Poems in Teaching English

as a Foreign Language

Leonarda LovrovićUniversity of Zadarllovrovi@unizd.hr

Literaturea major element of cultureoutside the boundaries of culture and time

offers a bountiful body of written material dealing with fundamental human issues

Literaturedemands Ls’ personal involvement

provokes discussion creating authentic communicative situations

should suit Ls’ interest, needs and cultural background

Language of Literaturefigurative language - new dimensions of perception

written down with thought, care and passion

expressive devices

Language of Literatureimprove Ls’ ability to express themselves with clarity and effect

Ls will increase their receptive vocabulary

Ls will become more creative on their productive level

supplement to other materials

Poetrynot particularly popular among adolescents

short poemsoffers a rich and various repertoire

a source of pleasure for both the T and Ls

Poetrygeneral topics, life experience, feelings

the power of language outside standard linguistic structures and lexis

further reading and creative writing

Poemsshould suit Ls’ interests, linguistic competence, level of maturity

student-centred activities: discussion, role play, interpretation, etc.

pair and group work

Group workdifferent life experiencelessens the difficulties presented by unknown words

greater freedom to explore own reactions and interpretations

Group workmore confidence and interest

less dependant on the opinion of others

able to understand other perspectives

William Butler Yeats, He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven (1899)

Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,Enwrought with golden and silver light,The blue and the dim and the dark clothsOf night and light and the half-light,I would spread the cloths under your feet:But I, being poor, have only my dreams;I have spread my dreams under your feet;Tread softly because you tread on my

dreams.

William Butler Yeats, He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven (1899)

unrequited lovefamiliar topicSt Valentine's Day

Introductionintroduce the topicdraw from their life experience

What does being in love mean?How can people make their

beloved happy?

pair work

Examples:

a) It's a special feeling that can't be described. b) When you're in love, you care about another

person more than you care about yourself. c) When you love someone, you want to spend

a lot of time with them.

a) You can make your beloved happy if you accept them with all their flaws.

b) You must always be there for that person, even in difficult times.

c) You should do anything for the person you love.

Introductiondiscussion about their personal experience

Ls develop speaking skillslearn how to listen and how to accept each other’s opinions

Reading

rhythm and intonationgroup work (4-5 Ss)recitinglearning by heart

Speakingpre-teach new words: embroidered - decorated enwrought / inwrought – woven into

another dim – not bright tread (trod, trodden/trod) - walk

conditional sentence, type 2 (inversion)

Speaking1. What is the poem about? What has the

poet expressed in it? 2. What is the poet's relationship to his

beloved like? 3. What would he do for her if he could?

Why can’t he do it?4. What can he do instead?5. Why does he want her to walk softly on

his dreams? 6. Do you feel sorry for him? Why? 7. What images does the poet use? Why?

Speakinggroup work – more dymanic than pair work

open-class discussionthe main point of the poem (Qs1-5)

express their feelings (Q 6)talk about the images (Q 7)

Examples:

1. The poem is about the unrequited love. In this poem the poet has expressed his personal feelings towards his beloved.

2. She is unattainable for him and he praises her as if she were a goddess.

3. He would spread the embroidered cloths of heaven under her feet in order to make the ground soft for her, but he can't because he is poor.

4. He can give her only his dreams.5. He wants her to walk softly on his

dreams because they can be broken easily.

Examples:

6. a) I feel sorry for him because he seems to be very unhappy.

b) I don't feel sorry for him because he's a fool. He should look for another woman.

c) I don't feel sorry for him and I don't like the poem because it's creepy.

7. The poet uses the following images: 'the cloths of heaven', 'enwrought with golden and silver light', 'cloths of night and light and the half-light', 'you tread on my dreams', etc. He wants to express how much he loves this woman and to stress that he would do anything for her, but he can't because he is poor.

Speaking

develop speaking skillsacquire new vocabularypractice using grammatical structures

T should encourage Ls to express their opinions and feelings

Writingdevelop writing skillsinformal letter to a beloved person from the poet’s point of view

images to express feelingsvocabulary items not typical of everyday language

practice using grammatical structures

Writingexpress themselves creatively

develop their thoughtsinsight into the knowledge of individual students

follow the development of their writing skills

Examples:

a) Even though I do not have many material things to offer you, I can give you all my dreams, all my hopes. If only my heart could tell you how much I love you.

b) Instead of the embroidered cloths of heaven enwrought with golden and silver light I can offer you my dreams, the only valuable thing that I possess.

c) I would decorate cloths of heaven with golden and silver light for you and much more: if I could, I would spread the cloths under your feet.

Mary Elisabeth Frye, Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep (1932)

deathnot the end of lifeoptimisticAll Saints’ Day

IntroductionLs should speak about their attitudes and beliefs

What do you think happens after death?

in pairs and then open-class

Examples:

a) When we die, we go back into the world we originally came from.

b) I believe in reincarnation because our soul doesn't die.

c) There is nothing after death, we just rot and that's it. Nothing else makes sense because there is the circle of life.

d) I believe in heaven because there must be a kind of afterlife.

IntroductionLs develop their speaking skills

learn how to express and support their attitudes

learn how to accept different opinions

development of tolerance among Ls

Reading Ss supply the missing words

compare their the missing words in pairs

check it open-class

Mary Elisabeth Frye, Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep (1932)Do not stand at my grave and weepI am not there, I do not sleep.I am a thousand winds that blow.I am the diamond glints on snow.I am the sunlight on ripened grain.I am the gentle autumn rain.When you awakenin the morning’s hush,I am the swift uplifting rushof quiet birds in circled flight.I am the soft stars that shine at night.Do not stand at my grave and cry,I am not there, I did not die.

ReadingT reads the poem aloudSs - in pairslearning by heartrecitingrhythm and intonationencourages motivation

SpeakingSs interpret the poemgroups (4 or 5 Ss)not necessary to pre-teach vocabulary

answer the following questions:

Speaking1. What is the poem about? What

feeling does it express?2. What attitude to death is

expressed in the poem? What view of death does it offer?

3. Who is the poet addressing? What feeling does the poem bring to them? Why?

4. What images are used in the poem? Where are they taken from? Why?

Speakinggroup work - Ls speak English with confidence

open-class discussionpositive atmosphere in the classroom

Ss develop their speaking skillls

as many Ss as possible should be included

Examples:

1. The poem is about death and it expresses grief that is felt after someone has died.

2. The poet's attitude to death is positive. Although her body is buried, she is no longer there because she has moved to a better place and will remain in the mourners' memory and thoughts. So the poem expresses a comforting view on death.

Examples:

3. She is addressing the mourners and brings relief to them because the deceased person continues to live.

4.The poet uses the images taken from nature such as 'a thousand winds that blow', 'the diamond glints on snow', 'the sunlight on ripened grain', 'the gentle autumn rain' etc. because they symbolize freedom, happiness, relief, piece and comfort.

Writingtime-consumingvery importantessay – life after death

Examples:

a) Once our soul is the only thing left of us, how lovely must it be to float around, being completely careless, not thinking about other people's opinions, not thinking whether we will be successful in something or not.

b) Nothing happens after life, we simply disappear. We exist in the memory and thoughts of the people we loved and who loved us, but not for a long time.

c) Life on earth is extremely short and it goes by very fast, so I think it is a preparation for immortal life in heaven.

Writing

feedback on Ss’ linguistic competence

systematically follow the development of Ss’ writing skills and their use of grammatical structures and vocabulary

Conclusionvarious authentic materials – interesting classes

EL written for native speakersliterary works – lack EL used in everyday situations, but are abundant in the different forms of the language

the language of poetry – outside standard linguistic structures and lexis

Conclusionpoems – short, a good basis for various activities

student-centred activities – dynamic classes in order to develop different language skills

the development of Ls’ linguistic competence

ConclusionLs will learn how to express their own attitudes and feelings

Ls will learn how to accept other Ss’ opinions

successful communication and tolerance

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

ReferencesCollie, J., Slater, S. (1987): Literature in the

Language Classroom. Cambrigde, Cambridge University Press.

Harmer, J. (1991): The Practice of English Language Teaching. London and New York: Longman Group UK Limited.

Lindstromberg, S. (2004): Language Activities for Teenagers. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

Lovrović, L., Oštarić, M. (2010): Kratka priča u nastavi engleskoga jezika. Strani jezici, 39, 4, 287-294.

Šnjarić, M. (2008): Didaktička obrada pripovjedaka za nastavu njemačkog jezika: Genies in der Schule. Strani jezici, 37, 2, 101-109.