In some ways, the ability to employ and understand idioms and other forms of figurative language is the chief difference between merely being a technically competent reader and a truly good reader. Idioms are phrases or expressions that are ambiguous, and which to be understood must either be known as a unit or deduced from their context.
Our comprehension of figurative language, as employed in idioms, is principally derived from our experience with texts. You aren’t taught to be a great reader in this way so much as you become one through being exposed to more and more complex texts and forms, as an ability to comprehend figurative language only comes from a mastery of more direct, concrete lower-order thinking and processing skills. This mastery is built on in the journey to a more abstract, complex approach to reading based on higher-order thinking.
In short, being able to deal with figurative language only comes to a reader who’s already great at interpreting direct language, meaning it’s one of the clearest hallmarks of advanced reading comprehension.
A number of classroom studies have illustrated the need to prepare students for the high degree of idiomatic language they will encounter as readers today. Familiarity with idioms and metaphors, as well as other forms of figurative language, is key to an understanding of textual complexity and becoming a truly engaged reader. It will also enable a young person to cope more effectively with the changing nature of the English language, as a student with little or no experience in identifying and understanding the complexities of idiomatic language will be at a disadvantage when confronted with new and unfamiliar idioms in reading material.
Fortunately, CARS & STARS Online is here to help.
The strategy of Interpreting Figurative Language in the CARS & STARS Online program sees students tackle abstract language and the idea of thinking about text that might say something different directly to what it actually means. Other CARS & STARS Online strategies that inform the ability to deal with idioms and figurative language include Finding Word Meaning in Context; Making Predictions; and Drawing Conclusions and Making Inferences.
However, it can be said that all twelve of the main, recurring reading strategies that underpin the entirety of the CARS & STARS Online program contribute to being able to read texts in this way. Additionally, the variety of texts that students are exposed to throughout the program means students undertaking CARS & STARS Online will have a healthy grounding in all types of figurative language as they progress on their reading journey.
If you are interested in learning more about the CARS & STARS Online subscriptions and how they can help children to achieve better results, then sign up for a free trial to be an integral part of your child’s reading success.
