Using Analogies to Teach
Thinking, Language & Content
to ELLs
Prepared by
Jeanette Gordon
Illinois Resource
Center
Similes and Metaphors are commonly taught.
Definition: Reasoning or explaining from parallel
cases. A simile is an expressed analogy; a
metaphor is an implied one. Adjective: analogous
http://grammar.about.com/od/ab/g/analogy.htm
Simile
“Life is like a ten-speed bicycle. Most of us have
gears we never use.” Charles Schulz
Metaphor
"This is your brain. This is your brain on
drugs. Any questions?“
(The Partnership for a Drug-Free America)
Copyblogger “Metaphor, Simile and Analogy:
What’s the Difference?” by Brian Clark
Metaphor
• A metaphor is a figure of speech that uses one thing
to mean another and makes a comparison between
the two. The key words here are “one thing
to mean another.”
Simile
• A simile compares two different things in order to
create a new meaning. In this case, we are made
explicitly aware that a comparison is being made due
to the use of “like” or “as”
Analogy
• An analogy is comparable to metaphor and simile in
that it shows how two different things are similar,
but it’s a bit more complex. Rather than a figure of
speech, an analogy is more of a logical argument.
The presenter of an analogy will often demonstrate
how two things are alike by pointing out shared
characteristics, with the goal of showing that if two
things are similar in some ways, they are similar in
other ways as well.
Source: Copyblogger “Metaphor, Simile and Analogy:
What’s the Difference?” by Brian Clark
Why Use Analogies
• Higher-order thinking promotes engagement
and retention.
• ELLs can understand and communicate
complex relationships with limited language.
• The same concept can be represented in more
than one type of relationship which helps
refine understanding and promote cognitive
flexibility.
• New unfamiliar learning can be connected and
taught using a familiar context
Teach Analogies by Type
Antonyms
Synonyms
Descriptive
Performer to Action
Object and Function
Object and Location
Part to Whole
Item to Category
Object and Related Object
Object to Group
Cause and Effect
Effect and Cause
Effort and Result
Result and Effort
Problem and Solution
Degree of a Characteristic
Things that Go Together
Types of Rhyme
Source of types:
www.fibonicci.com/verbal-reasoning/word-analogies/examples-types/
Antonyms: words that are opposites
Teach concepts independently first. Once the concept
is firmly understood. Teach the analogy.
Antonyms is a simple type to teach first.
Image from You and Me by Giovanni Manna and Stella Blackstone
Teach the concept of the type (in this case
opposites) before creating analogies.
big
small
up
down
Most common error.
Avoid teaching the language ___ is to ___ as ___ is to __
“big is to small as up is to down”.
It works at this level of analogy, but as analogies get more
difficult using that language makes it much harder to
identify the relationship.
Teach students to describe the relationship, first.
Big is the opposite of small. Up is the opposite of down.
Free SAT Prep1.com
What not to do
• The biggest mistake we have encountered
with analogies are students who want to insist
on approaching them by saying "Wallet is to
money as ..." While this may sound official, it
is the wrong way to approach the analogies
questions.
• http://www.freesat1prep.com/sat/verbal/analogies/
“The right way to approach the SAT analogies
• Make up a short sentence that includes both
words in the analogy. Example:
A wallet contains money. (It's supposed to
anyway.) Try to keep this sentence short and use
an active verb whenever possible.
• If you still have a problem (say because the
sentence you created fits most or even all of the
answer choices) go back and make the question
more specific.”
http://www.freesat1prep.com/sat/verbal/analogies/
Synonyms: words that have the same or
similar meanings
After students understand the
concept of analogy,
periodically use the test format
rescue: save :: tired: ___
Remember to describe
the relationship.
“Rescue means the same as save.”
“Tired means the same as _______.”
Descriptive:
one word describes the other word
fast
airplane
slow
turtle
sloth
Use images.
Students must understand the vocabulary and the image.
If sloth is not known to the students, it won’t be helpful.
Clarify vocabulary, and use multiple examples.
fast
slow
More Descriptive
• Point out to students that the descriptive analogy must
describe a permanent characteristic.
• Sad boy won’t work because the boy can also be happy.
tall
skyscraper
fast
race car
cheetah
Students can all be correct with a different answer.
Performer and Action
Teacher: teaches :: Cook: cooks
Farmer: farms:: Carpenter: builds houses
Scientist: does research OR
conducts experiments::
Firefighter:
puts out fires
OR saves people
Performer to Action
Also called Function
Farming is the function of a farmer.
teacher
Teaching is the function of a ______________
Object and Function
The function of a saw is to saw.
The function of a fishing pole is to ________
fish
Object and Location
hive
bird: nest: bee: ______
desert
fir tree: forest: cactus: ______
Part to whole: one word is a part
of the other
eraser
tail
pencil
dog
wheel is
part of a
_____?
covered
wagon
Illinois is
part of __?
The United States
of America
Item to Category: one word is an item in
the category named by the other
carrot
vegetables
hammer
tools
Remember to explain the relationship of the first example.
“Carrot belongs to the category vegetable.
tools
Hammer belongs to the category __________.”
“Violin is a kind of musical instrument.
occupation
A cook is a kind of ____________.”
Or “belongs in the
classification of ____”
More Item to Category
Object and Related Object
kitten: cat :: puppy: dog
kitten: cat :: chrysalis: butterfly
A kitten grows into a cat.
A puppy grows into a dog.
A kitten matures into a cat.
A chrysalis matures into a
butterfly.
Object and Group
One cow and a herd of cows.
One seagull and a ________of
flock
seagulls.
More Object and Group
ant: colony of ants:: wolf: _____
pack
See animal groups: www.npwrc.usgs.gov/about/faqs/animals/names.htm
Even More Object and Group
tree: forest :: player: ______
team
Cause Effect Relationship
goal: celebrate :: push : move
Goal causes people to celebrate.
Push causes something to move.
Effect Cause Relationship
Happy earth is the result of conservation.
sunlight and rain.
A growing plant is the result of _____________.
Effort and Result
A painting is the result of the effort to paint.
write
A letter is the result of the effort to ________
Result and Effort
Good grades are the result of the effort to study.
exercise
Strong muscles are the result of the effort to ______________.
do
physical
work.
Problem and Solution
If a person is tired, the solution is to sleep.
If a person is thirsty, the solution is to_____
drink.
More Problem and Solution
unemployment: job application :: bad grades:______
study
Degree of a Characteristic
Most often used with adjectives
sad
happy: ecstatic :: ______:
distraught
More Degree of a Characteristic
pain
hot: boiling :: ache: ___________
Things That Go Together
salt: pepper:: knife: _______
fork
Some things are usually spoken of together.
Other examples: thunder and lightning, nuts and
bolts, cup and saucer, shoes and socks
Types of Rhymes
Perfect Rhyme type:
bed: red:: house: people
bedroom
Choose the correct answer.
mouse
color
For additional rhyme types,
go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhyme
Rick Wormeli Resource
Rick Wormeli’s book provides an
excellent orientation to the use of
metaphors and analogies.
One chapter is devoted to ELLs
Note: The example used for the
following TWA strategy is adapted
from Elma Torres, a winner of a
metaphor content by Rick
Wormeli. Read other winner
submissions and his comments
on the site.
http://www.stenhouse.com/html/news_167.htm
TWA Strategy
“Teaching with Analogies (TWA) strategy
introduced by Glynn, Duit, & Thiele . This
strategy models what expert teachers and
authors employ when using analogies. In the
TWA strategy, shared attributes between the
analogue and target are known as mappings.
The goal is to transfer ideas from a familiar
concept (the analogue) to an unfamiliar one
(the target) by mapping their relationship”
Source: “Teaching with Analogies:
www.csun.edu/science/books/sourcebook/chapters/10analogies/teaching-analogies.html
6 Operations in the TWA Model
1. Introduce target concept.
2. Review analogue concept.
3. Identify relevant features of target and
analogue
4. Map similarities.
5. Indicate the limitations of the analogy.
6. Draw a conclusion.
See example in following slides.
Example of the TWA Strategy
Analogy: Learning any new skill is similar to
learning to ride a bike. (Skill of reading.)
1. Introduce target concept: Learning to read takes a
lot of practice.
2. Review analogue concept: Riding a bicycle.
This should be a familiar concept. Remember ELLs
may still need visuals of the analogue concept. What
is a recognizable analogue for many students may not
be familiar to ELLs.
3. Identify relevant features of target and
analogue
– Modeling,
– Try with support from others.
– Try on your own.
– Practice in more difficult situations.
– Use the skill throughout life
4. Map similarities
Specify how each relevant feature is similar.
Modeling
Both skills need to be modeled.
Someone reads to you.
Someone takes you for a ride.
Try with support from others.
Children learn both skills with help from others.
Read with support, less
support when more skillful.
Ride with support, less
support when more skillful.
Try on your own.
For both skills, learners who are ready practice by themselves.
Read on your own
Ride the bicycle by yourself
Practice in more difficult situations.
To learn both skills, it takes hard work and practice to get better.
Practice to read harder books.
Practice to ride really well.
Use the skill throughout life.
Both reading and riding can benefit our lives in many ways.
Read for work and pleasure.
Ride for work and pleasure.
5. Indicate the limitations of the analogy.
–
–
–
Some students may have no experience with learning to
ride a bike.
The skill of reading is more complex, with modeling,
support and practice for each new reading skill being
taught.
Reading is a needed skill, not a skill of choice.
6. Draw a conclusion. The students develop a
basic understanding of the process of learning to
read with the analogy of learning to ride a bike.
Original source for TWA: Glynn, S. M., R. Duit, & R. B. Thiele (1995). Teaching
science with analogies: A strategy for constructing knowledge. In S. M.
Glynn and R. Duit (Eds.).Learning science in the schools: Research
reforming practice (pp. 247-273). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Teaching Teachers to Use Analogies
• Site to promote use of analogies in science.
• Teaching Materials
• Resources to teach using analogies in
Educational Methods courses
• Analogy aptitude pre/post survey
• Free videos with examples of analogies
• PowerPoint Presentations
• http://www.physics.nau.edu/~james/Teaching
TeachersAnalogies.htm