Yolanda U. Trapp
In this unit I will introduce students to literacy work written by women writers in Latin America, and several aspects of their lives. In poetry I intend to opening a world of feelings to children of all grades. As educators we must lead children into poetry written by exceptional women.
Traditionally, the function of our schools has been to train for the thinking aspects of living. And this obligation, more than at any other time in our history, must continue to be one of the basic responsibilities of the school.
Research has shown that children learn best and remember what they have learned if they are actively involved in the learning process. When we present them with topics that have meaning to them and with ideas they can use in their everyday world, they learn the natural way, driven by curiosity and the impulse to grow. Then, the children are ready to explore, discover, hypothesize and learn - and to see the connections between what they have learned and what they want to know.
I believe that through selected poems of Latin women, I will find a more holistic approach to teaching reading and Language Arts, and students will discover the connection between reading, listening, writing, and speaking.
This unit may serve as a brief introduction to the rich field of poetry written by Latin women. Reading, recitation and writing poetry is an aid in developing language skills, like good pronunciation. It is suggested that the poems be read aloud, and many are short enough for easy memorization. Learning of vocabulary and grammatical constructions is facilitated by the literal English translations on facing pages. Students of Spanish and English will find here a rich selection of the finest poems written by Latin women, specially chosen for its quality and enduring popularity.
This unit is recommended for bilingual students and also for English-speaking students wishing to take part in a variety of cultural experiences.
(Developed for Poetry, Reading, Writing, Literacy, Language Arts and Bilingual, Social Studies, Inclusion – Special Education students, grades K-5; recommended for ESL-EOL Language Arts, Bilingual, Social Studies, Multicultural Studies, Science, and Special Education, grades K-5)
