaphor comprehension training (MetaCom) for school-age children that focuses on inferential and contextual aspects of metaphors. The effects of the MetaCom were tested against a control training focusing on text comprehension in a randomized controlled trial involving 55 children aged between 8;8 and 9;8. Only children in the MetaCom group improved in the ability to verbally explain the meaning of a metaphor. Moreover, only the MetaCom showed transfer effects to reading comprehension. These findings suggest that targeting inference and attention to context is key to promote metaphor understanding, and that the benefits might extend to linguistic and communicative skills at large. The MetaCom training can thus represent a promising tool for educational programs, possibly also in atypical populations.
articolo
2022
Tonini, Elisabetta; Lecce, Serena; Del Sette, Paola; Bianco, Federica; Canal, Paolo; Bambini, Valentina
(2022). Efficacy and benefits of the MetaCom training to promote metaphor comprehension in typical development [journal article - articolo]. In FIRST LANGUAGE. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10446/211192
File allegato/i alla scheda:
File Dimensione del file Formato  
bambini 2022.pdf

Solo gestori di archivio

Versione: publisher's version - versione editoriale
Licenza: Licenza default Aisberg
Dimensione del file 1.74 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.74 MB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

Aisberg ©2008 Servizi bibliotecari, Università degli studi di Bergamo | Terms of use/Condizioni di utilizzo

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10446/211192
Citazioni
  • Scopus 7
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 6
social impact