Using Poems with Young Learners

Louisa Gelzenleuchter

Wiebke Junge

Table of Contents

Poem: „Christmas Dinner“ by Kenn Nesbitt

How to use the poem at school

Criteria for selecting our poem

Cristmas Dinner by Kenn Nesbitt

Fruitcake.

Candied yams.

Mincemeat.

Roasted hams.

Eggnog.

Turkey legs.

Aspic.

Deviled eggs.

Gravy.

Dinner rolls.

Take some.

Pass the bowls.

Jell-o.

Christmas punch.

Cookies.

Munch, munch, munch.

Stuffing.

Gingerbread.

Whoops, I'm

overfed!

After

such a load,

feel likeI'll explode.

Guess I'm

gonna die,

so please

pass the pie.

How to use the poem at school

New topic: Christmas in the USA

3 – 4 school lessons à 45 minutes

Lesson 1

Hand out poem and translations folded in the middle

Teacher reads out poem Students can open paper to see translations Go through poem and translations use

ppt to present unknown food read poem again questions?

~ 15 minutes

Fruitcake (sorry, the presentation was too large with pictures…)

candied yams

mincemeat

roasted ham

eggnog

turkey

aspic

deviled eggs

gravy

dinner rolls

Jell-o

Christmas punch

cookies

stuffing

gingerbread

Lesson 1

Oral questions:~ 10 minutes

What is the poem about?

Do you like the poem? Why? Why not?

Lesson 1

Worksheet Exercise 1: ~ 20 minutes

Look at the form of the poem. What do you notice?

Students look at the poem for 5 minutes Teacher writes answers on blackboard Students copy answers afterwards

Lesson 2 Exercise 2: ~ 20 min Compare the American Christmas

dinner to your own Christmas dinner at home.

- What is similar? What is different? - Which food do you know? Which not? - Which food would you like to try? Which

sounds strange to you? Answers are discussed with the neighbour and

ideas are written down 10 minutes presented in class later 10 minutes

Lesson 2 Exercise 3: ~ 20 minutes

Write a short Christmas poem yourself. (Think of the similarities and differences between Christmas in the USA and in Germany.) 10 minutes

A few poems are read out loud in class 10 minutes

Lesson 2 Group organisation for the next lesson ~ 5

minutes making posters for the classroom

3 groups: Food Decoration Traditions

Homework: Collect material for poster.

(texts, pictures, …)

Lesson 3 (+ beginning of lesson 4)

Produce posters within groups

Hang them up in class

Decorate students’ poems in classroom, too

Criteria for Selecting the Poem (Nuttal 1996: 170ff)

1. Suitability of content & Exploitability:

Fits with syllabus for 7th grade at Grammar School – English as a foreign language

Regional studies United States: celebrations and festivals

Intercultural context (USA vs. Germany) No gender specific topic Suitable for target group Poems: relationships between form and content Vocabulary expansion

Criteria for Selecting the Poem (Nuttal 1996: 170ff)

2. Readability:

Short text Short sentences No complicated, complex sentences No complicated forms / tenses Appropriate language

Criteria for Selecting the Poem (Nuttal 1996: 170ff)

3. Authenticity:

Christmas in the USA American author No shortened version (nothing left out) No abbreviated poem

Criteria for Selecting the Poem (Nuttal 1996: 170ff)

4. Variety:

Group work Creative writing Creativity in general Variation in media Getting insights in different fields of the topic Varieties of language (e.g. “gonna”) (also: British

English vs. American English)

Criteria for Selecting the Poem (Nuttal 1996: 170ff)

5. Presentation:

Read poem with class Go through difficult / unknown words (illustrate by ppt) List striking features of the poem Discussion / presentation of intercultural differences Creative task 1: writing a poem Creative task 2: producing posters on various topics

linked to Christmas in the USA

Thank you for your attention and participation!