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Literary texts have been viewed as epitomes of
language. The only way students dared to approach such texts in the past was to commit
them to memory and recite them as sacred texts in the company of a chosen few.
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With the functional-notional movement however,
literature is now seen as a rich language resource which can be beneficially exploited by
any language learner. The texts are seen as useful learning material especially if the
dead weight of critical commentary and metalanguage is removed (Duff and Maley 1990).
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Nevertheless, the tradition of worshipping
literary texts is still far from dying out despite calls to take literature off her
pedestal (McRae 1991). Students, especially those learning English as a second or foreign
language, tend to be too timid to step into and explore the realms of literature. Some
students are put off by the zealous guardians of the goddess posing as literature
professors, while others overestimate the difficulty or underestimate their own language
skills.
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While conducting an advanced composition course
in an in-service program for ELT Ethiopian teachers, I conducted a brief needs and wants
analysis of the trainees. A few of the trainees expressed their desire to learn how to
write poems, while the majority ridiculed this idea as being far above their level of
proficiency in English. Aware of the time constraints during the courses, I opted for two
trial lessons on poetry writing which might motivate students to self-study in the future.
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During the first lesson on poetry writing, I got
students to discuss in groups what they understood by the word "poem." I then
gave each group a name of a person, place, or thing and asked each member to write a
sentence defining the name. After this, one group member had to write all the sentences on
the blackboard, and I changed most of the clauses into phrases and modified some of the
adjectives, so we had five "poems" on the board. An example follows:
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An aeroplane is a means of transport with two
wings.
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An aeroplane is one means of transport with the
air.
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An aeroplane is the product of man.
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An aeroplane is a two winged lifeless object
flying through the air guided by a pilot.
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An aeroplane is a means of transportation that
flies in the sky.
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Poem:
An Aeroplane
An aeroplane is: Two wings in the air. A product of man. A flying pilot in the sky.
For the next lesson, I told the trainees to write similar poems of their own entitled
"Teacher." I then made them get into groups of five and choose the best poem for
the group. These are two of the poems that they selected.
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The Teacher by Tewodros Endale
Can we think of a nation, Without an educated person? He devotes his whole life To
combatting ignorance. Melts like a candle, For the enlightenment of people. He removes the
darkness That blocks progress.
A Teacher by Wondu Haile
A Teacher is: A sprinkler of knowledge, A foundation layer, A mould for generations, A
candle for others, Forgetting himself.
I had the satisfaction of knowing that my trial lesson had worked when at the end of the
course I received a poem of praise to me. Moreover while reading through some general
comments on the course, I was delighted to read, "The other thing which surprised me
was writing a poem. I thought that it was difficult and only possible for those who had a
lot of practice. But when I saw the method that you used to teach us, I was very surprised
to see that it was not as complex as I thought before."
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Let us hope that more of our students have the
courage to face literature and discover the wealth of language and excitement it has to
offer them.
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- Duff, A. and A. Maley. 1990. Literature. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- McRae, J. 1991. Literature with a small "l." New York: Macmillan.
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