Main Language techniques to apply in teaching
- 1. Language Techniques What are they and how we use them?
- 2. Success Criteria I can identify language techniques. I can describe the effect of language techniques.
- 3. Definition: A metaphor is when you compare two things by saying one thing is another. Effect: You will use a metaphor when you want the reader to draw similarities to something so that they can relate to it. Example: “He walked around like a warden, guarding us in the classroom as we took our tests.” What does this mean? The teacher is compared to a prison warden, making us relate the experience of tests to being trapped. Metaphor
- 4. Simile Definition: A simile is when you compare two things using ‘like’ or ‘as’. Effect: You will use a simile when you want the reader to relate to the concept you are comparing it with. Example: “The grief washed over me like constant waves crashing against a cliff.” What does this mean? The individual’s grief is being explained as waves to suggest that it comes in and out.
- 5. Hyperbole Definition: A hyperbole is an exaggeration. Effect: You will use this when you want the audience to relate to how ridiculous or extreme something is. Example: “I was so hungry that I could’ve eaten a horse.” What does this mean? This exaggerates the intense hunger the individual feels as horses are next to impossible for someone to eat alone.
- 6. Personification Definition: This is when you give human attributes to non-living things. Effect: This helps us to imagine how the subject matter performs. Example: “The pen wrote tirelessly, running around the page, trying to read the finish line.” What does this mean? This highlights the speed and endless amount of writing that is happening.
- 7. Imagery Definition: Imagery is when you use descriptive language to create an image in the reader’s head. Effect: This is used to help the reader imagine what is happening. Example: “The luscious green fields were filled with vivid flowers blooming for the first time. The hypnotising scent filled my lungs as I imagine lying amongst the beauty.” What does this mean? This highlights the natural beauty of spring.
- 9. Compare the descriptions I waited at the empty train station. It felt a little lonely and scary to be all alone for the first time. To ease my nerves, I took a deep breath and thought about what I would eat for lunch. I waited at the eerily quiet train station. Not a single soul passed and the longer I stood there, I felt the platform expand until I was just a tiny ant standing all alone. I felt my hands sweat, growing tiny puddles in my palms as I tried to imagine the tantilising scent of freshly baked bread that was waiting for me at lunch.
- 10. Language techniques enhance the descriptions you try to create. They add spice and more ways for the reader to relate to the information and imagine it! This will help to transport them to the new worlds in your writing and also make your work sound more interesting. This does not mean that every sentence needs to have a language technique. Think about it, when you have too much of the same thing, you get sick of it. The same concept applies here, you should have enough to make your work sound amazing but not too much where it is hard to read and understand. What do we learn?
- 11. How do they make writing better?
- 12. Which one is better? Read the following examples and decide which one shows a greater depth of love. My Mum loved me. I could feel the branches of my mum’s efforts extend over me, creating a canopy that always protected me.
- 13. Whilst both of the quotes showcase love for their mum, the second quote uses a metaphor to highlight how much effort and protection has been provided to make the individual feel a deep sense of connection and love. Both examples mean the same thing but just by using a language technique, you can show more emotion and depth in your writing. What do we learn?
- 14. Elements