Chapter 11 Notes
I. Introduction
a. Children’s poetry is an enjoyable vehicle for developing listening skills i. Activities that involve poetry hold many opportunities to promote
language and literacy by associating pleasure with words. ii. Poetry has a condensed quality that makes every word
important
1. Prompts imagery through its sensory descriptions 2. Can introduce enchanting tales
3. Nonsense verse appeals to the preschoolers’ appreciation for slapstick
b. Glazer and Burke believe that the repetitive format of rhymes makes them “rote-able” and that repetition is a strategy for learning with pleasure
i. Language of rhyme becomes easily fixed in memory
1. Can become part of a child’s linguistic and intellectual resources for life
c. Poetry is a perfect test for what language can do i. Full of word play
ii. Poets have always used language in special ways
1. In poetry, we have a vehicle for looking at the use of words, that is, the choosing of the one special word that fits perfectly
d. We need to share with children words that: i. “Taste good”
ii. Tickle the tongue iii. Tease the ear
iv. Create images in the mind’s eye v. Delight us with their trickery
vi. Amuse us with their puzzles and complexities e. Appropriate children’s poetry is plentiful and varied
i. There is the joy of the rhythm of the words in many poems ii. Some rhythms in classic rhymes are so strong that they can
motivate children to move their bodies or clap, such as: 1. “Jack and Jill”
2. “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” 3. “The Little Turtle”
iii. Rhythm encourages children to: 1. Join in orally
2. Experiment with language 3. Move to the rhythmical sounds
iv. Some poems appeal to the emotions, and others, to the intellect f. A preschool child with beginning literacy might be described as a child
i. Three-year-olds delight in silly and playful poetry II. Learning Opportunities
a. Poetry provides an opportunity for a child to learn new words, ideas, and attitudes and to experience life through the eyes of the poet b. Poetry has form and order
i. It is dependable and also easy to learn
ii. Simple rhymes are picked up quickly, as most parents have seen from their children’s ability to remember television commercials
iii. Children in early childhood centers enjoy the accomplishment of memorizing short verses
1. They may ask to share the poems they have learned with the teacher, just as they ask to sing songs they know (which are often poems set to music)
c. Teacher should provide encouragement, attention, and positive comments to the child who responds to poetry
i. Goal of the teacher in regard to poetry is to offer children pleasure and enjoyment of the language arts while expanding their knowledge and interest
d. Poetry is used for a variety of reasons, including:
i. Familiarizing and exposing children to classic and contemporary poetry that is considered part of our literary heritage
ii. Training children to experience the pleasure of hearing sounds iii. Providing enjoyment through the use of poems with silly words
and humor
iv. Stimulating children’s imaginations v. Increasing vocabulary and knowledge vi. Building self-worth and self-confidence vii. Encouraging an understanding of rhyming III. Poetry and Early Reading Ability
a. Poems, rhymes, and chants acquaint young children with language in repeated pleasant patterns and with catchy rhythms, such as “The Grand Old Duke of York”
i. Drop the words in this rhyming chant
ii. Use da-Da, da-Da, da-Da, etc., and see how easy it is to isolate and sense the accented words and syllables
iii. Rhyming words teach a child that different words can share some of the same sounds
b. Experts believe children’s ability to discriminate, create rhyming words, and sense the rhythm of words is closely related to early reading ability c. Educators agree that a great deal of general evidence indicates that
both early awareness of rhyme and nursery rhyme knowledge facilitate literacy acquisition
i. It is a significant predictor of later progress in reading and spelling
ii. A relationship exists between early rhyme awareness and later phonological skills
iii. Nursery rhyme knowledge is a strong predictor of word attack and word identification skills when children begin early reading iv. Connection between rhyme awareness and the child’s
subsequent acquisition of literacy-related skill demonstrates that a developmental pathway to reading involves rhyme
v. Repetition of consonant sounds in the lyrics of nursery rhymes like “cock-a-doo, dee-doodledee dee doodle-dee-doo” certainly demonstrates rhyme and alliteration d. Children develop skill in identifying rhyme at an early age
i. Relationship between rime units and words that rhyme is obvious
1. Words that rhyme share the same rime unit
2. Bryant, Bradley, MacLean, and Crossland note that children’s knowledge of nursery rhymes is predictive of their success in spelling 2 to 3 years later
IV. Selection
a. Poetry introduces children to characters with fun-to-say names such as:
i. Jonathan Bing by Beatrice Curtis Brown ii. Mrs. Peck Pigeon by Eleanor Farjeon
iii. Godfrey Gordon Gustavos Gore by William Rands b. Characters can live in familiar and farfetched settings:
i. Under the toadstool, from The Elf and the Dormouse by Oliver Herford
ii. Straight to the animal store, from The Animal Store by Rachel Field
iii. In a little crooked house, from Mother Goose
c. They have various adventures and difficulties.
i. “The kids are ten feet tall,” from Grown-Up-Down Town by Bobbi Katz
ii. “Christopher Robin had wheezles and sneezles,” from Sneezles
by A. A. Milne
iii. “Listen, my children, this must be stopped,” from The Grasshoppers by Dorothy Aldis
d. Teachers select poetry that they can present eagerly and that they believe children will like
i. Delight in words is a natural outcome when the poem suits the audience
ii. Teachers look for poems of quality and merit iii. Three elements exist in good poetry:
1. Distinguished diction
2. Carefully chosen words and phrases with rich sensory and associated meanings
iv. Much of classic poetry has a song quality and a melody of its own
1. Poetry can:
a. Say something to children b. Titillate them
c. Cause them to recall happy occasions or events d. Encourage them to explore
e. Traditional eighteenth-century nursery rhymes are still popular with children
i. Favorite rhymes with strong four-beat couplets (“Humpty
Dumpty” and others) are repeated with the teacher exaggerating the beat (as children do).
1. This technique holds group interest
f. Categories of verse popular with most preschoolers have one or more of the following characteristics:
i. Simple story line (“Jack Be Nimble”)
ii. Simple story line with finger play (“This Little Piggy”) iii. Story in song with repeated chorus (“London Bridge”) iv. Verse/story with nonsense words (“Hey, Diddle, Diddle”)
v. Descriptions of daily actions (“Little Jack Horner”)
vi. Choral reading in which youngsters could join in with rhymed words (“To Market, to Market”)
g. No child should miss the fun, wit, and wisdom of Mother Goose i. Literacy, in part, depends on a child’s exposure to cultural
tradition
ii. Mother Goose is an American tradition
h. Practicing teachers recommends selecting poems that: i. Have strong rhythm and rhyme
ii. Play with sound iii. Are humorous
iv. Deal with things that are familiar to children’s lives
i. Once children have been bitten by the poetry bug, focus on rhythm and rhyme, and explore how various poets use sound devices such as alliteration or onomatopoeia
j. Types of poetry
i. Lyric melodic, descriptive poetry that often has a song quality ii. Narrative poetry that tells a story or describes an event or
happening
iii. Limerick a poem with five lines of verse set in a specific rhyming pattern that is usually humorous
iv. Free verse poetry that does not rhyme nonsense poetry that is often ridiculous and whimsical
V. Poetry Elements
a. A particular poem’s rhythm is influenced by sounds, stress, pitch, and accented and unaccented syllables
i. Manipulation of one or all of these features creates a particular idea, feeling, or message
ii. Some rhythms are regular; others are not
1. Enjoyable quality of the Mother Goose rhymes stems from their strong rhythm and cadence
iii. In poetry, authors use rhythm to emphasize words or phrases, consequently capturing children’s immediate attention
1. Exciting, dramatic rhythms and relaxed, soothing rhythms can be included in the same poem
2. Poetry’s rhythm is capable of making children feel that they are actively participating rather than merely listening b. Children’s literature is full of rhyming words and rhyming names
i. Poetic rhyme can occur within sentences or at line endings ii. Children often rhyme on their own, spontaneously, during play iii. Nonsense rhymes have given joy to generations of children c. Alliteration (the occurrence of two or more words having the same initial sounds, assonance, or vowel sounds) is often used in poetry
i. All types of repetition are characteristic of children’s poetry d. Visual images are stimulated by the poet’s use of sensory words and
figurative language (non-literal meanings)
i. Poet may provide a new way of looking at things by comparing previously unconnected objects or events
ii. Similes (direct comparisons between two things that have something in common but are essentially different) or
metaphors (implied comparisons between two things that have something in common but are essentially different) are often found in poetry
iii. Giving human characteristics and emotions to inanimate objects and animals (personification) is also commonplace
e. Format of printed poetry (type size and style, page layout, punctuation, and capitalization) has been used to heighten enjoyment and highlight the subject matter
i. One can find poems printed in the shape of a tree or in a one- word, long, narrow columns
VI. Teacher Techniques
a. If a poem is read or recited in a conversational manner, rather than in a sing-song fashion, the rhyme is subtle and enjoyable
i. Sing-song reading and recitation may become tiresome and difficult to understand
b. Most teachers know that reciting from memory requires practice, so the poems they memorize are a few favorites
i. Memorization can create a mechanical quality, as the teacher focuses on remembering rather than enjoyment
c. Often, poetry is shared through teacher readings from lap cards i. Poem should be read smoothly without uncalled-for hesitation
1. Teacher has to prepare by reading the poem enough times for it to roll off the tongue with ease, savoring the words in the telling
d. Enjoyment of poetry, like other types of literature, can be increased by an enthusiastic adult
i. Careful reading of poetry is necessary because of poetry’s compactness, and need to make every word count
e. When encouraging children to join in and speak favorite poetry lines, sensitive handling is in order
i. Teacher can suggest:
1. “Let’s say it together”
2. Or “Join me in saying this poem if you like.”
ii. Child should not be singled out or asked to recite without volunteering
1. Some gregarious children will want to share poems they have learned
2. A number of repetitions of a favorite verse may be needed before it is totally remembered
3. Children usually start with a few words or phrases f. Giving careful attention not only to pitch and stress is advised, and
most importantly to juncture
i. Where one makes the breaks in poetry will make or break our presentation
ii. Natural tendency is to break at the end of the printed line which may lead to artificial segmenting, not intended by the poet g. Technique that works well for “a change of pace” is background music
without lyrics but with a strong repeated beat used as a backdrop for poems or teacher- created rhymed lines
i. Result is chant-like or rap-like
ii. Promotes children’s joining in and at times also clapping h. Poetry charts hanging on a chart stand next to the teacher are a
helpful device for capturing attention and freeing a teacher’s eyes to meet those of the children
i. When reading from a chart, quickly glance at a line and then turn so that the words are transmitted to the children
i. Young children sometimes create their own rhymes
i. Poems dictated by children should be recorded verbatim, with no editing or teacher suggestions
ii. Each creation is regarded as special j. Ways to introduce children to poetry
i. Posting poems in conspicuous places may help create interest 1. Particularly true if pictures or illustrations are placed
adjacent to the poems
2. Poetry tree, made by placing a smooth tree limb in plaster of Paris, can have paper leaves with poems on the back that can be selected at group times
3. A poem of the day (or week) bulletin board has worked well in some classrooms
ii. Pictures and flannel boards can be used in poetry presentation to interest and help children focus on words
1. Other props or costumes that relate to the poem (such as a teddy bear or police officer’s hat) will gain attention iii. Poems can be enjoyed indoors or outdoors, or between
activities as a “fill-in” when the teacher or children are waiting iv. Mounting cut magazine pictures and trying to think up words
that rhyme with what is pictured is a rhyming activity many teachers favor
v. Nursery songs emphasize rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, and playful enjoyment
1. Their predictability delights
2. Children acquire an immediate sense of accomplishment when they join in with words or movement
VII. Sources
a. A fine line divides finger plays, body and movement games, chants, songs, and poems
i. All can involve rhyme and rhythm
b. Many fine picture books contain rhymed verse and can enhance a center’s poetry program
i. Collections, anthologies, and books of children’s poetry are available at:
1. Public libraries 2. Bookstores
3. School supply stores
4. Children’s and teachers’ magazines c. Teachers can create poetry from their own experiences
i. Suggestions for creating poems for young children that point out the special features found in older classics and quality
contemporary poetry:
1. Include mental images in every line
2. Use strong rhythms that bring out an urge to chant, move, or sing
3. Use frequent rhyming 4. Use action verbs often
5. Make each line an independent thought 6. Change the rhythm
7. Use words that are within the children’s level of understanding
8. Use themes and subjects that are familiar to the young child
ii. Teacher-created poems promote child-created poems d. Many teachers search for ethnic poems that allow them to offer
i. No one cultural group has a corner on imagination, creativity, poetic quality, or philosophic outlook
ii. Each has made important contributions to the total culture of the country and the world
e. Recalling the poems and verses of one’s own childhood may lead a teacher to research poems by a particular poet
i. Remembering appealing poetry elements may also help a teacher find poetry that may delight today’s young child VIII. Suggested Poems
a. If I Were an Apple b. Buttons
c. Animal Crackers d. One Stormy Night e. Whisky Frisky f. To Market g. Secrets h. Oliver Twist i. Raindrops j. Pretending
k. Slow Turtle, Fast Rabbit l. The Island of a Million Trees m. Maytime Magic
n. Harry T. Bear Learns to Rhyme o. Harry T. Bear Says He Can Read p. I Bought Me a Rooster
q. The Chickens r. Talking Animals s. Here Comes the Bus t. Over in the Meadow u. Little Boy Blue
v. The Cat and the Fiddle w. The Little Girl with a Curl
