Poetry as A Teaching Resource in ELT Classroom1

Meutia Rachmatia
E-mail: meutiarachmatia92@gmail.com

Sriwijaya University
Palembang, Indonesia

Abstract: Nowadays, the need of teaching literature in language class has

been questioned although many researchers found the advantages and the
reasons why literature should be taught in language classrooms. In fact,
sometimes the teachers and lecturers of literature have problems to justify
their profesional existence and find difficulties to justify the inclusion of
literature in their lesson plan. The teachers get difficulties of utilization in
literature as their teaching resource. Since there are many parts of the
literature, this paper focuses on one topic of literature, poetry as a
teaching resource in ELT classroom. The learners at all levels can use
poetry to express themselves in the target language. This paper discusses
how poetry can be a teaching resource in ELT classrooms and benefits of
poetry as a teaching resource in ELT classrooms based on the previous
studies.

Keywords: ELT Classroom, literature, poetry, teaching resource.

1. Introduction

In this era there are some controversies about the function of literature in teaching

a language, especially in ELT. The need of teaching literature in language class has been

questioned in this time. It also becomes a big question to the benefits of using literature

in ELT classroom. Sell (2005) in his paper showed the reason why the teacher should

teach literature. He argued that literature in a target language may enhance language

learning, literature in written the target language may give learners insight into other

from those culture and also literature‟s content may be truer to live. It means that there

are some benefits in teaching literature in language class.

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Paper Presented at Fourth South Region Sumatera TEFLIN, Sriwijaya University, Indonesia,
February 7, 2015.

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 Althought there are some benefits of teaching literature in language class, the

teacher who intergrated literature in their language class is still low. Khatib and

Nourzadeh (2011) states that in traditional classroom there are several problems with the

utilization of literary text. It is because the teacher in traditional classroom were

graduates of English literature who tried to teach literature the same way they were

thaught. Sometimes the teachers and lecturers of literature feel difficult to justify their

professional existence and the teachers or lecturers sometimes find the difficulties to

justify the inclusion of literature in their lesson plan (Sell, 2005). In line with this

problem, Showalter (2002) calls these phenomenon as “the anxiety of teaching”.

To integrate literature in ELT classroom, the teacher should know clearly about

the real meaning of literature itself. To support the teachers to integrated literature into

their language class, here there are ten recomendation to intergrating literature into EFL

class, according to Khatib and Nourzadeh (2011);

1. The teacher should work for learner‟s personal involvement with literary text.

2. The inclusion of literary texts does not mean the exclusion of other text types.

3. In language classrooms, literature serves as a resource for language learning, not

as an end in itself.

4. Learners should have the chance to use literary language in creative ways.

5. Teachers should consider the accessibility of literary texts for their language

classrooms.

6. The four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) should be

integrated.

7. Nativilization of literary texts should be employed whenever it is helpful.

8. The teacher should provide sscaffolded assitance with literary texts.

9. The teacher should encourage and facilitate group discussions.

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 10. Learners should be protectes againts cultural imperialism.

Based on the explanation above, it is possible for teachers to integrate literature

in their ELT classroom.

Linguistic reason, methological reason and motivational reason was stated by

many researchers (Lazar, 1993; Collie & Slater, 1994; Ur, 1996; Carter & Long, 1996;

Pison, 2000; Maley & Duff, 2001) as the advantages of using literature as a language

teaching resouce. Tasneen (2010) interpreted clearly these reasons in the following

ways:

1. Linguistic reason: the students are exposed to real, authentic usage of language in

literary texts; these text show them a variety of styles, registers and language

learning materials at several stages of difficulty.

2. Methological reason: Literary texts are open to various interpretations and

therefore create an enormous opportunity of interaction in a language class.

3. Motivational reason: As literary text are the product of the writers particular

feeling about certain aspect of life, this „genuine feel‟ motivates the reader a lot.

Students can easily be stimulated to express their opinion, to relate the topics

and the characters in the literary text to their own life.

Since there are many part of the literature, McRae (1991) names the category of

literature into two categories; literature with small „l‟ and literature with capital „L‟. He

states that, in literature with small „l‟ are includes imaginatives texts which can be used

as language teaching resources and are not ussually to be literature, for example:

advertisments, newspaper headlines, articles, jokes, puns, songs, computer games, etc.

Whereas the examples of literature with capital „L‟ are novels, poetry, plays and so on.

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 In this paper, the writer will discuss about one part of literature with capital „L‟ i.e

poetry. The writer will provide that poetry can be a one of teaching resource in ELT

classroom. Many scholars (Cubukcu, 2001; Hussein, 2004; Khansir, 2012) discussed

about the ultilization of poetry to teach English language. As Hussein (2004) in his

article discussed about using simple poetry/ poems to teach grammar in language class.

As Finc (2004) states, the learners from all levels can use the medium of poetry to

express themselves in the target language. The statement above encourage the writer to

explore the utilizatition of poetry. The writer convinced that poetry have a positive

power to be taught in ELT classroom.

Based on the explanation above, in this paper the writer will explain briefly about

how did poetry can be a teaching resource in ELT classroom and also will explain the

benefits of poetry as a teaching resource in ELT classroom.

2. Teaching Poetry : What and Why?

The use of literature into ELT classroom has received a big attention from the

researches. The researches has been solved a problem of the utilization of literature.

They proposed the purpose of literary text, i.e, short story, plays, poetry, etc. Poetry as a

part of literature get a exclusive attention because the usefulness. Some of the researches

stated that poetry was taught in literature class but the teacher take too much part. In this

activity the centered are the teacher, so it cannot improved studens‟ language skill and

creativity. The teachers should pay a more attention for this problem since the key of

this problems are the teachers should leave a traditional approaches to teaching poetry in

their class. Based on the problems above, the writer will shows a new approches by

many researches below.

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2.1 Reasons for using poetry in ELT classroom

Many researches was conducted a research about teaching poetry. Many new

approaches has founded by the researches and also the reason for using poetry into ELT

classroom. The writer will classify the reasons as follow :

1. Poetry to stimulate students‟ creativity

According to Cubukcu (2010), the use of poetry can encourage students

creativity. Cubukcu showed the approach with socio-constructivism. He explain

the function of theory socio-constructivism in teaching poetry can stimulate

students creativity. It is because a teaching approach to poetry based on the

socio-constructive view learning are presented the orientation,

elicitatition/structuring, intervention/restructuring, review, application in

creative and critical thinking, orientation, and application (Cumming, 2007).

2. Poetry to enrich and energize the learning environment

In teaching poetry in ESL classroom, some of the teachers still become a

centered so the students will get nothing if the teachers use this approach

continuesly. Based on that problems, Ahmad (2014) was conduct a research in

teaching poetry to Saudi ESL learners by using stylistics approach. The aims of

his research to explore how stylistics approach can used as a powerfull teaching

resource. His founding present that by using stylistic approach the students was

attractive and centered is not on the teachers like a traditional one. There is an

interactive betweeen teachers and students by using this approach.

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 3. Poetry to teach grammar

Sometimes, most of the teachers get the difficulties to teach grammar. Hussein

(2004) states that blended learning and simple poems usefull in teaching

grammar. Poems as a part of poetry can be the alternative media in teaching

grammar. He classified five simple poems that enable to be a media in teaching

grammar, as follow : (1) Adjective poem, (2) Adjective placement poem, (3)

Alphabet poem, (4) Adverb poem, (5) “I am” or “We Are” poems. Susikaran

(2013) stated that poetry, by using playful poems also usefull in teaching

grammar. He discusses about framing questions by using poems in teaching

grammar. By using the framing questions method, the students can get a clear

knowledge of the poem and the grammatical terms used in it.

4. Poetry to build a positive attitude

In Iran, the problems about the difficulties of poetry has clear because the new

approach to teaching poetry was investigated by Khatib (2011). Khatib stated

that many university students in Iran do not enjoy English poetry. By using a

these new approach, Khatib can build a positive attitude of the students and then

will put these approach on the right track to appreciate poetry.

2.2 Criteria for selecting suitable poems

According to Tomlinson (1986), there are seven criteria for selecting poems to

exploit the potential value of poetry, were:

1. Universal appeal

Special topic might have great appeal in selecting a poetry for a few students but

universal topic as youth, old age, marriage, birth, love, education, friendship, etc

mostly closer with students experience.

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2. Surface simplicity

It is especially important for ability of the students that poems used are

linguistically accessible for the weakest students and that there is nothing in the

tittle or opening lines which might frighten off such students.

3. Potential depth

Potential depth also very important that poems are used have a potential depths

of meaning and can thus challenge the brighter the students who have no

problems in responding to the linguistic surface of the poems.

4. Affective potential

Poems which express strong emotions, attitudes, feelings, opinions, or ideas are

usually more productive than those which are gentle, descriptive, or neutral.

5. Contemporary language

This is also important for most non-literary learners because the language of the

poems they are asked to read resembles the language they are being asked to

learn.

6. Brevity

Some learners will be capable of enjoying long poems, but it safer to use short

poems because it can be minimize the risk of losing people.

7. Potential for illustration

It means that the good poems can give many interpretation for every reader.

The reader can ilustrate the meaning of the poems, so the learners or readers can

discuss it from different prespective.

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3. Possible poems to be a teaching resource

There are some criteria for selecting a poems as stated by Tomlinson (1986).

Here, the writer will show some kinds of poetry that are possible to be teaching

resources from the other scholars.

As Finch (2004) states, four kinds of poetry that will be a teaching resource, are:

1. Picture Poems

Picture poems offer a visual perspective on the arrangement of words, and are

therefore an effective means encouraging learners to interact with the target vocabulary.

Picture poems can encourage the creativity and experimentation the target language,

helping students to view the use of English as apleasurable and creative experience.

2. Haiku

Haiku can promote brainstorming and collaborative expression, and facilitate

expressions without the burden of sentences structure. Haiku often present pairs of

contrasting images, followed by observation thus evoking mood and emotion, but

leaving commentary to the reader. The content of haiku also close to the nature, so the

students can get the point easily because the content closer to their live.

3. Pattern Poems

Holmes and Moulton (2001) states that pattern poems can promote a number of

positive learning function. They was mentioned nine learning function by using pattern

poems, such us for (1) grammar, (2) awareness of phrase and sentence structure, (3)

interactive modeling, (4) collaborative groups, (5) cooperative groups, (6) inductive

thinking, (7) sensory stimulation, (8) sharing, and (9) expression.

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4. Pop-song Scripts

Finc (2004) states that pop-song script are popular in the EFL classroom for a

number of reasons, though they are rarely regarded as poetic texts, or as models of

creative English composition. He also states the content of pop-song scripts often closer

to our live ie., about love, live, culture, ect. That reason seemes like Tomlinson criteria

to selecting a poems to be a teaching resources.

4. Positive gains by using poetry in ELT Classroom

There are many reasons for using poetry in language class, some of them was

stated by Tomlinson (1986). He stated there are six positive gains in using poetry in

language classes and in particular in those classes which are heterogeneous in ability:

1. Educational value

Poetry can open and enrich the content of language lessons, can provide useful

opportunities for gaining experience of the worl, and can contribute to development of

the „whole pperson‟ as well as the „learner of language‟. It means that poetry can support

the educational value by the content of poetry. It can also provide the content of poetry

to gain the language skills of the larners.

2. Affective value

Poetry can built the response of the learners actively and also the learners

language activities. Because the content of the poetry can motivated the learners, open

the learners language intake, and the learners most eager to use language when their

emotions, feelings, and attitudes are engaged.

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3. Achievement value

Poetry can fulfil the achievement of the learners when the poems are met as parts

of larger communication activities, and if the teacher helps the learners to make them

accessible through pre-reading activities focused on content rather than language, then

many learners are able to give valid responses to poems.

4. Individual value

Poems have the great potential value of appealing to each individual reader in

different ways of being accessible on many different levels of meaning. If the teachers

helps the learners to focused on the content of the poems, the learners can get the

brightest that can gain the great satisfaction of imaginative and individual insights into

the potential meaning of a poem. It means that, the learners who have a different

interpretation to the one poems can get the satisfaction to explore the meaning of the

content from the imaginatively sides. So in individually, the learners can get the point of

the content of the poem by themselves.

5. Stimulus value

Poems which affective responses from learners can stimulate the learners

unusually intelligent and creative use of language in follow-up activities. This

achievement can bring great satisfaction and pride, and it can even lead to more accurate

appropriate use of language in follow-up activities which challlenge and engage the

new-found pride.

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6. Skills development

Poems more than any other type text can give valuable opportunity for learners to

use and develop such important skills as deduction of meaning from linguistic and

situational context; prediction; relating text to knowledge and experience of the world;

reading creatively; and the recognition and intepretation of assumptions and inferences.

5. Conclusions

This paper has attempted to show the way how poetry can be a teaching resource

in ELT classrooms. It suggests some reasons, benefits, recomendation and criteria to

bring a poetry as a teaching resource in teaching and learning activity in classroom.

Some researches showed the result of the research about poetry, almost of their research

indicates that poetry can be a teaching resource in ELT classroom if the teacher brings

the poetry right on the track. By using poetry, the learners can get many benefits in their

classroom activity and poetry can also stimulate its positive activity such us encourage

their creativity and their possitive attitude in the classroom.

REFERENCES

Ahmad, J. (2014). Teaching of poetry to Saudi ESL learners: stylistics approach.

SCHOLINK CO., LTD. 2(1), 123-139.
Carter, R., & Long, M. (1996). Teaching literature. London: Longman Group UK
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Collie, J., & Slater, S. (1994). Literature in the language classroom. Cambridge:
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Cubukcu, F. (2001). Use of poetry for EFL purposes. Izmir: Dokuz Eylul University.
Cumming, R. (2007). Language play in the classroom: encouraging children‟s intuitive
creativity with words through poetry. Literacy. 41(2), 93-101.
Finc. A. (2004). Using poems to teach English. English language teaching. 15(2), 29-45.

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Holmes, V. L. and M.R. Moulton. (2001). Writing simple poems: Pattern poetry for
language acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hussein, H. (2004). Using poems to teach grammar. TESL Journal. 10(5), 258-263.
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Biodata

Meutia Rachmatia is the third semester student of Graduate Program in Sriwijaya

University who still completing her final project for Master Degree in English major.
She is interested in research about literature for education and English for young
learners. She is the member of KoBER Lampung (the independent community of literary
and theater that concentrates in theater, traditional literature and creative writing
projects).

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