Barbara W. Coles Trader
The curriculum unit includes some current research for teaching poetry. Numerous literary works of gifted African American poets of the 20th century are addressed in the unit: Nikki Giovanni, Paul L. Dunbar, Countee Cullen, Audre Lorde, Gwendolyn Brooks, Le Roi Jones and Langston Hughes. Words of visual arts and the music of “Rapping/Reggae” are included in some of the lesson plans. Since listening is a highly receptive language in our American society, I have discussed at length some of the current trends and strategies that can be used when teaching listening comprehension skills.
Cooperative/Collaborative Reading and Writing Poetry Work Groups’ sessions are demonstrated in the unit. I have discussed six basic steps which I will use in my lesson plans when teaching poetry. The students will be given many opportunities to understand that reading and writing are tools for information storage, retrieval, discovery, logical thinking, communication and self-indulgence. It is emphasized in the unit that readers construct meaning by using the words and ideas of writers through their individual backgrounds of knowledge and experiences. The titles of selected poems are listed in the unit. Finally, the students will write their individual poems. The teacher has explained the role of writing and reading from a transactional perspective with reflective thoughts and the importance of the social environment when students are writing.
(Recommended for Reading and Language Arts, grades 5-8; and English Literature, grades 7-12)
Key Words
Poetry Afro-American Literature General Special Education
