Chapter 1
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness and Emergent Literacy
Course: Elementary Education Multiple Subjects 7001
Subject: Elementary Education Teaching Reading Subtest 7002
Chapter: Comprehension Of Literary And Informational Text
Literary devices are intentional language techniques that authors use to enhance meaning, create mood, and influence the reader’s interpretation. Teaching these devices deepens students' analytical thinking, builds interpretive reading skills, and strengthens their ability to write expressively. The goal is not simply to identify literary devices but to help students analyze their function within a text, understanding how language works at a craft level.
Instruction in literary devices should be developmentally appropriate and integrated across all components of literacy instruction—speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Effective instruction supports both comprehension and composition and should connect closely with vocabulary knowledge, genre understanding, and literary analysis.
1. Teaching Figurative Language
Definition and Types
Figurative language involves expressions that are not meant to be taken literally. Instead, they evoke imagery, emotion, or symbolic meaning. Common types include: