TEACHING ENGLISH METAPHORS THROUGH A CASE STUDY

Metaphor’s role in ESL (English as a Second Language) classrooms has been the subject of research, most studies acknowledge its use only as a means to increase vocabulary retention. This pilot case study acknowledges metaphor’s potential in that capacity, but goes further and asks how it might also foster cross-cultural awareness and empathy. The aim was to gauge metaphor’s formal or informal integration into the curriculum, and its pedagogical efficacy from the perspective of students, instructors, and administrators. The results suggest active incorporation of metaphor into ESL classrooms stimulates student learning by opening spaces for cross-cultural discussion, and goes further to suggest advocating for metaphor’s inclusion in professional learning and communicative settings.