POETRY AND LANGUAGE TEACHING

Introduction Language is taught though different forms of Literature among them Poetry. A Poem according to Stead(1964:11) may be quoted to exist in a triangle for which points are Poet, audience and the areas of experiences ,variously called” Reality, Truth or Nature”;between the points run lines of tensions that lengthen or shorten depending on time and place .Poems the finest exist in equilateral triangle each point contributing in a moment of perfect Tension(Mike Fleming and David Stevens,2010:18) Likely Mattenklott(1996:13)as quoted by Mike Fleming and David Stevens(2010:160)points out that Poetry has delight in sounds, rhythms, rhymes, images and textures ,it is also dense in Nature and aesthetically crafted ,this characteristics is a clue that may attract audience and therefore serve as and language learning instrument. Outside the language classroom, the audience prefers Poetry included in other forms of art -factual Literature work,in fact critics distinguish Literature works as of high art or as of popular culture by increase of poetry/prose recognition :the content message of poetic adverts, lyric songs ,speeches ,..are attentively and critically responded to . Puzzle and without a key and Language curriculum Poetry is bewildering rather than difficult since its barriers are not insurmountable; they are more to do with having inappropriate expectations or not quite knowing the rules to apply. It helps learners become familiar with texts even before their intensive exploration, it also encourages them to take a playful approach to all language skills developed in its writing and reading analysis. To overcome the disillusion that of describing poetry the most difficult aspect ,learners should study poems read/write on a regular basis to value and make it viable in language learning. Poetry Learners are helped by some attentions to poetry itself, not pursue strict definitions of it but to examine the way different texts require different types of reading. Language teachers are advised to provide social and contextual poetry relate background in order to extend appreciation, guidance in reading to facilitate free and genuine response to poetry and author in consideration. Reader Response is only adequate if the reader operate in appropriate parameters early provided by the teacher. For instance the Poem : Mary, Mary Magdalene Lying on the wall I throw a pebble on your back Will it lie or fall?... by Charles Causley (Mike Fleming and David Stevens,2010:166) In small group discussion learners will explore this poem , they will manage to guess next what happens of the pebble under pragmatic preliminaries like which tradition in church(Launceston in Cornwall) urban children believe that a stone opposed to back side of the saint’s figure brings luck or again through reading a whole author’s ,otherwise it will not make sense in front of learners. Token to consider when studying poetry is: • Author’s identity relevance • Concept of ambiguity • Plurality of meaning • Poetry in series • Poetry and other literature products: headlines ,posters, adverts,.. How to integrate Poetry in Language Teaching Poetry presentation means a lot in language meaning ,purpose ambiguities and complexities ,this helps to sensitively react in language . Questions matter about Poetry are not of less importance in language : Form: tightly, organized or irregular? Tone: tender, ironic or harsh? Rhythm: steady or irregular? Tempo: quick, moderate or slow? Diction: formal or colloquial? Texture: smooth or coarse? Imagery: literal or figurative? Impact: Dramatic, understand or impersonal? The success of poetry in a language classroom resides at • Creating a rich poetry environment • Combining poetry reading and writing • Accessing a wide variety of poetry • Promoting flexibility in language learning-teaching approaches With priority to methods the most common to all poems. • Familiarizing learners to doing things in poetry • Recognizing that close textual study is more fruitful when learners have experienced poems Conclusion The use of Literature is aesthetic representation of Language: metaphors, irony, exposition, argument in all forms of Literature Learners will be aware of different linguistic and rhetorical uses to opt for right uses. Literature Language is different from regular Language by fact that it applies more rules of syntax, collocation and even cohesion. Literature used in LT can help learners to become more sensitive to some of the overall features and rules of English. A poetic view of language learning needs to inform English language teachers in that Poetry is the most natural language .Both by its superficial features admiration and also its insight into true nature as the primary form of language . REFERENCES: MIKEFLEMING and DAVID STEVENS ,2010”English Teaching in the Secondary School:Linking Theory and Practice” 3rd Ed, New York,USA.