2 PISMP TESL January 2014 Intake

LGA 3013E Childrens Literature

Week 9

Exploring and exploiting poetry in the primary ESL classroom
Types of poetry
Forms of poetry
Teaching Strategies

Objectives:
Students will be able to:
design creative teaching activities based on the pedagogical principles of teaching
childrens literature for young learners in a primary ESL classroom. (CLO2)
identify and evaluate the different literary genres suitable for young learners in a
primary ESL classroom based on the Malaysian primary English language
curriculum. (CLO30

Lecture (2 Hours)
Exploring and exploiting poetry in the primary ESL classroom
Types of poetry
Forms of poetry
Teaching Strategies

Tutorial (1 Hour)
A: Read the poem below by Christina Rossetti
What is Pink?

~Christina Rossetti
What is pink? A rose is pink
By the fountain's brink.
What is red? A poppy's red
In its barley bed.
What is blue? The sky is blue
Where the clouds float through.
What is white? A swan is white
Sailing in the light.
What is yellow? Pears are yellow,
Rich and ripe and mellow.
What is green? The grass is green,
With small flowers between.
What is violet? Clouds are violet
In the summer twilight.
What is orange? Why, an orange,
Just an orange!
[a] Suggest some benefits of using this poem with your Year 1 pupils.
[b] How would you use this poem for a performance in class?
[c] Design an activity that helps in linguistic development.
[d] Design an activity that will help develop visual and kinaesthetic skills.

B: Do poetry make you laugh, tell stories, send messages, start you wondering, or share
feelings?
What do you respond to in a poem?
Bring in five favourite poems from different categories to share with your group.

C: In your groups, discuss the following:
a. What is a rhyme/chant?
b. How should you choose poetry with children?
c. How do you use poetry with children?
d. Can we use poetry written above to assess the students reading level?
MATILDA
by: Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953)
from Cautionary Tales, 1907

WHO TOLD LIES, AND WAS BURNED TO DEATH
ATILDA told such Dreadful
Lies,
It made one Gasp and Stretch one's
Eyes;
Her Aunt, who, from her Earliest
Youth,
Had kept a Strict Regard for Truth,
Attempted to Believe Matilda:
The effort very nearly killed her,
And would have done so, had not She
Discovered this Infirmity.
For once, towards the Close of Day,
Matilda, growing tired of play,
And finding she was left alone,
Went tiptoe to the Telephone
And summoned the Immediate Aid
Of London's Noble Fire-Brigade.
Within an hour the Gallant Band
Inspired by British Cheers and Loud
Proceeding from the Frenzied Crowd,
They ran their ladders through a score
Of windows on the Ball Room Floor;
And took Peculiar Pains to Souse
The Pictures up and down the House,
Until Matilda's Aunt succeeded
In showing them they were not
needed;
And even then she had to pay
To get the Men to go away!
It happened that a few Weeks later
Her Aunt was off to the Theatre
To see that Interesting Play
The Second Mrs. Tanqueray.
She had refused to take her Niece
To hear this Entertaining Piece:
A Deprivation Just and Wise
To Punish her for Telling Lies.
That Night a Fire did break out--
You should have heard Matilda
Shout!
You should have heard her Scream
Were pouring in on every hand,
From Putney, Hackney Downs, and
Bow.
With Courage high and Hearts a-
glow,
They galloped, roaring through the
Town,
'Matilda's House is Burning Down!'

and Bawl,
And throw the window up and call
To People passing in the Street--
(The rapidly increasing Heat
Encouraging her to obtain
Their confidence) -- but all in vain!
For every time she shouted 'Fire!'
They only answered 'Little Liar!'
And therefore when her Aunt
returned,
Matilda, and the House, were Burned.



The teacher passed out and fell right off her chair.
My classmates are crying and gasping for air.
The hamster is howling and hiding his head.
The plants by the window are practically dead.

There's gas in the class; it's completely my fault,
and smells like a chemical weapons assault.
So try to remember this lesson from me:
Don't take off your shoes in class after P.E.
--Kenn Nesbitt


In your groups, discuss the following:
a. Should you choose the poems above for the children? Why?
b. List down the strength and weaknesses using the poems above.
c. Discuss other activities that can be conducted based on the poems above.
d. Suggest two poems that reflects the same theme and suggest one activity for
each poem.


NONE FACE TO FACE INTERACTION : 2 HOURS

Do research on types and forms of poetry suitable for pupils in different years for
Malaysian primary classroom.
Discuss the importance of using poetry in the Malaysian classroom.
Find two articles on the benefits using poetry for children.