Teaching Idioms to ELS & Native English Students
Figures of Speech that Can Be Confusing
Many native English speakers have learned the meanings of idioms because they have heard them and used them all their lives, but some will have trouble with expressions that they’ve never heard or used. One easily understood definition of idiom is “A phrase which has a meaning that is commonly understood by speakers of the language, but whose meaning is often different from the normal meaning of the words is called an idiom.”
Fun with Idioms
Make studying the meanings of common idioms fun for elementary school students of all ages. Most children enjoy guessing the meanings of these unusual expressions.
Write a few idioms on the dry board and ask students to tell what they mean. Here are some examples.
- A slip of the tongue
- Head over heels
- Foot in the mouth
- His bark is bigger than his bite.
- The fox is guarding the henhouse.
- Don’t count your chickens ‘til they’re hatched.
Tell students that these expressions are called idioms. Idioms are phrases and sentences that have meanings that are different from the normal meaning of the words found int he phrase. Tell them that they have heard some of these idioms used by others, and they have probably used some themselves. Ask students to give examples and write them on the board.
Idiom Games and Activities
Let the class play the game Hangman. Explain the rules for children who haven’t played it. Draw the hangman’s base; a vertical line with a horizontal line extending from its top to the right. Say the idiom, a piece of cake. Tell students to guess what the idiom means. Draw lines for the letters that form the answer: very easy under the base. Have students take turns guessing the letters for very easy. Draw a body part starting with the head, each time a student guesses a letter of the answer.
Make a set of flashcards having an idiom written on one side and its meaning on the other side. Let students work in small groups with one student holding up a flash card and the other students guessing the meaning or the idiom.
Introduce students to several idioms word games on line. The Study Stack website includes an interactive hangman game, a flash card game, a printable word search and several other idiom-related activities.
Extending and Assessing Idiom Use
Challenge students to make a list of idioms that they find in their reading. Ask them to tell what the idioms mean. Make a list of idioms and/or meanings on a worksheet. Have students draw lines to match each idiom with its meaning. Alternately, write a list of idioms on a worksheet and ask students to write the meanings under each idiom.
ESL and native English speakers can benefit from activities related to idioms. Most children enjoy studying idioms and their meanings, and these expressions offer opportunities for students to learn through classroom and on line games and activities.
Don't Count Your Chickens 'til They're Hatched
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