About Creativity,Giftedness, and Teaching the Creatively Gifted in the Classroom

In this case study the author explored a teacher's beliefs about creativity and gifted‐ness and investigated the classroom practices of this teacher of gifted students for 20 years. Seven semi‐structured and 2 open observations were carried out in her classroom, and 2 prefigured interviews were conducted with her. She believed that creative children are those who are “free thinkers” and have “imaginative intelligence.” The thin line between an academically gifted child and a creatively gifted child is built by “imagination,” “emotional intensity,” and “curiosity.” In creative writing, she tried to implement activities such as learning to write poetry, personal narratives, research reports and essays posing solutions to real world problems, and mystery stories decorated with similes, metaphors and imaginative expressions. In reading, students analyzed characters, problems, places and times in stories and novels, and then rewrote stories.     

认知视角下的隐喻功能——基于英语专业学习的思考

隐喻在语言的发展和使用中起着重要的作用。它不仅是一种修辞手法,而且是一种认知方式。文章从认知的视角探讨隐喻的构词扩义功能和语篇衔接功能,并提出把隐喻功能应用到英语专业语言课上,让学生依靠丰富的联想和想象去记忆使用词汇,提高创造性思维能力,从而更加透彻地理解语言并创造性地使用语言,提高语言语用能力。     

Gifted Metaphors: Exploring the Metaphors of Teachers in Gifted Education and Their Impact on Teaching the Gifted

Metaphors are devices that people employ for both poetic purposes and rhetorical elaboration and belong to the realm of extraordinary language. Metaphors are used to connect abstract ideas and information to more concrete experiences, thus making these experiences more familiar and easier to understand. Moreover, metaphors are more than symbolic intellectual processes; they influence the conceptual understanding of our experiences and help define our everyday realities. For education, there is an important and relevant practical connection between the metaphors that teachers employ and their beliefs about teaching and classroom practices. This stems from the notion that metaphors guide one’s mental framework. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the metaphors influencing teachers in gifted education, this study specifically asked teachers to describe both their metaphors concerning gifted students as well as those influencing their teaching. In this study, nine different themes were identified. This research demonstrates a clear connection between reported metaphors and how gifted students receive their education from teachers. Participants’ answers demonstrate a strong connection between their metaphors and their classroom practices. However, strict adherence to one’s root metaphor increases the chance for dogmatism in the classroom and can lead to potentially incoherent classroom differentiation and a potential disconnect between classroom practices and the actual pedagogical needs of the gifted learner.     

“Seeing the Light”: A Cognitive Approach to the Metaphorical in Picture Books

Picture books, as both sophisticated aesthetic objects and literary texts, provide the ideal site for critically examining how values and ideology are transmitted to children. How the child reader might be affected by the process of reading a picture book—that is, how he or she might be moved emotionally and potentially gain new insights about the world—is of interest to scholars and educators alike. This article draws upon cognitive literary theory as a conceptual frame through which to explore the cognitive and emotional affect that reading may have upon children. “Reader response” and “cultural criticism” are approaches to literature that seek to understand how readers interact with texts. Cognitive theory, when applied to literature, builds on these discourses by focusing on why reading fiction might cause the brain to produce emotional and cognitive responses in readers. As metaphors are a feature of language and of thought, a study of the metaphorical in picture books aptly lends itself to the theoretical framework offered by cognitive literary theory. Drawing on examples from four picture books produced for children, broadly correlating to different developmental stages, this article examines the role of metaphor in encouraging skills in decoding and creative thinking. Talking to children about visual metaphor or metaphorical expression introduces them to a feature of language and thought that provides a conceptual frame for richer understanding and expression of ideas. Examining how the metaphorical operates in picture books thus takes us a step closer to understanding how the process of reading affects children and enriches their lives.     

英汉"人是物体"概念隐喻的对比分析

认知语言学认为,隐喻是普遍存在的,是人类的一种认知工具。语言中遍布的隐喻表达是由于人类概念系统中存在着概念隐喻,但不同文化中的概念隐喻是否相同需要跨文化的研究。语料表明在英汉中都存在"人是物体"这个概念隐喻,而对比由此衍生出来的隐喻表达,可以为概念隐喻提供跨文化方面的依据,并为一词多义现象提供了合理的解释,这对语言的教与学都有帮助。     

Metaphor,Simile, Analogy and the Brain

Abstract

Fox argues that the poetic function of language fulfils the human need to symbolise. Metaphor, simile and analogy provide examples of the ways in which symbolic language can be used creatively. The neural representations of these processes therefore provide a means to determine the neurological basis of creative language. Neuro-imaging has demonstrated that while metaphor, simile and analogy activate some areas of the brain in common, they also each activate different areas. This suggests that creative language has had sufficient evolutionary importance to be processed within more than one neural system. Additionally, the neuro-imaging data suggest that symbolic language activates areas beyond the language centres and therefore is encoded using sensorimotor representations. Here we will discuss the neural representations of metaphor, simile and analogy, and will reflect on the neural systems which have evolved to support symbolic language and how this understanding might be used to help develop skill in creative language.     

Metaphor in Context: an examination of the significance of metaphor for reflection and communication

This article shows how metaphor is basic to language structure. It is illustrated with practical examples of how metaphor is found within different social and cultural contexts, irrespective of historical time. Numerous examples are given of how metaphor works in efforts to communicate meaning. From an early age, young children are initiated into the use of metaphor. This appears to be understood intuitively, and examples of words games and riddles are given to show how children become familiar with the symbolic use of language. It is discussed how this early facility to engage in ‘word play’ forms a basis for future development of language skills, helping children move on from familiar contexts which are understood intuitively by transferring their skills in order to interpret metaphorical language empirically in unfamiliar contexts. Theories concerning ‘dead’ and ‘living’ metaphors are explored, and attention is drawn particularly to the need to teach children how to rediscover the original meaning of Biblical metaphors, many of which have become so embedded in language and culture that they have lost their metaphorical significance. It is discussed how the interpretation and use of metaphor extends the capacity to reason and think reflectively, and the importance of education in developing this potential: this is required in many of the recently published Agreed Syllabuses of religious education and the Model Syllabuses of religious education, and would help address the requirements of the Education Reform Act (1988) concerning pupils’ spiritual and moral development.     

从隐喻的认知角度看隐喻的翻译策略

从认知角度看隐喻是从始发域向目的域的映射。隐喻是语言的一种普遍现象,它们来源于日常生活的基本经验,是语言与文化联系最紧密的部分。不同语言文化在隐喻使用上有相同更有很大的差异,这就给我们对隐喻的翻译带来较大的困难。文章从认知的角度,来探讨隐喻的翻译策略。     

语法隐喻迁移的应用研究

基于Halliday系统功能语言学理论,探讨语法隐喻在二语习得中的个体发展规律。首先将取自不同受试组的60篇文章中的句子归类,再对比其中的语法隐喻出现的频率,然后利用独立样本T检验来验证二语写作中语法隐喻使用量是否随着语言水平的提高而增加,以此验证母语的隐喻思维是否会无条件地迁移过来。研究结果表明,学生在英语写作中人际隐喻的使用量随语言水平的提高而增加,但研究数据没能证明概念隐喻及语篇隐喻的发展也遵循这一规律。     

The emotional development of the highly able

The highly able can be expected to be expected to be at least as well balanced as any other children, but they do have special emotional problems arising both from other people’s reactions to their exceptionality and from inappropriate education. This was investigated in a British 14-year comparative study. Children labelled as gifted were found to be from different home backgrounds and to have different emotional profiles than others of the same measured ability who had not been seen as gifted. From this and other research it can be seen that expectations of highly able children can be confusing, for example that they either have poor social relationships or are natural social leaders. Teachers and parents may over-pressure pupils to excel at all times, or raise their all-round expectations for a child, even though s/he is only gifted in a specific area. Stress may also come from always having to learn at an unstimulating level, producing boredom, apathy and underachievement. Suggestions are made for helping the emotional development and improving educational provision for the highly able.     

Fostering the social and emotional development of gifted children through guided viewing of film

Teachers of gifted elementary school students seek strategies appropriate for fostering healthy social and emotional development in children. The authors propose guided viewing of film as a strategy through which teachers and counselors may assist young gifted students in gaining helpful insights to deal with problems they face. This article presents a theoretical foundation for this approach, a variety of strategies for implementation, and a collection of films appropriate for use with gifted students.     

The Influence of Teacher Expectations about Twice-Exceptional Students on the Use of High Quality Gifted Curriculum: A Case Study Approach

Twice-exceptional students show evidence of high academic performance or potential and also have a disability that impedes their ability to learn. Twice-exceptional students remain under-represented in gifted programs, and some researchers attribute such under-representation to the negative beliefs and low expectations about twice-exceptional students held by teachers. While researchers have begun to investigate the curricular models and instructional strategies that are effective for twice-exceptional students, little research addresses how teacher beliefs and expectations about student ability are reflected in the ways teachers implement such models and strategies for twice-exceptional students in gifted classrooms. Even less research addresses gifted students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. We used a case study of a third-grade teacher using a structured, model-based language arts curriculum to better understand how her expectations about a gifted student with an emotional disability influenced her instructional choices. Using observational and interview data, the case study approach allowed the researchers to personalize the experiences of this teacher and provided a context in which to examine the subtleties of teacher expectations when teaching a gifted student with an emotional disability. Implications for educational practice, particularly the need for comprehensive school-based support systems for students with emotional disabilities, are discussed.     

从文化差异的视角探讨外语教学的隐喻翻译问题

文章以文化与语言、文化与隐喻的关系为切入点,首先从文化差异的视角,通过比较英、汉、蒙三种语言的隐喻表达的异同,重点分析了文化对隐喻翻译的影响问题。其次,对字面意思与隐喻意义的关系,翻译的不确定性,隐喻的可改述性和隐喻的可译性等隐喻翻译的若干问题展开了讨论。最后建议在保持多元文化的同时为了避免文化冲突现象的发生,在外语教学中既要强调隐喻所呈现的中西方文化的差异,同时有必要在汉族与其他少数民族或少数民族之间的在隐喻所体现的文化差异方面进行更深层次的研究和探索,这对我国外语教学有一定的启示。     

Heart从转喻到隐喻的认知语义解读

转喻与隐喻都是基于经验的思维方式,均为隐藏在语言背后的概念化过程提供了路径,是丰富语言的重要手段。转喻—隐喻之间的区别并不是决然分开的,而是一种互动的层次上的变化。大量隐喻的产生建立在转喻的基础上。作为英汉语言中情感发源地的Heart,其转喻—隐喻的特征在感情表达式中表现的最为清晰。Heart的概念化越具概括性,所含转喻的成分越小,而隐喻意义越突出。但不管如何变化,隐喻的转喻基础仍然存在。     

隐喻对中国大学生英文阅读理解的影响

认知隐喻理论宣称语言中无数的隐喻表达可以追溯至有限数目的概念隐喻,这就意味着概念隐喻有可能在我们的语言学习中发挥积极的作用。本文以认知隐喻理论为基础,旨在探讨隐喻对中国大学生英文阅读理解的影响。本文用量的研究方法对广州某高校英语专业三年级54位学生隐喻知识培训前后所得阅读成绩进行分析,结果表明隐喻知识有助于他们的英语阅读理解。     

提升幼儿美术作品呈现力的有效策略

教师要摆脱成人的审美标准,尊重与欣赏每个幼儿的美术作品,从他们的美术作品中观察幼儿的内心世界,解读幼儿独特的审美情趣和情感表达,充分引导幼儿将自己创作的美术作品进行创造性呈现,最终构建以幼儿为主体、符合幼儿审美价值的受教育环境。教师应创造性地运用增设艺术背景、添加辅助材料、加强视觉效果、构架立体形象等多种形式,鼓励幼儿将美术作品进行情趣化、情境化、立体化的呈现。     

人文教育:复兴“隐喻”价值和功能

隐喻对人文教育而言 ,不仅具有方法论意义 ,更具有本体论价值。如果说语言是精神的家园 ,那么隐喻而非逻辑则是人心—精神的主要和基本的存在方式。当隐喻的绿洲荒芜或遭受破坏 ,不及物的人文精神世界就失去了存活的机缘和语言的土地。当人文学科变成了知识化、概念化、形式化、精确化、记号化的“零度语态”的表达方式 ,当我们的人文之师日益失去隐喻的能力 ,而把人文教育误当科学教育来操持时 ,人文教育必然祛魅。古典人文教育中的一个重要智慧便是隐喻的教育智慧 ,现代人文教育必须承继这一智慧性语码 ,复兴隐喻的价值和功能 ,以使我们的人文教育变成人性化教育而非机械化教育     

从认知语言学角度谈英语隐喻的翻译

隐喻历来被视为一种语言的异体表达方式而被纳入修辞学研究的范畴.传统翻译理论对隐喻的翻译研究也多以修辞为取向,把隐喻的翻译视为修辞层面的语际转换.认知语言学从一个全新的角度对隐喻做出了全新的解释--认为隐喻不仅是一种语言现象而且是人类重要的认知方式,对翻译而言,这无疑给隐喻的翻译研究提供了一个新的视角.本文从认知角度探讨隐喻翻译的尝试及具体策略.     

CONFLICTS IN CREATIVITY

Creative thinking involves both emotion and personality, including enough confidence and courage to consider new approaches to problems, rather than hiding in the security of familiar and accepted ways of thinking. The conflict is between the need for emotional control for academic excellence and the need for a more free and open minded approach. Youngsters who were extremely successful academically were found to be creatively inhibited because of the narrow focus and pressure of their school education. The problem for teachers is to enable intellectually gifted pupils, who have the ability to achieve top grades in examinations, to keep a playful, creative approach to their work and general outlook. An environment in which the exceptionally able child can prosper all round must be balanced This implies enough time with other people to make good social relationships and develop interests outside study areas.