Revisiting the Assessment of Metaphor Learning Performance through English Language Learners’ English Writings: A Systematic Review

By means of using a systematic review, this research aims to revisit and formulate potential dimensions to assess English Language learners’ metaphor learning performance through their English writings. Adhering to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines, the study outlines the publication selection procedures and confirms the final dataset. After reviewing relevant articles, it is found that metaphor researchers can employ metaphor identification procedures and English writings to measure English learners’ metaphoric competence and evaluate their metaphor learning achievements. However, there is a tendency to neglect the creativity, complexity and contextual factors of metaphor operation, which significantly constitute and affect individuals’ metaphorical performance. To address these gaps, certain dimensions are proposed to achieve the objectives of the current research. Additionally, the study illustrates the research limitations and highlights the pedagogical implications for literatures in the realm of English writing and metaphor studies, English education, and subsequent research in higher education institutions.