Using Poetry to Promote EFL Literacy

1
Using Poetry to Promote EFL Literacy

• Susan Kelly
• Shandong University of Science Technology

2
Reading Poems

• Choral reading
• Multiple readings
• Hunting for . . . Grammar, sounds, etc.

3
Fog

• The fog comes
• on little cat feet.
•  
• It sits looking
• over harbor and city
• on silent haunches
• and then moves on.
• Carl Sandburg

4
Perfect

• Today I managed something
• that Ive never done before.
• I turned in this weeks spelling quiz
• and got a perfect score.
• Although my score was perfect,
• it appears Im not too bright.
• I got a perfect zero
• not a single answer right.
• by Kenn Nesbitt

5
Thirty Days Hath September

• Thirty days hath September,April, June, and
  NovemberFebruary has twenty-eight alone,All
  the rest have thirty-one,Excepting leap-year,
  thats the timeWhen Februarys days are
  twenty-nine.
• by Anonymous

6
Some Poetry Sources

• www.poetry.com
• Greatest Childrens Poems List
  http//poetry.com/greatest-childrens-poems/?page1
  
• www.poets.org

7
Writing Poems
8
List Poems Colors

• Simple
• First year middle school students can write these
• Make a Rainbow of Poems book

9
Things that are Black

• My umbrella
• A cat
• Ink
• Night
• My hair
• My new shoes
• Fear

10
From Happiness Is

• HAPPINESS IS FINDING A PENCIL.TELLING THE
  TIME.TYING YOUR SHOE FOR THE VERY FIRST
  TIME.HAPPINESS IS TWO KINDS OF ICE
  CREAM.KNOWING A SECRET.CLIMBING A TREE.
• HAPPINESS IS FIVE DIFFERENT CRAYONS.CATCHING A
  FIREFLY. SETTING HIM FREE.HAPPINESS IS BEING
  ALONE EVERY NOW AND THEN.AND HAPPINESS IS
  COMING HOME AGAIN.
  by C.
  Schultz

11
Boring things

• Rainy days
• History sometimes
• Long, long drives
• Some books
• Cleaning the house

12
If Poems

• More lists

13
If I were the sun

• If I were sun
• I would lighten the gloomy corners
• I would warm the cold places
• I would render human sunshine
• I would give hope

14
If I were a cloud

• I would travel everywhere I want to go
• I would float in the air feeling free
• I would keep out the burning sun to take a cool
  day to people
• I would become dark and take the rain to water
  plants

15
If I were Spiderman

• I would leap onto roofs and vault over walls
• I would move between skyscrapers
• I would attack the evil power as fast as I can
• I would protect my city
• Benjamin

16
Wish Lists
17
My wishes

• I wish I had a red car to drive
• I wish I had a soft bed to sleep in
• I wish I had a little dog to play with
• I wish I had a computer to surf the net
• I wish I had a chocolate to eat
• -- Alice

18
Lunas Wishes

• I wish I could be a super to fly in the sky
• I wish I could be a good family member to make my
  family
• I wish I had a house beside the sea to see
  beautiful scenery
• I wish I could write my own music for people to
  enjoy
• I wish I could have a useful bicycle to ride to
  travel around the country

19
Getting to Know You

• Biographical Poems

20
Na Dai

• Na Dai
• Trusting, honest, generous, brave
• Daughter of Chang sheng Dai and Cuiying Zhao
• Lover of parents, brothers, and friends
• Who feels sad when someone laughs at her
• Who needs care and love every second
• Who gives someone help
• Who fears losing friends
• Who would like to buy many beautiful clothes
• Resident of Jinan
• Dai

21
Bo Liu

• Bo
• Interesting, intelligent and energetic
• Son of Jingcai and Lirong
• Lover of his parents, teachers and friends
• Who feels happy to learn new things
• Who needs more sleep
• Who fears getting lost
• Who would like to visit Europe
• Resident of Qingdao
• Liu

22
Format for Biographical Poems

• Given Name
• Adjective, adjective, adjective, adjective
• Daughter/Son of Fathers name and Mothers name
• Lover of . . .
• Who feels . . .
• Who needs . . .
• Who gives . . .
• Who fears . . .
• Who would like
• Resident of Hometown
• Family name

23
I am Poems

• I am curious and shy
• I wonder about the stars
• I hear fairies laugh
• I see the Emerald City
• I want to make sure
• I am curious and shy

• I pretend I am fearless
• I feel a wizards power
• I touch magical coin
• I worry about injustice
• I cry for lost children
• I am curious and shy

24
I Am Model

• I am 2 traits
• I wonder a curiosity
• I hear imaginary sound
• I see imaginary sight
• I want real desire
• I am repeat line 1

• I pretend . . .
• I feel imagined feeling
• I touch imaginary thing
• I see imaginary sight
• I worry real worry
• I am repeat line 1

25
Preposition Poems

• Show a progression, a journey
• Each line begins with a preposition

26
Getting to Class

• Out the door
• Down the stairs
• Through the gate
• Across campus
• By the old tree
• Up the stairs
• In the elevator
• Up, up, up
• In the door
• At my desk

27
Picture Poems
28

• A
• TALL
• LONELY
• OAK TREE
• WINDS HOWL
• LEAVES SHAKEN
• D
• O
• W
• N
• TO THE DRY GROUND

29
(No Transcript)
30
Poems for Two Voices
31
Graduation Poem for Twoby Stephanie Klose
I am a teacher I am a student
Twenty years my trade Seven classrooms Fourteen classrooms
Seven hundred students Fourteen teachers
Have touched my life Everyday I come My choice, my call Have touched my life Everyday I come
They make me . . .
32
Im a mother Im a daughter
I like to tell her how to do almost everything correctly
but Im tired of being urged again and again everyday but
I understand that she really cares for me I understand that she really cares for me
I want her to work hard I want to have more time just for myself
33
Possibilities
Grandmother Child
City Dweller Person in the country
Scientist Artist
Pet Owner

34
Assessment
35
Traits I Use

• Careful thought
• Grammar
• Word Choice
• Presentation

36
Sharing Poems

• Class Books, School Literary Magazines
• Authors or Poets Chair
• Readings for other classes, parents
• Contests
• British Council
• http//www.poetry.com/poetry-contests/
• Lulu.com sponsors the above
• Publications

37
A Winner, British Council 2008 Contest Computer

• I am a computer, I work too quickE-mail and
  Internet, an easy click.Tickety Tickety TickIf
  you touch me, Im so smooth, If you punch me,
  Ill blowIf you clean me, Ill glowIm like
  your assistant.When Im happy, I give you a
  BeepWhen something goes wrong, I go Boop.Thats
  all I do.
• By Cyril Kumaar, aged 8, from China.

38
Good Websites

• http//www.poetry-archive.com/s/fog.html
• http//www.poets.org
• http//www.readwritethink.org

39
References

• Bunch, S., (2009). Teaching Poetry to ESL
  Students Using Poems to Boost English Language
  Skills. Retrieved from http//teachertipstrainin
  g.suite101.com
• Covert, B., (n.d.). Picture Poetry, Retrieved
  from http//edhelper.com/ReadingComprehension_27_7
  9.html
• Hadawayn, N. et al. (May, 2001). Scaffolding
  Oral Language Development through Poetry for
  Students Learning English The Reading Teacher,
  Embracing Pluralism Worldwide. Retrieved from
  http//www.jstor.org/stable/20204994
• Koch, K. (1973). "Rose, Where Did You Get That
  Red?" New York Random House.
• Schultz, C. (2006). Happiness is a Warm Puppy.
  ME Cider Mill Press.
• Stevens, R., Shape Poems, retrieved from
  http//www.poetryclass.net/poemterm.htm