Poetry In the English Class
Ines Mercado, Mexico
Ines is a teacher at the Secundaria Tec de Monterrey in Zacatecas, Mexico. Her real goal in life is to find ways to help students grow as individuals while they develop their language skills.
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Poetry makes us tremble
A different approach
Poetry and music
Window of opportunity
Getting started
Teaching students to read and enjoy poetry may not be an easy task. Many students are not familiarized with the reading of poetry and may find reading and understanding poetry quite difficult. Many students are not used to reading poetry in their native language, needless to say reading poetry in English.
For most students just hearing the word “Poetry” is frightening, and even boring. It seems old fashioned and difficult to them. They feel they would never be able to relate to the topic, let alone write a poem themselves.
Teaching poetry in the class provides opportunities for our students to enhance their own reading and critical thinking skills. Reading poetry may be an engaging activity for our students. It may have practical value such as improving their vocabulary and reading skills, but it may also open a door to self-discovery and to finding their own place in the world. For us teachers, teaching poetry may unfold our creativity and our teaching skills.
Many teachers say that it is one thing is to teach English as a second language and a completely different thing to teach poetry and literature in English. Many teachers prepare themselves to teach the grammar, structure, and usage of the language, but teaching students to read and enjoy poetry might be a challenging experience.
When we talk about poetry words, such as, figures of speech, literary devices come to our teacher minds. Simile, metaphor, and personification, literary devices such as rhyme, and rhythm, sound devices such as alliteration, and assonance might seem like obligatory terms to teach. That is not necessarily true. Students use these devices in their own speech, or at least they are familiar with these concepts even when they are not aware of it. I have used a different approach in poetry. I focus on reading poetry with the heart.
Regardless of whether it may seem like a paradox, students who are reluctant to read poetry, often find themselves enjoying poetry and even writing poems. Students may associate poetry to the lyrics of their favorite songs. Students enjoy songs that talk about love, family, relationships, dreams and hopes and social issues because they relate to the topics, because they find inspiration and because sometimes the words in these songs express exactly the way they are thinking. Others may listen to music because of the way it makes them feel, the influence music has on their mood, or because of the way their body reacts to the rhythm and beat. But whatever the reason, if music moves our students, it is because that music tells them something about themselves, their lives and the world they live in. They may relate to other people finding out that out there, there are people that feel the way they do. Students may connect themselves to humanity, and that is exactly what poetry does too. Teachers may be surprised to learn about their students’ lives, dreams and pursuits by listening to the music that their students listen to.
Using the music they enjoy could be a very interesting and engaging way to introduce them to the world of poetry. Planning activities using songs and rhythms our students enjoy may be a successful way to teach them to read and enjoy poetry, and to write it as well.
Since I am a teacher of secondary level, I hear students singing all the time. They talk about their favorite songs and the music bands and singers they enjoy listening to. They know hundreds of songs by heart. They cover their notebooks and books with the pictures of their idols and the lyrics of their songs. Students have come to me asking the meanings of words or phrases they have found in a song. I have heard them discussing the story or the meaning of a song. They sing and dance together and they share with interest. There is a window of opportunity to teach them poetry.
Something I do before doing any poetry reading in classis to talk to my students about music. I ask them about the kind of music they listen to. I ask questions such as: Do you like music? What is your favorite singer/band? Why? What do you enjoy the most in a song? One may be surprised to find out our students know a great deal of English songs by heart, and even when they are not able to fully understand all the words in a song, they are able to get the gist of it, and most importantly, relate those songs to their own life.
Once we have commented about music, singers, and bands I ask them to write in their notebooks the lyrics of songs they like. It does not have to be the complete song, just their favorite part, or the chorus and tell why they like it. I model the activity on the board as I explain what they are supposed to do once they have their songs written down. On the board, I write a piece of a song that exemplifies rhyme, alliteration, or maybe a metaphor. Sometimes I choose a bit in which I love how the writer expresses an idea, or simply because I like the word choice and I tell them why I like it. After giving students some time to work on their own song, I ask them if they are willing to share with the rest of the class. Sharing their work with the class promotes interaction and gives the students a chance to get to know each other better, as well to identify things they have in common with their classmates. Another suggestion, if you do not want them to write, do some research on their favorite songs, or songs playing on the radio at the time, or choose some classics, and provide printouts for them to work on.
After a student has read his verses, other students are asked about their classmates’ work. Ask students questions such as: What words did you like the most? What words rhyme or have similar sounds? What do you enjoy the most about the sounds or the meaning the author is trying to convey? What word/line was your favorite? Why? What is the writer trying to express in the song? Can you express the same idea using different words? How does the song make you feel? What emotions/ideas does it evoke? Do you know a synonym/antonym for that word? These questions may help students to really get into the lyrics, to read for enjoyment and fun. There are many questions you may ask that prompt students to speak. As students are participating you may find opportunities to exemplify some literary terms you may want to teach or make clear. Students find that poetry, as music, is meant to be said aloud and to be read and reread. Reading poetry is about enjoying imagery, language and form. Personally, I do not make these literary devices the focus of my lesson; rather I focus on the message. I want my students to be able to connect, to relate to others, to be able to express themselves. Once they see poetry as something present in their lives, I can go “formal” with the structure of poetry.
By doing this activity I want my students to understand what poetry is and the reasons people have to write poetry. I want my students to read poetry and to enjoy it; I want my students to realize that words can be used beautifully to convey feelings and emotions and to connect us to the rest of the world. I do not consider myself an expert in poetry, not at all, even when I really enjoy reading it. It is one thing to teach English as a second language and a completely different thing to teach poetry and literature in English. Many teachers prepare themselves to teach the grammar, structure, and usage of the language, but teaching students to read and enjoy poetry is another story.
Whether you decide to use poetry in your ESL class or if poetry is part of the curriculum in your school or place of work, using interesting approaches and strategies to teach poetry may make your teaching easier and more engaging to your students, and might engage your students enough to pursue writing poetry as a career.
Please check the Literature course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the Teaching English Through Multiple Intelligences course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the Creative Methodology for the Classroom course at Pilgrims website.
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