Objective
In today’s fast-paced, interconnected world, the ability to grasp implicit meanings such as those conveyed through metaphors is a key asset in social and professional contexts. Indeed, metaphor skills, namely the ability to understand and use figurative expressions, are the pinnacle of human communicative-pragmatic competence. In children, they significantly predict peer popularity and social relationships, academic achievement, and later professional growth. Yet, metaphor skills mature late and are especially challenging for children with developmental language disorders (6-10% at school entry) and for those growing up in disadvantaged socioeconomic contexts, many of whom have migrant and multilingual backgrounds (approximately 10% of minors in Europe). Strikingly, professionals such as teachers, psychologists, and speech-language therapists rarely address metaphor skills in daily practice, also due to gaps in their training and limitations of existing tools. Building on the knowledge established in the PROMENADE project, we aim to create the first digital, fully integrated, AI-powered toolkit targeting metaphor skills in children (Meta4Kids). This proof of concept will combine validated assessment tasks, evidence-based training activities and learning modules to train professionals into a single digital platform. With Meta4Kids, professionals will gain theoretical and neuroscientific insights into high-level language processing, assess children’s strengths and weaknesses with metaphorical language, identify possible red flags and design personalized activity plans for both typically and atypically developing children, in classroom or individual settings. With a series of AI-based features such as automatic scoring, multilingual support and adaptive difficulty, Meta4Kids, piloted with key stakeholders in diverse educational and clinical settings, represents an innovative, evidence-grounded solution to help children thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-POC
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
27100 Pavia
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.