Teaching Poetry Using....

SMALL-GROUP DISCUSSION:
A TECHNIQUE TO TEACH ENGLISH POETRY

By: Hamiddin


Abstract
This paper tries to explore a particular technique in literature classroom. Literature is a content subject and compulsory subject, for example; poetry 1, prose 2, etc. which given for the college students who take course in English language education. The paper focuses on using small group discussion technique included pre-discussion activities, whilst-discussion activities, and post-discussion activities and how to implement them in teaching English poetry for the EFL/ESL students of English language education program. This technique is intended to help students in improving their poetry comprehension and motivating them to learn literary subject especially poetry. The small-group discussions technique is one other technique of cooperative learning that proposed by Slavin.
Keywords: Small-Group Discussion, Technique, Poetry



1. Introduction
Issues and concerns relevant to using literature in the English language teaching both as a foreign language and second language have explored by some scholars, experts, teachers, and researches. Many literary texts/works were integrated in teaching English such as song, poem, and short story because literary texts provide much aesthetic, intellectual and emotional pleasure to the students. Lazar (1993) stated that using literature in the classroom is a fruitful way of involving the learner as a whole person, and provides excellent opportunities for the learners to express their personal opinions, reactions and feelings. In same vein, Raymond (2009) argued that literature serve to enhance students’ language competence because its capacity for providing pleasure and enjoyment, the subject of literature can also increase the students’ motivation to interact with text which increase their reading comprehension. Indeed, literature offers the students some opportunities to develop their interpretative power which disciplines greatly involve the skill of comprehension.
Before discussing the literary works in language teaching, it is important to know the distinction between study of literature and the use of literature as a resource for language teaching. Lazar (1993:13-14) have differentiated them which focus on what kind of competence or skills of the students will be expected in the language teaching. The study of literature is making literature itself as the content or subject of a language course, while the use of literature as resource draws on literature as one source among many different kinds of texts for promoting interesting language activities. The study of literature aims at developing the ‘literary competence’ of the students, while use of literature may not aim to develop ‘literary competence’ of the students but it is possible that the students will begin to acquire that competence through their exposure to literary texts. The use of literature help students to sensitize the students’ literacy discourses (Wibawa, 2004:327), develop in readers a lifelong interest in and appreciation (Roe et al., 1995: 442), and develop students’ awareness of language use, and this awareness spurts their affective and experiential achievement that will motivate them to read on (Wu & Wu, 2008:2).
In teaching literature, the objective of teaching held important role. The successful of the teaching is measured for how far the objective of teaching can be reached in teaching-learning process. To achieve the objective of teaching, the teachers implement methods, techniques/strategies, approaches, and procedures or choose the effective and appropriate ways in their teaching. The uses of particular techniques of teaching literature in each form of literary works are very useful. The appropriate methods, approaches, and techniques for teaching prose, poetry and drama enable students to increase their competence both in language and literature. Meanwhile, this paper will try to investigate and explore particular techniques of teaching poetry in literature class by purpose the techniques will help students to comprehend English poems. The technique is being to be discussed is small-group discussion technique.

2. Teaching Literature: A Content Subject
In English language teaching, many literary texts were used as additional passages. The use of literature in language teaching has given many contributions to increase students’ achievement such as creative thinking, motivation, enjoyment, etc. In university level, many departments of English language education in Indonesia have integrated literature not only as additional passages but also as content subject. As content subject, literature was trained partly as compulsory subject which is grouped based on its genres, for examples, Introduction to Literature, Poetry 1, Poetry 2, Prose 1, Prose 2, Drama 1, and Drama 2.
In EFL/ESL language teaching, literature as a content subject can promote internal as well as international communication among all human in the world through literary works because literary texts provide much aesthetic, intellectual and emotional pleasure to the students. Literature reflected the various experiences, ideas, passions of human beings in their daily life that express on several forms and styles of literary works. Since literature directly derives from human life, it can increase students’ knowledge and experiences about human problems included values, morals, cultures, and human interests. After reading a literary work, the students may get a certain impression of what he/she has read.
Literature as content subject has given several functions to the students in the learning process. Literary texts have a powerful function in raising moral and ethical concerns in the classroom. According to Wellek and Warren (1973: 32) that literature has great function in developing human’s feelings, ideas, and interests. In specific, the functions of literature are as follows: the first function is literature gives knowledge of those particularities with which science and philosophy are not concerned. The second function is that literature makes the human perceive what human see, imagine what human already know conceptually or practically. The final function of literature is that literature relieve human—either writers or readers—from the pressure of emotions. Meanwhile, literature as content subject is expected to be able to give positive impacts, knowledge, great ideas and awareness to the students when the literary works have written, read, analyzed or appreciated.



3. Some Techniques of Teaching English Poetry for EFL/ESL Students
Teachers of literature are always on the lookout for effective techniques and approaches to teach the subject. Various techniques needed in the EFL/ESL literature classroom, especially poetry because they will help teaching-learning process reach the objectives. Wu & Wu (2008) stated that the applying particular techniques and approach in teaching and learning literature such as student-centered activities, teaching and learning literature can be an enjoyable, exciting, and uplifting experience because the reading process provokes students’ individual thoughts and interpretations. The literature classroom should be a place where dissimilar ideas confront, conflict, and at times converge with each other, for students will gain maximum profit only when they are active and highly-involved in the learning process.
Relate to the use of technique in teaching poetry, Hay (2004) have discussed and proposed a Comprehension Strategies Matter in teaching poetry for EFL students especially undergraduate Turkish students. She tries to explore and highlight some of the strategies used to challenge, encourage and support the communicative learning process for two large classes of Turkish learners in their third and fourth years of the English Language and Literature Department at Ataturk University. Her learning strategies cover a range of areas including cognitive reading strategies, rigorous learning standards, learning styles and multiple intelligences, meaningful content and building cultural knowledge in order to assist learners in realizing their full potential. He hoped that these strategies might be adaptable to other contexts and inspire teachers to teach what matters most in their own classrooms.
While, Guidelines for Literature Teaching in Singapore Secondary Schools (1989:37) explores some techniques of teaching poetry that involved pre-reading techniques (for example: draw pupils into the text, activate background knowledge, relate the text to personal experiences), techniques of sustaining reading and exploration (for example: divide the work into manageable portions, provide motivation for independent reading, provide a framework), and techniques for highlighting and follow-up (for examples: explore a particular theme or character, enable pupils to express their own response, enable pupils to share views or ideas).
Beside the use of appropriate methods and techniques, the selecting appropriate poetry based on the students’ needs and level is also important. According to Reeves (1972) different poetry needs different treatments or methods. To decide what good poems are for the students, one should apply the criteria of poetry in general, read it with the understanding, the vocabulary, and the feelings of students. Here, the teachers should decide what kind of poetry is will be given to their students. The poetry emphasizes on form, content or aspect of language. The teacher must continually study the nature and interests of the students, their emotional development, their maturity and immaturity outlook, and their range of vocabulary and intelligence. The teacher can choose and select the particular, appropriate, and varied poems from anthologies of poems to be taught to students in a particular class and time.

4. Reading and Analyzing Poem: A Process of Comprehension
a. Reading Poem
Understanding poems is an activity involving reading and process of comprehension. Reading poem can be the first process of knowing the information of particular poem. The activity of reading poem also involved some aspects of reading process. The more important things of comprehending the poem are what the contents of poem. Poetry is like other literary works: prose and drama, it also has its own structures, purposes, languages and general characteristics.
Commonly, poetry written in verse in which consists of lines and stanza. According to Reaske (1966) at least poetry also contains of sounds devices such as rhyme, rhythm, repetition, meter, and onomatopoeia and speech of language such as simile, metaphor, hyperbole, and personification. All of the elements of parts of poetry can be used to find information or ideas in comprehending and appreciating it. The readers can start to analyze poetry or poem from poetic devices, types, sound devices, structural devices and all aspects of poetry that can be analyzed.
While, Schakel and Ridl (1997:12) stated that reading poetry differs from reading a newspaper or a memo and a book. Reading poetry is a process of finding particular information, ideas, experiences, message, values and themes for pleasure or serious analysis. Poems also lead the readers feel intensely, to experiences deeply, and often to extend our understanding of experiences different from the readers’ experience or to affirm own ideas and experiences of the readers.
In comprehending a text of poetry, the students should know how to read comprehensively the poem according to the level of comprehension process. Crawley and Moutain (1995:6) in Roe et al. (1995) stated that reading is as a thinking process has four dimension of reading such as word recognition skills, literal comprehension skills, interpretation skills, and critical/creative thinking skills. The word recognition skills of reading poem can be a process of knowing the meaning of words, determining the words-choice (diction), classifying the denotative and connotative words. In the literal comprehension part, the readers/students need to understand the phrases, clauses, figurative languages and sentences that are used in poems. While, the interpretation and creative thinking skills, the readers/students give interpretation of the poems, find the theme and tone, relate the poems to matters beyond the poems, and give comments, opinions or ideas about the poem or author’s intention.
Another process of reading poems is use particular approach or technique to know any information of poems textually or contextually. According to Schakel and Ridl (1997) the reader may be drawn to the imagery or rhythm, notice the language or concentrate on the sounds, or the readers generally find by themselves intrigued by the handling of the line endings. The readers may approach the poem by contributing factor in all elements and aspect of a poem such as rhyme, sound devices, theme, tone, symbol, and message. The readers may need a necessary ingredient in processing and reacting to its forms and structure.

b. How to Analyze Poem
Literary appreciation or literary analysis is a way of the readers who try to find out particular subject matters of particular literary works. Literary appreciation is similar to literary analysis, literary comprehension and literary study. It means that there is no particular definition of literary appreciation. According to Saryono (2009:9) defined literary appreciation as a process or activity of beautification, enjoying, inspiration, and comprehension to literary works individually, subjectively, existentially, spiritually, completely, intensively, and totally to find out subject matters in order to the literary work can be developed and protected and increase the sensitivity, shrewdness, affection, and involvement of the readers toward literary works.
Literary analysis generally covers novel analysis, poetry analysis and drama analysis. Reaske (1966:5) stated that poetry analysis is an activity to find out particular issues, matters, theme in poetry. Analyzing poetry can be an enjoyable and provocative mental exercise. In analyzing poetry, the reader may be concerned with particular methods and techniques of a poem apart in order to gain understanding in its construction and its meaning. In analyzing any poems, the readers or students are hoped that they will be able to approach any poem properly and imaginatively gain an enlarged understanding of matters and language exist in it.
It is important to be considered by the readers that a poem can be approached or discussed in a large variety of ways. Different poems or different kinds of poem must be discussed or analyzed in different ways. According to Reaske (1966:9), in analyzing poetry, the readers must always know the basic two-fold approach of all activities of reading poetry: readers must understand both the literal sense of the poem and the symbolic or suggested meaning of the poem.
Many possibilities occur in analyzing any poems. These possibilities mean that a poem is free to be discussed or analyzed from any ways and point of views. One way, the reader may focus on elements of poetry such sound devices, figurative languages, themes, and values. Another way, the reader may approach the poetry by using particular literary approach such as formalist literary approach, feminist literary approach, Marxist literary approach and any other literary approaches. So, in analyzing poetry, the readers can do anything that is possible in poetry. Before the readers conducting an analysis of poetry, the readers must read for many times in order to get what the readers want to know.

5. Teaching Poetry Using Small Group Discussion
a. Theoretical Background
In teaching English poetry as a foreign or second language are needed particular methods to increase the students’ achievement and comprehension in English skills-based subject and English content-based subject. There are some methods can be applied in teaching English poetry. One of the methods in teaching English poetry is cooperative learning specifically group discussion. Within cooperative learning, students benefit from sharing ideas rather than working alone. Students help one another so that all can reach some measure of success. According to Slavin (1991) in Elliot et all (1996:354) cooperative learning is a set of instructional methods in which students are encouraged or required to work together on academic tasks, to help one another learn. The essential feature of cooperative learning is that the success of one student helps other students to be successful. In this case, all the students have chance to express opinion or idea in group. Students work together to learn and are responsible for their teammates’ learning as well as their own. So, the students in group have equal opportunities for success.
Group discussion is one technique of cooperative learning that used by teachers in particular subjects. This method is proposed by Slavin. Slavin (1987) in Elliot et all (1996:355) stated that in an attempt to develop techniques designed to further cooperative learning, he proposed that students should work in small (four-member) groups of mixed ability, including one high achiever, two average achievers, and one low achiever.
The main point in setting up a discussion group is to make sure that each group member participates. In the group discussion, Slavin (1995) stated that to monitor the participating of member in group, a group must have a leader. The leader in group has function to insure that everyone participates and that the group stays on task. To monitor the participating of group member, there are many alternative ways to monitor students’ participating such as every member of group have to write an opinion or an idea before the group starts discussion, each members of group has different role (leader, reporter, and presenter) and so on.

b. Conducting Small Group Discussion in Poetry Class
Small group discussion is an effective technique of poetry class in comprehending poem because a group discussion consist only four to five students. According to Roe et al. (1995:332) in implementing cooperative learning techniques, teachers should explain the process and its purpose to their students. The cooperative learning process includes the discussion and sharing of ideas with students as active participants. Here, students should understand exactly what is expected of them during group activities and they need to have a thorough understanding of the topic at hand; otherwise, their misconceptions can inhibit learning. The teacher assigns students to groups which are formed prior to giving out assignments. Observations can help teachers know when and how to adjust group membership and group activities.
To arrange an effective discussion, the small group discussion session will be divided into three parts: (a) pre discussion activities, in which the teachers gives information about the techniques and steps of the discussion and the topic to discuss; (b) whilst discussion activities, in which the students do the small group discussion, report their own discussion, and present the result of their discussion to other groups or general discussion; and (c) post discussion activities, in which the teacher gives comments, corrections, clarifications on the poems discussed.
Before conducting small group discussion, the teacher should: (1) organize the group and divide the students into small groups in which one group consists of 4-5 students, (2) explain the role of each member of group, (3) set time, the task and activity of discussion, (3) explain the procedure of discussion in groups, and (4) discuss the findings in large groups/class.

a. Pre-discussion activities
Pre-reading activities were employed to give information about the techniques, procedures, and steps of discussions and the poetry to discuss in groups. In this activity, the teacher gives an example of poetry to discussion in groups and some questions. For example, in the poem Desert Moon by Dr. Antoinette Voget, the teacher gives related written questions to all the groups, such as: does the poem have rhyme? Find and explain some figurative languages of the poem! What is the tone? What is the theme? What is the message? The duration of this activity is 5 minutes.
b. Whilst discussion activities
In whilst reading activities, the students read and do the small group discussion about Desert Moon poem, answering the questions that was given by the teacher, report their own discussion on the piece of paper that was provided by the teacher, and present the result of their discussion in their own group first and to other groups in panel discussion, while other member of groups may debate, clarify, give opinion, and criticize.
During whilst discussion activities, the teacher should observe the groups discussion to make sure that all members of group participate in their own discussions. The time of small group discussion is 15 minutes and panel discussion is 30 minutes.
c. Post discussion activities
The post discussion activities the teacher collects the works of group discussion, the teacher comments the group discussions and giving the reward (score) to each group and members of group who participate in discussions, the teacher may give some corrections if any, and the teacher may give several oral questions to members of group randomly.
Those activities above can be conducted in several meetings with some different poems to be discussed in groups. To check the students’ comprehension about poem that have discussed, the teacher may home work to analyze a poem and gives a written test/quiz individually.

c. Advantages of Cooperative Learning Groups
Implementing cooperative learning groups has many advantages and disadvantages. According to Roe et al. (1995), the advantages of implementing cooperative learning groups are: firstly, it improves students’ achievement, self-esteem, and social development. In cooperative learning groups, students may help others students to improve their achievement. It also teaches students to work together as a team, and each members of group are responsible one another. These methods also emphasizes on interaction between students in socializing and sharing their knowledge, information, and opinion to the others.
Secondly, the students may have greater motivation to learn, more positive attitudes toward instruction and greater acceptance of student differences. It shows that cooperative learning groups may motivate students to learn and students have more interest to know more about the instruction. Other positive effects, students also learn how to accept different opinion of other students and how to appreciate or respect different opinion. This method also gives opportunity for the students in order to do the best individually or in groups.
Thirdly, it decreases on in dependence on the teacher. In learning, students can be independence learner. This activity can be student-centered activity. It means that students learn together in getting what they needs. Here, the role of teacher is only as a guide. He/she guides, monitors, and addresses the students to achieve the goal of learning in the class. This activity will give positive effects to students outside the classroom. The students may learn not only from the teacher but also from other students.

d. Disadvantages of Cooperative Learning Groups
Besides the advantages of cooperative learning groups above, it also has some disadvantages. Roe et al. (1995) stated that cooperative learning groups is not always effective for particular subject. It can be difficult for the teacher in applying this method if the teacher does not know the procedures, rules, and steps of cooperative learning groups.
Roe et al. (1995:264) mentioned some disadvantages of cooperative learning groups. The first is the applying this method need much time. The teacher should provide the much time in order to make sure that the activity of students in group is in right track. The second is teacher may get difficulties to monitor the activity in the groups and to evaluate the students’ participating in group. The third, some gifted students may become frustrated when they are trying to explain material to less able students. While groups discussion, students who has low achievement may do anything that is does not relate the topic because the cooperative learning groups, all students are expected to participate in groups, both students in low achievement and students in high achievement. Cohen (1990) in Roe et al. (1995) says that cooperative learning requires only group products, low-achieving students may never have opportunity to practice skills that are vital for improving their achievement. The high-achieving student may dominates the discussion in groups and give more contribution to group rather than low-achieving students.
Although there are disadvantages of cooperative learning groups, it is possible for the teacher to implement this method because the teacher may make the groups of student smaller for examples one groups consist of only four students. Other positive effects for teaching learning process, the students have same opportunities to express and share idea, opinion, and knowledge one another. This method also gives a good contribution to the students in which the process of discussion in group, there is interaction between students and feed-back activity. The main point of using cooperative learning groups is students have good motivation in learning. This point can be good starting point in teaching learning process. If the students are motivated to learn, the students will improve their achievement of particular subject.

6. Conclusion
The learning and teaching techniques are expected to suggest a positive impact on the undergraduate students in poetry classes. A small group discussion techniques in teaching poetry included pre-discussion activities, whilst discussion activities, and post discussion activities are expected to help students in improving their comprehension about poetry. Other expectation of using small group discussions in teaching poetry is to develop more active and communicative learner-centered classrooms, to motivate students to learn, and to teach them to be social people. In conclusion, the writer expects that small group discussion technique may be an alternative technique of teaching poetry and can solve teacher and students’ problem in poetry class.


REFERENCES


Hay, Sally Asthon. 2004. Teaching English Poetry to Turkish Undergraduates: Comprehension Techniques Matter. Paper presented at Bilkent University 9th International English Language Teaching Conference, “Challenge in Learning: Helping Learners Realise Their Full Potential”. March 4-6, 2004, Ankara, Turkey. Online paper. Accessed on September 1st, 2009. http://eprints.qut.edu.au

Lazar, Gillian. 1993. Literature and Language Teaching: A Guide for Teachers and Trainers. Oakleigh: Cambrige University Press.

Raymond Ng. 2009. Literature in Language Teaching for Translation Students. A paper of the 5th International Conference, I.L.E., Hong Kong. Online Article. Accessed on 24, 2009. http://sunzi1.lib.hku.hk/hkjo/view/ 10/1000007.pdf

Reaske, Christopher Russell. 1966. How to Analyze Poetry. New York: Monarch Press.

Reeves, James. 1972. Teaching Poetry. London: Heinemann

Roe, Stoodt & Burns. 1995. Secondary School Reading Instruction: The Content Areas. The Fifth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Saryono, Djoko. 2009. Dasar Appresiasi Sastra. Yogyakarta: Elmatera Publishing.

Schakel, Peer & Ridl, Jack. 1997. Approaching Poetry: Perspectives and Responses. New York: St. Martin’s Press.

Slavin, Robert A. 1995. Cooperative Learning: Theory, Research and Practice. Second Edition. Needham Heights: Allyn and Bacon.

Slavin, Robert E. 1987. Cooperative Learning and Motivation. In Elliot, Stephen N., Kratochwill, Thomas R. Littlefield, Joan and Travers John F. 1996. Educational Psychology: Effective Teaching & Effective Learning. Second Edition. Sidney: Brown & Benchmark.

Slavin, Robert E. 1991. Cooperative Learning and Motivation. In Elliot, Stephen N., Kratochwill, Thomas R. Littlefield, Joan and Travers John F. 1996. Educational Psychology: Effective Teaching & Effective Learning. Second Edition. Sidney: Brown & Benchmark.

Wellek, Rene and Warren, Austin. 1973. Theory of Literature. 3rd edition. New York: Harcourt Brace and World.

Wibawa, Gideon. 2004. The Use of Literature to Enhance Language Competence. in Bambang Yudi C. & Utami Widiati (Eds.), The Tapestry of English Language Teaching and Learning Indonesia (pp. 327–335). Malang: State University of Malang Press.

Wu, Pin-hsiang Natalie and Wu, Wen-chi. 2008. One Page Plus, One More Character. Online Asian EFL Journal. Volume 10. Issue 4, ISSN: 1738-1460. Accessed on February 15, 2009. www.asian-efl-journal.com/ December_2008_EBooks.pdf

______ 1989. Guidelines for Literature Teaching in Singapore Secondary Schools. Singapore: The English Unit Languages and Library Development Branch, Curriculum Planning Division, Ministry of Education of Republic of Singapore.

_______ 2006. Desert Moon. Www. Poetry Today. A Quarterly Publication of the International Society of Poets Spring edition. Owing Mills, MD 21117. Accessed on March 1st, 2009. www. Poetryhunter.com.