Idioms!

Idioms are groups of words that are different from the meaning of each word considered separately. Idioms are one aspect of figurative language, with the others including metaphors, similes, hyperboles, etc. This entry will differentiate between English idioms and ASL idioms. It will also include some links/resources/videos to further yours (and your students) understanding, as well as some suggestions for handling idioms in different situations. Feel free to post your own thoughts and ideas in the comments section! Let's get started with this fun video...


English Idiom Usage in the typical classroom is high.
• Teachers use idioms in 11.5% of their utterances.
• Rate of idiom usage in classroom:
4.65% in kindergarten increases to
20.3% in eighth grade
• More than one out of every ten utterances contains an idiom.

Examples of Idioms in the English language include:
"Woke up on the wrong side of the bed"
"Different strokes for different folks"
"Everything but the kitchen sink"
"Make a mountain out of a molehill"
etc. etc. etc.
For a more comprehensive list of English idioms, along with explanations...
www.english-idioms.net

What is the role of Teachers/Interpreters/Aides in explaining idioms when they occur in the classroom?

*Teachers of the Deaf/HH can use instruction time to identify idioms and illustrate differences between their literal meaning and actual intended message. When possible, provide background on how an idiom originated and help students use visual imagery to make connections to idioms and how they are used. If one is unsure of how certain idioms were originated, you can investiage the backstory here....
www.pride-unlimited.com/probono/idioms1.html

*Teachers should also consider also using students to explain idioms to each other. Here's a site where you can find some examples of Deaf students explaining idioms to each other in a fun way...
www.watchknowlearn.org

*How are Idioms interpreted? Idioms pop up regularly within the flow of a typical lesson across all academic levels and subjects. Interpreters and Aides must juggle the students level of comprehension of idioms with time available before the classroom moves on with the intended lesson. If possible, Interpreters and Aides can include both the English idiom (through fingerspelling or signed exact English) paired with conceptual signs to convey the speaker's broader meaning.

*It is important for Interpreters and Aides to maintain strong communication with Teachers of the Deaf/HH, and to notify them when idioms are occuring in classroom instruction (use journals to list them and document situational usage!). This will allow the Teacher of the Deaf/HH to afford time during pull-out lessons to build students' understanding of idioms.


ASL Idioms
American Sign Language has it's own set of "Idioms".... these are signs that are used across a variety of contexts that don't necessarily have an exact English translation. One of the most famous examples would be the signs "TRAIN GONE" to convey the idea that one has missed out on an opportunity... "You missed the boat" might be a good English equivalent. Watch some of these other examples, and continue searching the web for more....