Алматы облысы, Қарасай ауданы “Көкөзек ауылындағы орта мектебі ” мемлекеттік коммуналдық мекемесі

Ағылшын тілі пәні мұғалімі, педагог-модератор

Турарова Жансая Нурлановна

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF DEVELOPING A METHODOLOGICAL GUIDE ON FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE FOR 9TH GRADE STUDENTS BASED ON ENGLISH PLUS

Introduction

In modern English language teaching, the integration of figurative language—such as metaphor, metonymy, and personification—has become increasingly significant. Recognizing this importance, a methodological guide was created for 9th grade students, based on the English Plus textbook. This guide aims to support both teachers and learners by providing practical texts, exercises, and strategies that enrich students’ linguistic and cultural competence. It also serves as a bridge between traditional teaching methods and creative, communicative language learning approaches.

Relevance of the study

The relevance of this work lies in the growing need for developing communicative, critical, and creative skills among secondary school students. Figurative language is a key component of authentic English communication, helping learners understand idiomatic expressions, literary imagery, and cultural references. However, in many classrooms, these aspects of language are often neglected due to the focus on grammar and vocabulary.
This methodological guide addresses that gap by incorporating metaphor, metonymy, and personification into the learning process, thereby improving students’ understanding of both linguistic and cultural nuances. The guide also aligns with modern educational standards that emphasize learner-centered, creative, and interactive teaching.

Novelty of the work

The novelty of this methodological guide lies in its practical approach to integrating figurative language into the 9th grade English Plus curriculum. Unlike traditional methods that treat figurative language as a separate or advanced topic, this guide embeds it naturally within classroom activities, reading texts, and speaking tasks.
It introduces innovative exercises, such as creative metaphor-building, story-writing with personification, and visual tasks for identifying metonymy in context. These methods help students not only understand figurative expressions but also use them actively in speech and writing.
Additionally, the guide demonstrates how figurative language can be a tool for improving motivation and engagement, making English lessons more dynamic and meaningful.

Importance of the work

The methodological guide holds great educational value because it bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge of figurative language and its practical application in the classroom. Many students struggle to understand abstract concepts, idiomatic expressions, and literary texts in English. By learning through metaphors, metonymies, and personifications, students not only improve their comprehension skills but also develop creativity, imagination, and critical thinking.
Furthermore, figurative language plays a vital role in authentic communication, everyday conversation, and cultural expression. Teaching students to recognize and use figures of speech helps them better understand the deeper meanings of texts, interpret emotions and ideas more effectively, and express themselves with greater precision and confidence. This approach makes English lessons more engaging, memorable, and closely connected to real-life communication.

Benefits for students’ knowledge

The use of this methodological guide provides the following benefits for 9th grade learners:

1. Improved comprehension: Students can better understand authentic texts, literary passages, and academic materials containing figurative expressions.

2. Vocabulary expansion: Figurative language helps learners acquire, retain, and recall new words more efficiently through meaningful associations.

3. Cultural awareness: Exposure to metaphors and personifications introduces students to cultural values, idioms, and expressions typical of English-speaking societies.

4. Enhanced communication skills: Learners gain the ability to express abstract and emotional ideas creatively and fluently in both spoken and written English.

5. Critical and creative thinking: Students learn to interpret symbolic meanings, analyze linguistic nuances, and produce original figurative expressions.

Conclusion

The creation of a methodological guide based on the English Plus 9th grade textbook is both timely and essential. It not only supports the curriculum but also enriches the teaching and learning process by demonstrating the practical value of figurative language in communication. Through this approach, students develop deeper linguistic awareness, broader cultural understanding, and stronger motivation to learn English. Ultimately, this guide contributes to forming active, imaginative, and confident language users capable of understanding and expressing complex ideas in English.