Haiku is one of the shortest pieces of artistic writing I can think of. Why use it? It is quite simple, easy to write, yet very imaginative. And it takes only a couple of minutes!
It is a very short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities: it has one verse made of three lines (5-7-5), describes two images or ideas, no rhyme necessary!
e.g.
through the fingerprints
on my window-
cloudless blue sky
First autumn morning:
the mirror I stare into
shows my father's face.
You can us it whenever, I use it usually at the end of session, after lerning new vocabulary or some specific grammar construction that I want them to practice.
I tell them they will write a haiku (they already know the form) and ask any question based on the topic we are covering. e.g. what is your favorite food? Pizza! Write a haiku about pizza..
(let me try)
Cheese melting
down my plate;
ketchup everywhere! :)
It turns out to be quite funny! Reading them is a laugh! Could you use it?
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Hi Singerina, thanks for haiku. I have bookmarked your blog. I will definitely use it. I have also mentioned a few activities to promote poems in class on http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/blogs/gulnur/poems . I guess I need some more ideas becuase I think poems are really helpful in language learning. While I am replying your post, I started to think about my class. Perhaps I can ask them to choose one of the characters and be a statue of these characters in school garden. One by one they will become alive to read a short poem or a haiku. This can also be done outside the classroom with the help of music. When the music stops, they may become alive and read their poems. Any more suggestions to use poems in class with teenagers?
Gulnur
We studied concrete poetry at the Methodics classes. Such things as diamanta poem or sinquain are far more easier to compose.
Dear Singerina,
Thanks for your post and telling us about haiku, do you want me to write one about blogging: Here I will try,
Lots of great teaching ideas,
in my international staffroom,
fell like I am addicted to it :)
What do you think about my haiku, dear? I would be happy to get your comment,
happy blogging.... :)
Brilliant poem! Congrats! An international staffroom, I like it Oz! ;)
let me give it a try... khm khm..
Colleagues from far away
broaden my horizons.
Wanna drink virtual coffee?
hahaha my pupils are better at this :))))
Hy Deemer, diamanta poem or sinquain?
I am very interested in what you wrote because I haven´t heard of it...what is it? Do you use it in class? My pupils are used to haiku but maybe I could these forms too.
Statues in a garden, what a lovely idea! I love it! You are quite a romantic soul aren´t you? :) Maybe turn it into a game? Think think!
I wrote about songs and translating here. Check it out if you haven´t already - http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/blogs/singerina/improvisation-my-marij...
great to hear that you liked my first try :) Thank you :) I liked it yours, as well. Hope, we will drink real coffee one day together, ELT world is small :))
You never know Oz ;)
Merve was talking about losing weight..
Frosty afternoon
on the other side of my window.
Cookies in my lap.
:)))
Scheme of a Sinquain
One word (usu. a noun or a pronoun denoting the subject being spoken about);
two words (usu. adjectives or participles);
three verbs or other verb forms denoting the action performed by the subject;
phrase of 4 words expressing personal attitude of the auther to the subject matter.
The example we were given:
dogs
cute, kind
play, care, love
dogs are man's friends
lucky
Sinquain does seem easier. I will try it with my students. It somehow looks cut into pieces, without flow, but these elipsed sentences can be imaginative and artistic as well.
Do your students enjoy writing them? :)
Is the diamond poem you mentioned the same thing?
Thanks a lot for describing, I have never seen this before! :)