Abstract:

With the help of the metaphoric language English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students and teachers use, it is possible to gain some insight into students’ views of the language learning process and teachers’ roles, considering the fact that the essence of metaphor is to understand and experience one kind of thing in terms of another (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980). The purpose of this study was to explore EFL teachers' beliefs about language teaching and their roles in the classroom, and learners’ beliefs towards language learning process through an analysis of metaphors they produced. 30 instructors and 156 students from the Foreign Languages School of a Turkish university participated in the study. In order to collect data, respondents were asked to complete in writing the stem ‘Learning/Teaching English is like ... because…’ using a metaphor. Metaphor elicitation method was preferred. The conclusion is drawn that there is value in analysing metaphors teachers and students produce concerning second language teaching and learning

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