INTERPRETING FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE EXPRESSIONS

Interpretations of figurative language expressions were compared in ma tched samples of 28 language/learning-disabled (LLD) and 28 academical ly achieving (non-LLD) adolescents. LLD adolescents performed signific antly poorer than their non-LLD age peers. All but 1 of 12 figurative language expressions contributed to the significant group difference. Stepwise discriminant analysis identified 3 figurative expressions as the best single predictors of an LLD group placement. Qualitative anal ysis indicated that the LLD group produced predominantly literal error interpretations while the non-LLD controls produced predominantly par tial and/or incomplete error interpretations. The results indicate tha t interpretation and matching of figurative language expressions can a ssess levels of acquisition of metaphoric ability by adolescents and p rovide suggestions for intervention.