Multipurpose Poetry: Introducing Science Concepts and Increasing Fluency

Overview

Featured Resources

From Theory to Practice

 

OVERVIEW

Poetry can be a fun and unintimidating way for ESL students to develop their oral fluency. In this lesson, students discuss what they know about poetry and then work in small groups to develop a choral reading of two poems about an assigned insect. The poems serve as an introduction to a research investigation (via the Internet) about the insect. Students use a worksheet to compile factual information about the insect and present the information, along with their choral poetry readings to the class.

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FEATURED RESOURCES

Research Information worksheet: This worksheet provides students with a guide for their research and a place to record information about the insect they are researching.

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FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE

Hadaway, N.L., Vardell, S.M., & Young, T.A. (2001). Scaffolding oral language development through poetry for students learning English. The Reading Teacher, 54, 796–806.

• ESL students need frequent opportunities to develop their oral language fluency. Poetry provides a nonthreatening way for students to participate and practice oral fluency.
  
  
• The brevity of poetry provides a scaffold for students to transition into more complicated and longer texts.
  
  
• The rhythm and repetition of poetry provides support for students learning the English language.
  
  
• Poetry provides a "powerful anticipatory set" for the introduction of concepts and content across the curriculum.

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