Metaphors and Analogies

Metaphors and analogies are more than figurative language suitable only for English classes and standardised test questions. They are “power tools” that can electrify learning in every subject and at all year levels. Metaphors show students how to make connections between the concrete and the abstract, prior knowledge and unfamiliar concepts, language and image.

To exploit these powers, however, teachers must learn how to use metaphors and analogies strategically and for specific purposes, helping students discover, create and deconstruct effective comparisons. In this thoughtful and nuanced book, Rick Wormeli examines a wide range of powerful metaphors, including the rhetoric of political speeches, mathematical models, concrete spellings and body sculptures that symbolically portray abstractions.

Metaphors & Analogies is filled with provocative illustrations of metaphors in action and practical tips about using metaphors to improve assessment, professional development, and symbolic sensing.