Seasonal poetry for reading in ESL classes

Reading seasonal poetry in ESL classes is an excellent way of acquainting students with the marvelous literary treasures of the English language. Seasons and their changing aspects are universal and so too are the poetic themes used in seasonal poetry. Being already familiar with these can facilitate the students' learning process.

Coleridge referred to poetry as “the best words in the best form”. These are not only strung together differently than prose, they present a clear or abstract expression of a concept, situation or emotion in a musical or rhythmic way. Poetry evokes different responses in different readers and teaching it without ruining or sentimentalizing the intimacy of this response requires skill and sensitivity.

Each poem must be considered on an individual basis and taught on its own merits. There isn't any set way of teaching poetry. However, it's important to keep in mind that the main aim of teaching poetry isn't so much about enhancing vocabulary or learning about figures of speech, but about developing aesthetic and intuitive skills and fostering imaginative and intellectual growth.

• Select your season.
• Select a related poem you like. Or ask students to research and come up with poems they like. As far as possible, it is important to select poems everyone can like and relate to. You can't be enthusiastic about poems you don't like.
• Build up a proper introduction for the poem. For example, if it's a winter poem, talk about that season.
• Give a brief outline of the poem. Don't over-explain.
• Read out the poem in a clear way so everyone follows you.
• Ask the students to read the poem themselves, silently first and then aloud. Reciting the poem out loud ensures they get the pronunciation, intonation and phrasing correct. Instead of straight-forward recital, try singing or reading in different voice tones or even acting out the poem.
• Discuss what the poem is about and have the students give their input. Do they like the poem? Do they feel the poet has been successful in expressing his central idea? What are the words and imagery the poet has used to convey his/her ideas? How has he/she used sentence structure and figures of speech?
• Read other poems on the same season and compare differences and similarities.
• Take students to poetry readings if possible.
• Students can have a go at composing poems of their own. To help them, brainstorm words, phrases and descriptions related to a particular season, write these on a chart and put the chart up so everyone can refer to it.

The Rainy Day - By Rabindranath Tagore

Three Songs at the End of Summer - By Jane Kenyon

Daffodils in the Rain - By William Arnette Wofford

Spring in the City - By Margaret E. Sangster

Schoolboys in Winter - By John Clare

The Snowing of the Pines -By Thomas Wentworth Higginson

Autumn Song - By Margaret E. Sangster

Ode To Autumn - By John Keats