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Teaching & Performing Teaching & Performing PoetryPoetry February 25, 2005

Professional Development Activity for “Enhancing the Interface

between the Junior Secondary and the Three-year Senior Secondary Curricula through Promoting the

Learning and Teaching of Language Arts”

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Before We Start: Before We Start: Workshop activity 1Workshop activity 1

What is POETRY? How do youyou define it?

What do you think of teaching and learning poetry?

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Getting startedGetting started

Understanding poetryUnderstanding poetry

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Word music, the dance of language

A.D. Hope

Criticism of life

Matthew Arnold

Poetry is the lava of the imagination

Lord Byron

William Wordsworth

The spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings

What is Poetry?What is Poetry?

Blood, imagination and intellect running

together

W.B. Yeats

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Getting ready to teachGetting ready to teach

Understanding poetryUnderstanding poetry

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Understanding the poemUnderstanding the poemWhat is happening in the poem?

• What idea and theme does the poet want to deliver?

How is it presented by the poet? Techniques : language, sound, imageries,

punctuation, pattern on the page

Why did the poet write this poem? What is his message or purpose? Why do I teach this poem?

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POETRYPOETRY

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Poetic LanguagePoetic Language

Visual imageryVisual imagery

Mental pictures created with words

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Simile

Metaphor

Personification

Explicit comparison, using ‘like’, ‘as’, ‘similar to’, ‘resembles’

Implied comparison

Giving human qualities to an animal, object or abstract idea

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The Wind Is Angry The wind is angry ---He’s been in a rage all night,Stamping his feet, bellowing and finally breaking out.… … …

Personification

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The sea is a hungry dog,Giant and grey.He rolls on the beach all day.With his clashing teeth and shaggy jawsThe rumbling, tumbling stones,And ‘Bones, bones, bones, bones!’The giant sea-dog moans,Licking his greasy paws.… … … James Reeves

The SeaThe Sea

Metaphor

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The Laundry Basket

My shirtsleeve hangsOver the rim of the laundry basketLike a limp human armFrom the jaws of a crocodile.

Chris Hereward

Simile

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Poetic LanguagePoetic Language

Sound imagerySound imagery

Feelings and moods created by sounds

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Alliteration Repetition of initial consonant sounds in words

OnomatopoeiaUse of words that sound like the objects or actions they describe

Around the rugged rock, the ragged rascal ran

Glass Breaking

I flung out my

arms Clatter Clash Crinkle Crunch Now a broom

Swish Swoosh Sweep Swoop

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AssonanceRepetition of vowel sounds

Consonance Repetition of consonant sounds anywhere in

the lines

I rose and told him of my woe

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

(Robert Frost)

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Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year. He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound's the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake. The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep. And miles to go before I sleep.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Robert Frost

Consonance S (32 times) H (10 times) W (8 times)Assonance long vowelsAlliteration

Effect: soft hissing sound

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Have a Go!Have a Go!

Workshop Activity 2

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Study the quotations and identify the visual and

sound imageries

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Visual Imagery: KeyVisual Imagery: Key

1. Metaphor (world = stage; men & women = players)

2. Personification (night = person creeping)

3. Metaphor (life = dream; soul = sleeping man)

4. Simile (soldiers = wolf; spears = stars)

5. Personification (Autumn and Sun are conspiring friends)

6. Personification (sea = laughing man; cliff = frowning man)

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Sound Imagery: KeySound Imagery: Key1. Onomatopoeia (choo-choo puff-puff Pull, pull, pull)

2. Consonance ([s] sound)

3. Onomatopoeia (boom, crash)

Consonance ([r] sound in second line)

4. Alliteration ([b] sound)

5. Assonance ([ai] sound)

6. Alliteration ([r] sound)

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Poetic LanguagePoetic Language

RhythmRhythm

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The attributes of rhythmThe attributes of rhythm Meaning Metrical patterns (regular alternation of stressed

and unstressed syllables) Grammatical structure Punctuation Pitch Pace

RhythmRegular recurrence of stressed and unstressed sounds in the lines

E.g.Iambic --- x / (about)Trochaic --- /x (poem)

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THE SONG OF THE SEA WINDAustin Dobson

How it sings, sings, sings,Blowing sharply from the sea-line,With an edge of salt that stings;

How it laughs aloud, and passes,As it cuts the close cliff-grasses;

How it sings again, and whistlesAs it shakes the stout sea-thistles --–

How it sings!How it shrieks, shrieks, shrieks,

In the crannies of the headlandsIn the gashes of the creeks;

How it shrieks once more, and catchesUp the yellow foam in patches:

How it whirls it out and overTo the corn-field and the clover –--

How it shrieks!How it roars, roars, roars,

In the iron under-caverns,In the hollows of the shores;How it roars anew, and thunders,

As the strong hull splits and sunders:And the spent ship, tempest driven,

On the reef lies rent and riven –--How it roars!

How it wails, wails, wails,In the tangle of the wreckage,

In the flapping of the sails;How it sobs away, subsiding,

Like a tired child after chiding;

Sit back and listen to the rhythm

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RhymeRhyme

Poetic LanguagePoetic Language

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RhymeRhymeThe matching of final vowel or consonant The matching of final vowel or consonant sounds in two or more wordssounds in two or more words

Rhyming / Rhyme schemeRhyming / Rhyme schemeA pattern of the end rhymes within the poem

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What’s the rhyming scheme?What’s the rhyming scheme?Life is real! Life is earnest!And the grave is not its goal;Dust thou art, to dust returnest,Was not spoken of the soul.

Twinkle, twinkle little starHow I wonder who you areUp above the world so highLike a diamond in the sky.

Rain, rain, go awayCome again another dayLittle children want to playSo rain, rain, go away.

Write a poemAbout a lion they said,So from memoriesOf lions in my headI wrote aboutTawny eyes and slashing claws,Lashing tail and sabred jaws

aaaaaaaa

abbcbbdeeee

aabbaabb

aaaabbbb

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Types of poemsTypes of poems

Traditional classificationTraditional classification

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BalladBalladA narrative poem written in four-line stanzas, with swift

action and direct style

SonnetSonnetA fourteen-lined lyrical

poem that conforms to a set rhyme scheme

Blank verseBlank verseUnrhymed ten-syllable lines

OdeOdeA long stately poem in

stanzas of varied length, meter and form

ElegyElegyA poem expressing grief, of

subjective or meditative nature

LimerickLimerickA five-lined rhymed poem

that makes fun

Free verseFree verseA poem without a regular pattern of metre or rhyme

The Highwayman

Ode to Autumn

Shall I Compare Thee

to a Summer’s Day?

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Types of poemTypes of poem

Modern classificationModern classification

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Acrostic poemAcrostic poemA poem in which A poem in which the first letter of the first letter of each line, when each line, when read vertically, read vertically,

spell out a word, spell out a word, which is usually which is usually

the subject of the subject of the poem.the poem.

Diamond poemDiamond poemA seven-lined A seven-lined diamond-diamond-

shaped poem that shaped poem that specifies the part of specifies the part of speech in each line, speech in each line,

sometimes with sometimes with contrasting ideascontrasting ideas

HaikuHaikuA Japanese-style A Japanese-style

poem of three lines, poem of three lines, each with a fixed each with a fixed

number of syllables number of syllables (5,7,5 or 4,8,4) -- (5,7,5 or 4,8,4) --

mainly about nature mainly about nature and feelingsand feelings

Shape poemShape poemWords are placed to Words are placed to make the shape of make the shape of an object or ideas an object or ideas

describeddescribed

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Acrostic poem

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FI

S

OO

D

O R

H

FI

SH

UN

N O T ENO

UG

H

FORV

ERYON

E

O R

Anonymous

shape poem

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shape poem

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Smelly Tofu

Yummy!Spicy, savoury

Delicious, heavenly, mouth-wateringA brown crispy square of deep-fried bean curd

Disgusting, unpleasant, repulsiveStinky, greasy

Yucky!

Diamond poem

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Have a Go!Have a Go!

Workshop Activity 3

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Read and identify the form of poem in each item.

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Types of Poems Types of Poems (Key)(Key)

A: Shape poemB: Free verseC: Diamond poemD: Acrostic poemE: LimerickF: HaikuG: Prose

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Teaching the PoemTeaching the Poemin Classin Class

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Consider the following…Consider the following…• Is the poem thematically related to the lesson?

• How can you help your students to understand the poem?

• How can you help students to appreciate some important poetic devices?

• How can you help students to respond to the poem? What kind of response will you aim for?

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Teaching strategiesTeaching strategies Use pictures, realia, situations, context etc to help

students visualise the meaning of the poem.

Use different strategies and activities to encourage students to respond to the poem

Commenting on the ideas, themes and events Relating these to their own experience Acting out or writing something related to the poem

extend their language learning experience teach about features of poetry

Let students hear the poem and follow it Familiarize them with the intonation, stress and

inflection patterns

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Lesson ExamplesLesson Examples“The Sound Collector” by Roger McGough

– onomatopoeia,– vocabulary development– support understanding

“My Friend Through My Eyes” by Amy Poon– teaching about metaphor– framework for students’ own writing

“Dreams” by Langston Hughes (for reference)

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The Sound Collector

A stranger called this morningDressed all in black and greyPut every sound into a bagAnd carried them away

The whistling of the kettleThe turning of the lockThe purring of the kittenThe ticking of the clock

The popping of the toasterThe crunching of the flakesWhen you spread the marmaladeThe scraping noise it makes

The hissing of the frying panThe ticking of the grillThe bubbling of the bathtubAs it starts to fill

The drumming of the raindropsOn the window-paneWhen you do the washing upThe gurgling of the drain

The crying of the babyThe squeaking of the chairThe swishing of the curtainThe creaking of the chair

A stranger called this morningHe didn’t leave his nameLeft us only silenceLife will never be the same.

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• Step One:– Students match

words and pictures

• Step Two– Students listen to

sounds and match them with the pictures.

– They then match the item that makes the sound with the word for that sound

• Objective:– To pre-teach

vocabulary

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SoundsSounds

• Sound 1

• Sound 2

• Sound 3

• Sound 4

www.findsounds.com

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Step three: students identify vocabulary in Step three: students identify vocabulary in the poem. They list their favourite soundsthe poem. They list their favourite sounds

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• Step Four:– Students make poems

listing the sounds which they hear in particular locations.

– They may use the sounds to tell a story if they wish.

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MY FRIEND – THROUGH MY EYES

You are a star in the sky,Bright and shining,Guiding me with your light,With you, I know the way.

You are an umbrella in the rain,Loving and protecting,You help me so much,With you, I know I am safe.

You are a candle on a dark night,Warm and comforting,You make me strong,With you, I am never alone.

You are a rainbow after a storm,Beautiful and colourful,You always give me hope,A promise that will last

Friendship is a precious giftA gift to treasure and keep forever.

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Step One: students see pictures, some of which Step One: students see pictures, some of which are related to the poem. They write down words are related to the poem. They write down words which they associate with the pictures, including which they associate with the pictures, including sounds, smells, feelings – not only names of sounds, smells, feelings – not only names of objectsobjects

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• Objectives of this activity– to prepare

students for reading the poem by pre-teaching some vocabulary

– to introduce the concept of metaphors as “word pictures”

– to generate some ideas for students to use in their own writing

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• Step Two:– Students match

the verses of the poem with some of the pictures from the first worksheet

• Objectives:– Check

comprehension– Show how words

can also create pictures

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Step Three: students write “word pictures” based on the pictures from the powerpoint but not in the poem

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Step Four: students create poems using their own “word pictures” or metaphors

Weaker classes made badges with metaphors on them as gifts for their friends

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DreamsDreamsLangston HughesLangston Hughes

Hold fast to dreamsHold fast to dreamsFor if dreams die,For if dreams die,Life is a broken-winged Life is a broken-winged

birdbirdThat cannot fly.That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreamsHold fast to dreamsFor when dreams go,For when dreams go,Life is a barren fieldLife is a barren fieldFrozen with snow.Frozen with snow.

An alternative poem for teaching about metaphors

Please refer to lesson plan

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Your Turn!Your Turn!Mini workshop

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The Headmonster

A haunted house?Ghosts

Refer to the poems “The Headmonster” and “Ghosts” (yellow sheets).

Listen to the poems. Work in pairs. Complete the checklist (beige

sheet) for one of the poems.

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Let’s Have a BreakLet’s Have a Break

Mini book display

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Sharing Sharing and and

DiscussionDiscussion

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Looking at the subject matterLooking at the subject matterThe Headmonster

A light-hearted poem about the arrival of a new headmaster at the school

The speaker is probably a student or group of students.

The students are afraid of the new headmaster, and a lot of rumours are circulating about him

Another meaning of the poem is about rumours --- Can we always believe what we hear?

Ghosts

• Also light-hearted, descriptive poem about a ghosts’ party

• The speaker is a narrator, not a ghost

• The poem describes how the ghosts enjoy themselves at a party

• They are supposed to be scary ghosts – but why do they eat sweets and dance a jig?

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Looking at the language and structureLooking at the language and structureThe Headmonster

Different senses are used, Hearing “stomp,

werewolf’s howl” Touch “icicle stare,

razor-sharp” Images are of scary

monsters, supernatural evil creatures. The visual element is very strong

The poem rhymes, and has a strong rhythm, which adds to the light-hearted mood

There is some alliteration eg “growls like a grizzly bear”

Ghosts

• Mainly visual and sound images

• Many contrasts feature in the poem, e.g. spooky images at the beginning, but the middle part is quite funny (e.g. a baby sucking its thumb), noise vs. silence at different points, dark outside and noisy action inside the haunted house

• The poem rhymes, and there is a change in the rhythmic pattern which divides description of the setting from the action of the party.

• Alliteration, e.g. “bone all bare”• Abrupt ending as the ghosts

vanish

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Teaching implications: The HeadmonsterTeaching implications: The Headmonster Curriculum link: Halloween or the beginning of term

Preparation: brainstorming Halloween context, matching pictures and vocabulary

Vocabulary: names of monsters, strong visual element makes it not so difficult to put across new vocabulary by using pictures and actions

Language: Introducing reported speech “We’ve heard that…”, “It’s rumoured that…..” in the context of passing on rumours

Activities: Matching pictures with verses of the poem, drawing pictures of the “Headmonster”, act out his first lesson or assembly. A parent writes a letter of complaint, etc

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Teaching implications: GhostsTeaching implications: Ghosts• Curriculum link

– Halloween / Mystery and fantasy– Narrative or descriptive writing

• Preparation– Use of sound effects and pictures to create the scene

• Vocabulary and Language: – Many different verbs for movement and sounds– Descriptive vocabulary setting the spooky scene– A narrative in the present tense

• Activities:– Act out the scene or draw a storyboard– Create some spooky food for the ghosts’ party– Choral speaking performance – Read some scary stories for extensive reading

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Performing poetryPerforming poetry

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View View and and DiscussDiscuss

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You are going to watch the You are going to watch the performance of two students performance of two students during their rehearsalduring their rehearsal

While you watch, note the strengths and weaknesses of each performance.

As a teacher, what comments / suggestions for improvement would you give to the students?

First poem: “One That Got Away”Second poem: “A Psalm of Life”

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Solo & Choral Solo & Choral Verse-speakingVerse-speaking

Getting ready for the rehearsal

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Teacher’s preparationTeacher’s preparation Read the poem aloud to yourself ---

How would you read it to put across the meaning? Experiment different ways of saying it Decide how you want the students to say it

Check pronunciation and meaning of words in context Note

any emphasis, stress & intonation pattern the mood of the poem. Which words convey the mood?

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Teacher’s preparation (2)Teacher’s preparation (2)

Identify and mark in the rhythmic stress pattern ---

Put special emphasis on: words / phrases that carry special meaning Words that convey the mood

Note the end of lines, where to pause and where one line runs on to the next

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Analyse the poem to identify potential problems to the students

Ensure students’ good comprehension and visualization of the poem

Model the reading

Let students experiment reading --- focus on correct and clear pronunciation first

Achieve emphasis by varying the volume / pitch / pauses / pace

Rehearsing with the studentsRehearsing with the students

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Rehearsing with the students (2)Rehearsing with the students (2)

Ensure that students have mastered the pronunciation before working on the rhythm and intonation

Train students to highlight the following through their voice and facial expressions :

significant words that need special treatment (sense words, onomatopoeia)

the climax / punch line

the contrast (fast & slow, hard & soft, staccato & smooth, heavy & light)

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Useful tipsUseful tips Teach and ensure understanding of the whole

poem, but rehearse section by section

Do not use explanation only --- Students must visualise and appreciate the

poem before they can speak it meaningfully.

Never allow premature memorisation --- Memorization of the words without feeling is

disastrous It’s difficult to undo any mistakes

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Choral SpeakingChoral Speaking

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What poems to choose for verse-What poems to choose for verse-speakingspeaking Poems that you like and have confidence in Poems that students understand and

appreciate --- relevant to their experience

(For choral work) Poems with variety and contrasts Avoid ‘static’ and abstract poems Narrative poems are good as a start Not poems with ‘I’ as the subject

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Techniques for Techniques for Choral SpeakingChoral Speaking

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Techniques (1)Techniques (1) Orchestration – Use different voices for special effect:

Divide poem into • choral passages, • small groups, • solo lines or phrases

Refer to the examples of “The Freight Train”& “Ghost”: Use gestures to conduct the speech

Listen to the voices --- High or lowRough or smoothLight or darkMelodious or monotonous

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Techniques (2)Techniques (2) Achieve extra effects with judicious use of

gestures

movements sound effects

costumes or props

•Percussion•Vocal effects•Use of music

• All speakers using simultaneous gestures;• Individuals / small groups gesticulating on certain words / lines

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Techniques (3)Techniques (3)Make pleasant grouping for better vocal and

visual effects

• Group according to quality of voices (dark / light)

• Students speaking together stand together• Change grouping to fit changes of mood• Shapes can be related to topic• All speakers should be seen

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Useful tipsUseful tips It is essential for every speaker to know the whole

poem. Never divide the class into groups and give each group

different parts of the poem to learn.

It is important for learners to show their involvement and enjoyment through facial expressions and eye contact

A good blend of voices and synchronized movements show good co-ordination

Maintain good discipline at all times.

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Let’s watch and Let’s watch and appreciateappreciate

What do you think of the What do you think of the group’s performance?group’s performance?

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Key to successKey to success

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Clear speech and accurate pronunciation are of paramount importance

A touch of drama is essential Never overdo any extra effects --- they should add to

and not distract from the poem It is important that students enjoy the choral work ---

know when to stop. Aim not at perfection, but spontaneity. Adapt your

expectation and treatment to bring out the best in the students

SUCCESS !SUCCESS !

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Questioning timeQuestioning time

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Anthologies of PoemsAnthologies of Poems• Brian Pattern (ed.) (1998) The Puffin Book of Utterly

Brilliant Poetry. London, Puffin Books• Michael Harrison & Christopher Stuart-Clark (Eds.)

(1999) The New Oxford Treasury of Children’s Poems. Oxford, Oxford University Press

• Sadler, Hayllar, Powell (1981) Enjoying Poetry. South Yarra, Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd

• Michael Rosen (ed.) (1985) The Kingfisher Book of Children’s Poetry. London, Kingfisher Publications Plc

• Helen Ferris (ed.) (1965) Favorite Poems Old and New. USA, Doubleday & Company, Inc.

• Pappas, Lewis & Middenway (ed.) (1979) Images. Melbourne, Longman Cheshire

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Poetry is fun and enjoyable !

Happy teaching

and rehearsal !

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Thank you!