Modern English Poetry and Turkish Undergraduates: Learning Strategies Matter

Authors

  • Sally Ann Ashton-Hay Southern Cross University

Abstract

This paper aims to demonstrate how learning strategies engaged Turkish English as a Foreign Language undergraduates studying Modern English poetry. The students believed they would not understand Modern English Poetry but ended up publishing a book of their own poetry resulting from classroom activities. This case study details the process of building engagement through connectedness and social constructivist communicative language teaching approaches. Slowly, as an interactive, learning-based classroom evolved from pair and small group discussions, cognitive reading activities and statements about the text that required support, students gained confidence and expanded their English language resource. Universal themes linked Turkish poetry and student life experiences. Interactive communication and sharing of ideas enlivened the class as students responded to each other, to the poetry and then began writing their own individual expressions. Enthusiastic applause from classmates encouraged more creative poetry and the notion of publishing a poetry book of the students’ work. The poetry book product was advanced by a student editorial team in collaboration with the teacher and published just before their graduation. Similar strategies can be used in other teaching contexts to engage and encourage student voice and creativity.    

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Sally Ann Ashton-Hay, Southern Cross University

Sally Ashton-Hay is Manager Academic Skills in the Centre for Teaching and Learning at Southern Cross University in Australia. She enjoys assisting students with learning strategies for more successful study.

References

Anstey, M. (2003). Literate futures part two: Planning, pedagogy and

multiliteracies. Education Views, June 20.

Emre, Y. (1992). The City of the Heart: Emre’s verses of wisdom and love

(S. Faiz, Trans.). Dorest, UK: Element Books Ltd.

Kanık, O. V. (1997). Just for the hell of it (T.S. Halman, Trans.). Istanbul:

Multilingual Yabangi Dil Yayinlari.

Kinzer, S. (2001). Crescent & Star. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Larsen-Freeman, D. (2000). Techniques and Principles in Language

Teaching, 2nd ed. Oxford: OUP.

Perrine, L. (1974). Literature structure, sound and sense: The elements

of poetry. New York: Harcourt Brace.

Schramm, K. (2008). Reading and good language learners. In C. Griffiths

(Ed.), Lessons from Good Language Learners, Cambridge: CUP.

Shakespeare, W. (1961). The sonnets of William Shakespeare. New York:

Avnel Books.

Strong, R. W., Silver, H. F. & Perini, M. J. (2001). Teaching what matters

most: Standards and strategies for raising student achievement.

Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum

Development.

Than, A. S. (2004). Talking with Agnes Lam. Galaxy English Language

Teaching-Learning, pp. 15-21. Retrieved from:

http://www.aulibrary.au.edu/multim1/ABAC_Pub/Galaxy-The-

English-Department-Journal/v3-n1-5.pdf

Vygotsky, L. (1997). Thought and Language (A. Kozulin, Trans.).

Cambridge: The MIT Press.

Weinstein, G. (2001). Developing Adult Literacies. In M. E. Celce-Murcia

(Ed.), Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language (3rd ed.,

pp. 171-186). London: Heinle & Heinle.

Downloads

Published

2019-11-08

How to Cite

Ashton-Hay, S. A. (2019). Modern English Poetry and Turkish Undergraduates: Learning Strategies Matter. Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal, 2(3), 15–25. Retrieved from https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/841