BRINGING THE REAL WORLD INTO THE ESL CLASSROOM THROUGH POETRY

Abstract

A language lesson most likely provides the best forum for discussing real world issues. However, getting ESL learners to share their views can be a very challenging task. My group of students comprising young adult learners in university, tend to be unpredictable during classroom discussions. More often than not, they have very little to say and I find myself getting more practice in speaking than they do. However, in using poetry, I have discovered a stimulus that encourages greater student participation. This paper aims to discuss the use of poetry as a viable teaching material for an integrated ESL lesson that accommodates the sharing of views on a wide variety of themes that are related to real world issues. Sample lesson plans that include student input during discussions are discussed with the hope of giving instructors a glimpse into the potential that literary material can have in an ESL lesson.