1. Using Analogies to Teach Thinking, Language & Content to ELLs
Prepared by
Jeanette Gordon
Illinois Resource Center

2. 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
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)

3. Copyblogger “Metaphor, Simile and Analogy: What’s the Difference
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” 

4. 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 

5. 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

6. 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:

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. “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.”

11. 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 _______.”

12. Descriptive: one word describes the other word
slow
airplane
fast
sloth
turtle
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

13. More Descriptive fast tall skyscraper race car cheetah
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.
fast
tall
skyscraper
race car
cheetah
Students can all be correct with a different answer.

14. 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

15. Performer to Action Also called Function
Farming is the function of a farmer.
Teaching is the function of a ______________
teacher

16. Object and Function The function of a saw is to saw.
The function of a fishing pole is to ________
fish

17. bird: nest: bee: ______
Object and Location
hive
bird: nest: bee: ______
desert
fir tree: forest: cactus: ______

18. Part to whole: one word is a part of the other
eraser
pencil
tail
dog
covered wagon
The United States of America
wheel is part of a _____?
Illinois is
part of __?

19. 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.
Hammer belongs to the category __________.”
tools

20. “Violin is a kind of musical instrument.
A cook is a kind of ____________.”
occupation
Or “belongs in the classification of ____”
More Item to Category

21. Object and Related Object
dog
kitten: cat :: puppy:
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.

22. Object and Group One cow and a herd of cows.
One seagull and a ________of seagulls.
flock

23. More Object and Group ant: colony of ants:: wolf: _____ pack
See animal groups:

24. Even More Object and Group
tree: forest :: player: ______
team

25. Cause Effect Relationship
goal: celebrate :: push :
move
Goal causes people to celebrate.
Push causes something to move.

26. Effect Cause Relationship
Happy earth is the result of conservation.
sunlight and rain.
A growing plant is the result of _____________.

27. Effort and Result A painting is the result of the effort to paint.
A letter is the result of the effort to ________
write

28. Result and Effort Good grades are the result of the effort to study.
Strong muscles are the result of the effort to ______________.
exercise
do physical work.

29. Problem and Solution If a person is tired, the solution is to sleep.
If a person is thirsty, the solution is to_____
drink.

30. More Problem and Solution
unemployment: job application :: bad grades:______
study

31. Degree of a Characteristic Most often used with adjectives
sad
happy: ecstatic :: ______: distraught

32. More Degree of a Characteristic
pain
hot: boiling :: ache: ___________

33. Things That Go Together
fork
salt: pepper:: knife: _______
Some things are usually spoken of together.
Other examples: thunder and lightning, nuts and bolts, cup and saucer, shoes and socks

34. Types of Rhymes people bedroom mouse color Perfect Rhyme type:
bed: red:: house:
Choose the correct answer.
people
bedroom
mouse
color
For additional rhyme types,
go to

35. Rick Wormeli Resource http://www.stenhouse.com/html/news_167.htm
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.

36. 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:

37. 6 Operations in the TWA Model
Introduce target concept.
2. Review analogue concept. 
3. Identify relevant features of target and analogue
4. Map similarities.
Indicate the limitations of the analogy.
Draw a conclusion.
See example in following slides.

38. 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.

39. 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.

40. Modeling Both skills need to be modeled.
Someone reads to you.
Someone takes you for a ride.

41. Try with support from others
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.

42. Try on your own. For both skills, learners who are ready practice by themselves.
Read on your own
Ride the bicycle by yourself

43. Practice in more difficult situations
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.

44. Use the skill throughout life
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.

45. 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.
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 ). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

46. 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