means of written expression and consists of means of written expression and consists of words words arranged in patterns of soundarranged in patterns of sound and  and imagery to imagery to spark an emotional, and intellectual, responsespark an emotional, and intellectual, response   

from us.from us.

is the is the language of the imaginationlanguage of the imagination, of , of feelingsfeelings, , of of emotional self-expressionemotional self-expression, of , of high arthigh art..

Prose explainsProse explains, but , but poetry singspoetry sings..

The language in poetry is The language in poetry is musicalmusical, , preciseprecise,  ,   memorablememorable, and , and magicalmagical..

Language of PoetryLanguage of Poetry

Part A.  ImageryPart A.  Imagery Part B.   Sound PatternsPart B.   Sound Patterns

Part A.  ImageryPart A.  Imageryrefers to mental pictures created by wordsrefers to mental pictures created by words

There are two types of imagery:-There are two types of imagery:-i.i. Literal ImagesLiteral Images: used to describe something directly : used to describe something directly

by appealing to one or more of our sensory faculties.by appealing to one or more of our sensory faculties.

ii.ii.Figurative imagesFigurative images: used to describe one thing by : used to describe one thing by comparing it to something else with which we are comparing it to something else with which we are more familiar. more familiar.

The poet uses figurative language to bring us new The poet uses figurative language to bring us new experiences, new visions, new ways of looking at the experiences, new visions, new ways of looking at the world.world.

Literal ImagesLiteral Images Visual Visual images: images: they consist of they consist of things we can things we can see.see.

   

The sun was shining on the sea,The sun was shining on the sea,

Shining with all his might:Shining with all his might:

He did his very best to makeHe did his very best to make

The billows smooth and bright -The billows smooth and bright -

And this was odd, because it wasAnd this was odd, because it was

The middle of the night.   (Lewis The middle of the night.   (Lewis Carroll)        Carroll)        

TactileTactile images:  images: they appeal to they appeal to our sense of our sense of touch.touch.

   

Through the green twilight of a hedge,Through the green twilight of a hedge,

I peered with cheek on the cool leaves I peered with cheek on the cool leaves pressed     (Walter de la Mare)pressed     (Walter de la Mare)

AuditoryAuditory images: they  images: they suggest the sounds of suggest the sounds of things, usually resulting things, usually resulting in an effect in an effect onomatopoeia    (Words that imitate (Words that imitate sounds or sounds that sounds or sounds that are linked with objects).are linked with objects).

Bow-wow, says the dog,Bow-wow, says the dog,Mew, mew says the cat,Mew, mew says the cat,Grunt, grunt, goes the hog,Grunt, grunt, goes the hog,And squeak goes the rat.And squeak goes the rat.Tu, whu, says the owl,Tu, whu, says the owl,Quack, quack, says the duck,Quack, quack, says the duck,And what the cuckoo says you know.And what the cuckoo says you know.    (Mother Goose)    (Mother Goose)

OlfactoryOlfactory images: they  images: they suggest the smells of suggest the smells of things.things.

   

As Mommy washed upAs Mommy washed upand the children played,and the children played,smell of warm butter filled the air.smell of warm butter filled the air.

        (Anonymous)(Anonymous)

KinestheticKinesthetic images: they  images: they refer to actions or motions.refer to actions or motions.

A poem once stopped me on the A poem once stopped me on the street. street. I've got a poem stuck on my feet. I've got a poem stuck on my feet. A poem attacked me in the shower. A poem attacked me in the shower. I find a poem most every hour! I find a poem most every hour!     (Mark Stansell)    (Mark Stansell)

GustatoryGustatory images: they  images: they suggest the tastes of things suggest the tastes of things

A mouse found a beautiful piece of A mouse found a beautiful piece of plum cake,plum cake,

The richest and sweetest that mortal The richest and sweetest that mortal could make:could make:

'Twas heavy with citron and fragrant 'Twas heavy with citron and fragrant with spice,with spice,

And covered with sugar all sparkling And covered with sugar all sparkling as ice.as ice.

          (Iona and Peter Opie)(Iona and Peter Opie)

Figurative ImagesFigurative Images SimileSimile: a stated : a stated comparison, comparison, employing a employing a connective such as connective such as "like" or "as". "like" or "as".

"My love is like a red, red "My love is like a red, red rose"rose"

        (Robert Burn) (Robert Burn)

MetaphorMetaphor: an implied : an implied comparison, not comparison, not directly stated with directly stated with words such as "like" words such as "like" and "as". and "as".

In the morning the cityIn the morning the city

Spreads its wingsSpreads its wings

Making a songMaking a song

In stone that sings.In stone that sings.

        (Langston Hughes)(Langston Hughes)

PersonificationPersonification: : human qualities are human qualities are given to an inanimate given to an inanimate object, an abstract object, an abstract idea, or a force of idea, or a force of nature.nature.

"The Night was creeping "The Night was creeping on the ground!on the ground!

She crept and did not She crept and did not make a sound"make a sound"

        (James Stephens) (James Stephens)

Part B.   Sound PatternsPart B.   Sound Patterns• Most poems are written to be read Most poems are written to be read

aloud, and how they sound is as aloud, and how they sound is as important as what they mean. important as what they mean.

• Sound patterns consist of two Sound patterns consist of two elements: rhythm and rhyme.elements: rhythm and rhyme.

i.i. RhythmRhythm: the pattern of stressed and : the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in language.unstressed syllables in language.

ii.ii. RhymeRhyme: the repetition of similar sounds in the : the repetition of similar sounds in the two or more words.two or more words.

Nursery rhymes tend to have very Nursery rhymes tend to have very predictable predictable rhythmsrhythms. .

For example, For example, ""MaMary ry hadhad a  a litlittle tle lamblamb", ",

""TwinTwinkle, kle, twintwinkle, kle, litlittle tle starstar""  ((regular trocheesregular trochees; ; i.e., two syllables with the emphasis on the i.e., two syllables with the emphasis on the first)first)

When reading poetry to children, we need to When reading poetry to children, we need to be aware of the rhythm pattern(s) a poem be aware of the rhythm pattern(s) a poem contains so that we can gain good effect from contains so that we can gain good effect from our reading.our reading.

End rhymeEnd rhyme: the repetition : the repetition of  the ending sounds in of  the ending sounds in two or more lines. two or more lines.

One, two,buckle my shoe; One, two,buckle my shoe; Three, four,shut the door; Three, four,shut the door; Five, six,pick up sticks; Five, six,pick up sticks;  Seven, eight,lay them straight;  Seven, eight,lay them straight; Nine, ten,a big, fat hen.Nine, ten,a big, fat hen.

AlliterationAlliteration: the repetition : the repetition of initial sounds in two or of initial sounds in two or more words. more words.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.picked.If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, peppers, How many pickled peppers did Peter How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?Piper pick?

AssonanceAssonance: the repetition of : the repetition of vowel sounds within words.vowel sounds within words.

Hickory Dickory Dock,Hickory Dickory Dock,The mouse ran up the clock, The mouse ran up the clock, The clock struck one,The clock struck one,

The mouse ran down,The mouse ran down,Hickory Dickory Dock!Hickory Dickory Dock!

ConsonanceConsonance: the repetition of : the repetition of consonant sounds within words, consonant sounds within words, often with a variation in often with a variation in adjoining vowels. adjoining vowels.

A flea and a fly A flea and a fly Flew up in a flue.Flew up in a flue.Said the flea, "Let us fly!"Said the flea, "Let us fly!"Said the fly, "Let us flee!"Said the fly, "Let us flee!"So they flew through a flap in So they flew through a flap in the flue. the flue.

Types of PoetryTypes of PoetryPart A.  Narrative Poetry

• Narrative poems tell stories in verse.

• A number of them are very old and were originally intended to be recited to audiences

• Examples Homer's "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey".

• For children, perhaps the most accessible narrative poems are ballads - contains four lines, each with eight syllables and with the second and fourth lines rhyming.

Part B.   Lyric poetryPart B.   Lyric poetry

•describes the poet's describes the poet's innermost feelings or can innermost feelings or can did observations and did observations and evokes a musical quality in evokes a musical quality in its sounds and rhythmsits sounds and rhythms

Teaching Poetry to Teaching Poetry to ChildrenChildren

Children's Poetry PreferencesChildren's Poetry Preferences

According to Fisher & Natarella's (1982) and Terry's (1974) studies on children's According to Fisher & Natarella's (1982) and Terry's (1974) studies on children's poetry preferences, they found that:-poetry preferences, they found that:-

Most children preferred Most children preferred narrative narrative poems over lyric poems.poems over lyric poems.

Children preferred poems that had pronounced sound patterns of all kinds, but Children preferred poems that had pronounced sound patterns of all kinds, but especially enjoyed especially enjoyed poems that rhymedpoems that rhymed..

Children preferred poems with Children preferred poems with regular, distinctive rhythmregular, distinctive rhythm..

Children liked Children liked humoroushumorous poems, poems about  poems, poems about animalsanimals, and poems about , and poems about enjoyable enjoyable familiar experiencesfamiliar experiences..

((cited in Lynch-Brown, C. & Tomlinson, C. 2005.cited in Lynch-Brown, C. & Tomlinson, C. 2005. Essentials of Children’s Literature, 5th editionEssentials of Children’s Literature, 5th edition , p. 49), p. 49)

Strategies of Teaching Poetry to ChildrenStrategies of Teaching Poetry to Children

i.i. Reading Poetry Aloud to ChildrenReading Poetry Aloud to Children

should be introduced first and frequently in should be introduced first and frequently in an an oraloral form.  form.

Most poetry is best read aloud. Most poetry is best read aloud. Moreover, Moreover, children's oral language is the children's oral language is the basis for their later acquisition of basis for their later acquisition of literacyliteracy..

should be should be read for its read for its meaningmeaning and  and enunciated words clearlyenunciated words clearly. .

Some need to be Some need to be performed and performed and dramatizeddramatized. Using your . Using your voicevoice to  to make special effects, such as make special effects, such as variations of volume, pitch, and variations of volume, pitch, and speech rate, and even a dramatic speech rate, and even a dramatic pause.pause.

Brief encountersBrief encounters with one to three  with one to three poems at a time are best. poems at a time are best.

ii. Choral Poetry

• consists of interpreting and saying a poem together as a group activity.

• Children enjoy this way because they have a participatory role in the activity.

• Short, humorous narrative poems are good first choices.

• Options for reading a poem chorally include unison, two- or three-part, solo voices, cumulative buildup, and simultaneous voices.

• Incorporating action, gestures, body movements, and finger plays can produce more interesting and enjoyable presentation.