POETRY TO TEACH ENGLISHCan poems have a role in language classrooms?

Why is poetry seen distant to EFL/ESL contexts?

Perhaps the greatest barrier is the elliptical, metaphorical and highly allusive language. From this perspective, poetry has little to offer to the EFL classroom, especially at middle school and high school level (Brindley, 1980).

A conviction that learners might have difficulties in understanding literature due to linguistic and cultural vagueness influence the use of literature within the teaching process (Zelenkova, 2004).

Another factor is an absence of concrete methodological instruction regarding the use of poetry within the teaching process (tulajterov, 2010).

However,

there have also been those who consider poetry to be an effective tool for multi-skill development in language learning.

According to Hess (2003), through its drama and emotional context, a good poem is suitable for a close reading, with much good language practice.

Reproduction of poetry memorising, rewriting, reporting and translating exercises the productive skill of writing, which is not an easy task to teach (AlberMorgan et al, 2007).

As the themes of poetry (e.g. love, death, nature, beliefs, despair etc.) are universal among all human beings (Maley and Duff, 1989), and because each persons perception is different, poems can initiate a fund of interactive discussion and create the atmosphere for a genuine exchange of ideas.

Poetry can also be a very good way to help children understand the phonics of English and work with rhyming words (Collins, 2008).

Moreover,

the memorability feature of a poem offers the natural ability to unconsciously absorb language, which enables the learner to retrieve grammatical and lexical information when needed (Ainy, 2008).

The trick is

an appropriate choice of text. It will provide the learners with examples of many features of the languagethe structure of sentences, the variety of form, the different ways of connecting ideas (Riverol, 1991: 66).

When the teacher comes to select poems,he will need to consider which poems are suited to the learners interests, language and maturity levels. Therefore, as far as possible, the difficulty level of the poem should approximate the level of competence of the learners (Bex, 1994).

Besides,

teachers may need to ensure that the students are given as much help as possible in understanding the language of the poem (Lazar, 1993).

William Carlos Williamss

This is Just to Say is a good example as a poem with fairly simple language.

It talks about an experience which is so human, which is so us, which is so everybody.

I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox and which you were probably saving for breakfast

Forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold

This poem can be used

to invite learners to make use of their experience and knowledge of the world. A fruitful speaking session can be stimulated with questions like (Ainy, 2009):

Have you ever felt tempted about eating/doing something? What did you do? Do you think it is okay to behave this way? Was the person your friend whom you have done something similar before? What was his/her reaction to the incident? Do you think you should replace the fruit next time you turn up? Why/why not? How would you have felt if someone had done the same to you? Why would you have to apologise if you eat the fruit without permission, when the host is your friend or someone very close to you?

Inviting students to be in the poem like this,

we can also investigate issues relevant to their backgrounds, experiences and attitudes (Moore, 2002: 44).

On the other hand,

it is a fact that poems, as selected authentic texts, were not originally intended for teaching language (Nasr, 2001). Therefore, many times we need to supplement, adapt and develop our own materials to suit the levels and teaching purposes (Brinton, 1989: 89).

In this respect,

there are some techniques to involve and interest (Brindley, 1980: 1) learners at all levels and help them express themselves in the target language through poetry.

Picture Poems

to play with the language producing visual and verbal output.

An example: MY HEARTOne, ... two, thump ... thump, my heart beats for you across the room and we come closer together in the space between us

An example that can be turned into a picture poem:Bananas Bananas are yellow Sweet and nice You can grow them or buy them For a very low price First they are green Then they are yellow Then they go black When they are mellow!

Cinquain Poems

five-line poems used to describe something, has a very defined pattern making use of different parts of speech, such as nouns, adjectives and verbs.

Here are the rules:

Line 1 - One word, which is both the title and subject of the cinquain. Line 2 - Two adjectives to describe the subject. Line 3 - Three action words, verbs, to express action of the subject. Line 4 - Four words to describe how the author feels about the subject. Line 5 - One word that can be either a synonym for the subject or simply a repetition of the first line.

The Example:Minnesota Wintery, white Skiing, snowshoeing, hiking Beautiful northern star Minnesota

Diamante Poems

describe a subject too, but have seven lines. The ending, however, is an antonym of the subject rather than a synonym.

Here are the rules:Line 1 - One word, which is both the title and subject. Line 2 - Two adjectives to describe the subject. Line 3 - Three participles, using the endings ed or -ing related to the subject. Line 4 - Four nouns, the first two related to the subject and the other two related to its antonym. Line 5 - Three participles, like in line three, relating to the antonym. Line 6 - Two adjectives to describe the antonym. Line 7 - The antonym.

The Example:Elephant Majestic, huge Grazing, running, playing Giant, beast, nuisance, rodent Scurrying, lurking, sniffing Shadowy, tiny Mouse

Wish Poems

bring out the inner thoughts of learners. They're good for students of any age/level and the pattern is simple enough.

The Example:I wish... I was ten centimeters taller. I wish... my hair was curly.RHYMES

I wish... my hands were bigger.and I wish my age was more than twenty!

Hero Poems

To describe a person and includes mental images and feelings, can be used by the teacher to delve into the hopes and aspirations of the students.

Here are the rules:Line 1 - The name of the person you admire. Line 2 - Three adjectives to describe the person. Line 3 - The name of a place, group or activity associated with the person. Line 4 - Three action words for the person. Line 5 - When or where these actions take place. Line 6 - Thoughts or feelings about the person.

The Example:Madonna Talented, energetic, smart An ultimate superstar Singing, dancing, fascinating On stage Entertaining

Biopoems

can be used to let students express themselves using adjectives and relative clauses in a fun way.

Here are the rules:Line 1: First name Line 2: Four traits that describe character Line 3: Relative (brother, sister, son, etc.) Line 4: Lover of _______(three things or people) Line 5: Who feels _______ (three items) Line 6: Who needs _______ (three items) Line 7: Who fears _______ (three items) Line 8: Who gives _______ (three items) Line 9: Who would like to see _______ (three items) Line 10: Resident of Line 11: Last Name

The Example:Claudia Claudia Carefree, happy, crazy and lazy. Sister of no one. Lover of GUYS, dancing, summertime, and swimsuits. Who feels happy when school is over, sad when she can't go to the movies and strange when she's being serious. Who needs sunshine, roses, and evenings. Who fears failing English, being lonely and Giving a report in front of the whole class. Who would like to see herself become a RICH, Angelina-like supergirl. Resident of Sparks, Nevada Sofia.

Alphabet Poems

for vocabulary of verbs or other word types.

The Example:What I did last summer Argued about my haircut Baked cookies with mum Called my friends twice a day Daydreamed a lot E-mailed my friends Floated on my air-mattress in the pool Gave all my old clothes away Hiked to the top of the mountain Insisted on having my way Joked about Lenas pimples Knew I was wrong Licked ice-cream cones daily Made tons of new friends

Navigated the internet Ordered pizza almost every day Pasted pictures in my scrapbook Questioned my parents rules Rested, rested, and rested Scratched my mosquito bites Told Paul I love him Urged my dad to give Paul a chance Vowed to be true forever Wondered why I was missing school X-rayed my body Yearned for something to do Zigzagged around the garden

Acrostic Poems

can be used to make students write about themselves or any other thing in a fun way.

The Examples:Untidy as always Glad to be a teacher Unstoppable on ways Rally drivers fear

Catalog Poems

to study verbs/participles in order to describe a noun. After written, it can be made into a game by covering up the last line of each student's poem (Moulton and Holmes, 1997).

The Rules:One present participle per line, with each one describing the nouns in the last line of the poem. Noun, noun, noun.

The Examples:Playing Throwing toys in the air Chasing Eating Sleeping Sniffing Catching a ball Waving a tail Swimming Barking Dogs, dogs, dogs!!!

Speeding Going Turning Braking Screeching Crashing Jumping Stopping Squealing Cars, cars,cars!

Adverb Poems

to practice verbs and adverbs for the sake of description.

The Rules:Line 1 : Noun Line 2 : Same noun + verb + adverb 1 Line 3 : Same noun + verb + adverb 1, adverb 2 Line 4 : Verb + adverb 1, adverb 2, adverb 3 Line 5 : Adverb 1, adverb 2, adverb 3, adverb 4 Line 6 : Phrase or clause showing condition, time or place.

The Example:The Goat The goat The goat bleats happily, The goat bleats happily, disturbingly, Bleats happily, disturbingly, weirdly, Happily, disturbingly, weirdly, calmly, When it sees a female goat!

I Poems

to enable students to write about themselves in a controlled way. They find the chance to especially practice adjectives and stative verbs.

The Rules:I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I am (two special characteristics you have) wonder (something you are actually curious about) hear (an imaginary sound) see (an imaginary sight) want (an actual desire) am (the first line of the poem repeated) pretend (something you actually pretend to do) feel (a feeling about something imaginary) touch (an imaginary touch) worry (something that really bothers you) cry (something that makes you very sad) am (the first line of the poem repeated) understand (something you know is true) say (something you believe in) dream (something you actually dream about) try (something you really make an effort about) hope (something you actually hope for) am (the first line of the poem repeated)

The Example: I amI I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I am delicate and nice wonder how the other side of the world is hear the sound of the ocean see a beautiful paradise with a beach want that the world stay in peace am delicate and nice pretend to sing feel the water of the river touch the clouds of the sky worry about my cousin cry for the people that have nothing am delicate and nice understand that my family love me say you never give up dream to go to Paris try to focus in the school hope that my cousin do something with his life am delicate and nice

Some other benefits of poetry in EFL:

It calls for usage of dictionary and thesaurus in an effort to find words that fit meaning (Moulton and Holmes, 1997). Writing poetry in a second language creates self-confidence and "positive feelings about the language learning experience" (Christison, 1982: 17).

It helps students investigate similarities and differences between self and others, and to an awareness and understanding of "the other" (Kramsch 1993).

It fosters cognitive and aesthetic maturation (Stern, 1991: 329). It develops the ability to make critical judgements (Hargreaves, 1969).