The Specialness of Poetry

Abstract

Plays are read aloud in parts by classes or groups; novels are read silently by individuals or aloud by teachers; poems are read more than once and recited or dissected. These are the operational differences in how the main forms of literature are taught in secondary schools. But what about the different functions of teaching these forms of literary reading? What distinct style of literary reading does each of these operations model in order to justify teaching all three formsthe play, the novel, the poem? A lull in curricular change gives us the chance to reconsider the justifications of the literary forms and what distinct sorts of aesthetic experience reading them in school can offer. This is specially true of poetry, once the most insecure of the forms, but now fashionable again and protected by National Curriculum Orders, tests, and suggestions for texts. What parts can poetry reach that other forms of literature don't? How should we deal with poetry in school t o exploit its specialness? Do poems offer more than the pragmatic appeal of being short enough to memorise, or to fit into a five-minute gap or one side of A4?Much poetry teaching encourages poems to be read only as dramatic monologues or choruses, or as specially dense, terse prose fiction.The way that poems are chosen, followed-up and tested does too little t o exemplify, model and foster the special sorts of aesthetic experiences which poems offer.The unique and paradoxical essence of poetry lies in its being what Benton et al. (1988) call a 'double discourse'. One side of poetry's coin is its aural nature. That is well acknowledged and enacted in current practice. Current teaching and materials (though not the National Curriculum Orders) do ample justice to poetry as sound. School poetry books urge reading aloud, and some of the most popular poets in school are characterised by emphasis on rhythm or a vernacular voice. But though poetry is the most auraland therefore time-boundof literatures, it is also the most visualand therefore time-freeof literatures.

Teaching Poetry Reading in Secondary Education: Findings From a Systematic Literature Review

“…Stibbs argues that there has been too much focus on narrative poetry and documentary readings of poems, and suggests a holistic aesthetic reading. Stibbs (1995) seems to be working within the Rosenblatt tradition as he uses the concept of "aesthetic reading" referring to Rosenblatt, and links his holistic reading to the "aesthetic reading" by saying that more careful attention to especially poetic poems enhances "aesthetic reading." In Stibbs (2000), however, the connection with Rosenblatt is reduced to a minimum.…”

“…However, it is likely that the ontology or ontologies that the teacher prefers will affect what is taught. Stibbs (1995), for example, does offer the reader a short definition in his introduction where he states what a poem is: "The unique and paradoxical essence of poetry lies in its being what Benton, Teasey, Bell, and Hurst (1988) call 'a double discourse'" (p. 14). Poetry is something very aural but at the same time very visual.…”

“…The question of whether it is important to emphasise students' personal responses or if it is important to study poetic form explicitly is often discussed in the articles. Duke, 1990;Eva-Wood, 2008;McGovern, 1993 Theoretical article with analysis of poems 3 Stibbs, 1995Stibbs, , 2000Sumara, 1995 Rosenblatt (1994) theorised the poem as the result of a transactional event, a process of exchange between the text and the reader. This transaction is what enables the unique personal response: the evocation of the poem in the readers mind.…”

“…Two articles by Stibbs (1995Stibbs ( , 2000 propose a kind of holistic reading of poems in secondary education. Stibbs argues that there has been too much focus on narrative poetry and documentary readings of poems, and suggests a holistic aesthetic reading.…”