Friday 20 June 2014

Poetry in EFL classes

Today I would like to talk about poetry. Could it be useful in an EFL class?  As usual, I try to imagine some activities that involve the use of different digital tools.


What's poetry? 
At the following link you can find some great definitions (I made the above word cloud from some of these definitions using Tagul):
http://poetinthecity.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/what-is-poetry-50-definitions-and-counting/



Why study poetry in an ESL classroom? 
Poetry can help you reach many goals. Take a look at the following map I created with Cacoo:








Click to enlarge my diagram

Some links about the different kinds of poetry

Different types of poetry:
https://www.youngwriters.co.uk/glossary-poetry-types
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/learning/glossary-terms?category=forms-and-types

Examples of different types of poetry:
http://examples.yourdictionary.com/types-of-poetry-examples.html

Forms of poetry:
http://www.poeticterminology.net/index.htm

What about writing a poem?


Watch the video

Where to begin? Have a look at this diagram I made with Cacoo.

Click to enlarge my map

Some more tips


Some useful figures of speech:
http://esl.about.com/cs/reading/a/blpoetry.htm

To find rhymes:
http://www.rhymezone.com/

Let's practise!

Magnetic Poetry is a funny tool to write poems. You have to choose some words to create your masterpiece! Try it! Watch my example at the following link:
http://play.magneticpoetry.com/poem/Original/kit/15415/?h=8444d213e9cd688d306fa98d2aa7ca79



You could also make a poetry magazine where you could collect all your poems! Joomag is a great web tool.

Have a look at my example by clicking on the picture below:




"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words."
Robert Frost