For better or 'verse'?
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When teachers think about sharing poetry in the Language classroom, they assume that children who are learning English as a new language are not ready for poetry. Poetry is often characterized as a genre that deviates from the norms of Standard English language, which many feel makes is too specialized or too difficult for ESL students to grasp. With the current emphasis on the ‘communicative approach’ of teaching language skills for an immediate practical purpose outside the classroom, English poetry is sidelined because teachers feel that it has no practical function in building communicative literacy skills.
The purpose of this inquiry is to challenge this set of beliefs using research surrounding the topic and to provide ESL teachers with a rationale for using poetry as a vehicle for enriching and energizing the learning environment of an ESL classroom.
The purpose of this inquiry is to challenge this set of beliefs using research surrounding the topic and to provide ESL teachers with a rationale for using poetry as a vehicle for enriching and energizing the learning environment of an ESL classroom.
Teacher Inquiry Question
How can poetry be used to support the goals of literacy and language development in ESL students?