Many teachers are keen to use poems in the language classroom others think it is a waste of time.
Do you use poetry?
Yes, I use it a lot
24% (52 votes)
I use poetry sometimes
36% (77 votes)
I hardly ever use poetry
14% (31 votes)
No, never
13% (27 votes)
I don't know how I would use poetry
13% (27 votes)
Total votes: 214
Please note - this vote is to promote discussion. Only registered users can vote or add comments.
Your comments
What are your views on this topic? If you have any comments you would like to make on this topic, click on Add new comment.
Comments
Nik Peachey
Jauney2sday
The art of poetry should be taught in a harmonious way, as 'all things in nature have harmony' or contain rhyme.
The art of poetic ‘harmony’ may also be approached as a way to motivate students to enjoy using English.
Thanks, Jaune
Jenny Cheung
Hi everyone, I used some poems from text books with my class and the students enjoyed the poems. I want to try more poems with my class. Do you have any suggestions on where I can get more poems and ideas to use them?
Jenny
Nik Peachey
Do you have any suggestions on where I can get more poems and ideas to use them?
Jenny
Hi Jenny
A good source of poems is Project Gutenberg
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
This is a collection of poems and literature that is no longer covered by copyright, so you are free to use it. They also have some audio recordings of the texts which students can listen to.
Best
Heath
To be honest, I don't really see the value in using poetry for language teaching.
It's not the weight of disadvantages/advantages in poetry itself that makes me say this, it's just that there's nearly always something more relevant that you could be using.
For example, if I were to choose between the following, I'd probably choose the poem:
The thing is, in reality I'm more likely to be choosing between the following:
There's always something that is more practical, more relevant, and more interesting for the learners. And as above, it doesn't always have to be something real and practical. Fiction is fantastic - it has the colour and the variety of a poem while retaining more realistic language use.
By the way - I do really enjoy poetry myself.jennifer
Basically i use a broad range of literary materials in my language class including poetry. In the school where I am taking my Master's degree, we use literature-based reading programs in language classes especially for Second Language Learners this method has proven its worth and effectiveness. The students are not anymore interrogated by the text but instead they are the ones who interrogate the text, students work a lot on enrichment activities that will help them deepen their understanding on the subject and will at the same time allow them to use English language communicatively while they also get grammar lessons. In my observation, my students are always eager everyday to know what new activities are in store for them individually or as a group. It was said that most language teachers do not really know how to teach literature - for example when we use poetry or short stories just to teach vocabulary to our students, they do not really learn how to scrutinize the literary text. This I believe is a challenge to all language and literature teachers. The fruits of our hard work is when we see our students enjoy learning and are motivated intrinsically and on top of these all, when they have already developed the habit of thinking critically when they interrogate the text and reached the highest level of comprehension. This is so rewarding but this is coupled with patience and backed up with a lot of activities that will cater to the students' individual needs.
Jennifer F. Vivas
tarak
Using Poetry in the classroom is not something you want to miss. There are various reasons to preach teaching poetry: First of all, believe it or not: kids and students love it. They love rhymes and the music inherent in poems. Besides, I think poetry lessons can make students love the language as they are encouraged to use it creatively. Moreover, it urges students to learn more vocabulary as they look for words that would rhyme with other words. This can be also used to consolidate the recognition of the stress in words..
I used to avoid teaching poetry at first, to be honest, because I thought students will not be involved and they won't love it. Then, I read a few articles about teaching poetry and wanted to try it myself. The results were more than reassuring. My students are pre-intermediate learners so I avoided going into much detail: we talked only about rhymes. I asked some of my students to provide any words that they can think of in English. The others tried to find words that rhyme with them. Then we wrote down the words on small seperate cards. I asked my students to put them in groups: some words belong to the School group. Other words belong to the Food group,etc..Then I told my students that this is how poems are written basically. I asked them to write a simple poem about one of the groups using the rhyming words provided.. I did not talk about scansion or difficult stuff..I think this is what they need for the time being..The result was more than satisfying.. I also encouraged my students to be creative as to the presentation: I showed some examples i printed from the net.. Some wrote their poem on a piece of cloth..Others on a paper shaped as a green leaf,etc.. So, I am not going to miss any opportunity to use poems in my classes!
For great links on how to teach poetry:
http://www.netaxs.com/katz/teachers.htm
http://pdfs.voya.com/VO/YA2/VOYA200404PoetryContagious.pdf
Teacher of English from Tunisia
Hamad Town Intermediate Boys' School, Bahrain
My Blog:
http://virtualstaffroom.blogspot.com/
psbanik
The language classroom is a sooty workshop where students are squeezed into language structures. The texts manufactured for this purpose are aweful. You cannot expect anything better, because most of the content writes are not great authors. Using poems in the classroom would be a welcome relief. Nay, a necessary change in the EFL/ESL classroom.The magic of poetry would surely transform the clinical atmosphere of the language classroom into one joy and freedom.
Heath
I still feel that all the arguments FOR using poetry go along these lines:
Is language really so dry that only poetry can add a touch of creativity?
There are hundreds of other types of written and spoken styles and genres of language that are as equally interesting and motivating... AND they are more appropriate to most learners' wants and needs.
The enthusiasm that sparks out of a recording of a heated argument between husband and wife, followed by role-plays based there on! The intrigue of a good short sci-fi, spy, thriller, or detective fiction mystery! The creativity involved in reading the first half of a short love story based on a rather rocky relationship, and then being asked to complete the second half - being able to decide whether they stay together or split apart! The sense of achievement of being the last one in the balloon in any variation of a balloon debate! The pride in creating the most challenging interview questions in a mock interview scenario, or the most challenging general knowledge questions in a class quiz!
Language is not so dry... and poetry is just holding back our exploration!
ProCW
I use poetry all the time and in fact have written an all rhymed play; some have called it poetic. See what you think. If you like it, you're welcome to use it in your classroom.
Jack and the Beanstalk
Good luck!
ProCW