Idiomatic expressions like "hit the road" or "turn the tables" are known to be problematic for L2 learners, but research indicates that learning L2 idiomatic language is important. Relatively few studies, most of them focusing on English idioms, have investigated how L2 idioms are actually acquired and how this process is…

Conceptions of learning are seen as an important factor in shaping students' patterns of learning. However, conceptions are often implicit and difficult to assess. Metaphors have been proposed as a method to assess conceptions, because metaphors are closely linked to the conceptual system. Therefore, in our study we assessed which conceptions of…

Learning has been described by two conceptual metaphors: as individual acquisition of knowledge ("acquisition metaphor"), and as an enculturation into a subject community ("participation metaphor"). On the other hand, academics' conceptions of teaching are usually reported to vary between teacher and student orientation. In…

This paper focuses on an inferential view on introducing new concepts in mathematics classrooms. A theoretical framework is presented which helps to analyse and reflect on the processes of teaching and learning mathematical concepts. The framework is based on the philosophies by Ludwig Wittgenstein and Robert Brandom. Wittgenstein's language-game…