Poetry is an art form which helps in bringing out thoughts and emotions in the reader’s mind. It helps people to create timeless melodies and rhythms using only a few words and syllables. Reading, memorizing, and recitation of poetry can help students gain confidence by delving deeper into a language. Many poems resonate with our experiences, feelings, and mindsets. As such, students sometimes get fascinated with them and go beyond just pleasure and entertainment; they try to experience a sense of enlightenment and better understanding.
Every time we read a poem, something new can be derived from it. Moreover, reciting poetry loudly can help students to enhance learning and retain information for a longer span of time. If students memorize and engage in recitation regularly, it will spark innovation and help them to pursue their education in an innovative way. It will not only make things easier for them, but will also help them to achieve better outcomes.
Poetry can Transform Education into an Interesting Engagement
Many students find language arts classes unstructured, indefinite, and boring at times. They feel that the study material is endless and lacks the required elements to make the content more engaging. For others, numerous source materials and challenges excite them to explore more and learn new techniques and procedures. There are others who consider language arts classes frustratingly open-ended. They simply want to complete the chapter, get the right answers, and open and shut the book.
In such cases, poetry can play an essential role in quenching the thirst of knowledge, while inspiring students to explore more. Students who are not naturally drawn to literature or who struggle with lower reading skills can improve their abilities by focusing on poetry. Poems are meant to be read aloud, spoken, heard, remembered, and passed on. Students relate to poetry more by thinking through the heart, rather than the brain. Moreover, the length of poems also ensures that students are less likely to feel overwhelmed or bored, before they even have begun.
Many teachers may hear audible groans when they first mention poetry in their classes. Students may complain about their lack of desire to study poetry. It may be frustrating for the teachers, but taking adequate steps can help them to deal with the topic properly and come up with better results. Additionally, performing poetry, in comparison to studying it, reading it, or analyzing it, can bring major transformations into students. It will make them more confident, enhance their language comprehension, and encourage them to participate actively in different courses.
The Essential Ingredients of Memorizing and Reciting Poetry
Educational institutions and teachers can implement various procedures to ensure poetry recitation and memorization. They have to make sure that these exercises aim at academic development of the students, while also ensuring that they have a good time doing the same. Some of the key points to keep in mind while selecting a specific poem have been mentioned below:
Choice of the Poetry is Essential
It is essential to select the type of poetry. With proper training, students will learn how to search for poems. They will able to take proper decision about which poem to select for performing in the classroom. Mostly, students opt for poems which fit their reading level and match their personal interest, philosophy, taste, likes, and dislikes. It is quite natural on their part, but sometimes they select certain uncommon poems, which end up stretching their skills in ways a teacher could not plan for. Therefore, the selection of the poetry should be easy and clear.
Creation of a Concrete Learning Task
Learning poetry opens numerous dimensions for students. It gives them tremendous exposure and experience with language. For any student, it is easy to learn one poem. But, when it comes to learn a number of poems, in a constant and repeated manner, then their abilities are truly tested. With proper guidance and motivation, students can learn and carry out various tasks which they initially deemed impossible.
Boosting Confidence
One of the best ways to enhance public speaking skills is to participate in recitations. This will help students to speak effectively in front of others. Poetry recitation is similar to acting: students have to learn about the elements of physical presence, voice, articulation, speed, volume, and tone, and so on, without having to present their own work. For most students, it is more intimidating to present their own work, than of someone else.
Continuing Learning
Poems provide the scope of continued learning. When we learn a poetry during our childhood, it tends to stay in our memories for a long period of time. Poems reveal mysteries and complexities slowly or suddenly, over time. At times, a student may recall a poem they learned at a lower classroom. But when they recall them years later, they encounter the subtle surprises, which they never noticed before.
Testing Memory and Recall
Many students find solace in the act of repetition and remembering. They like testing how much they can recall. For students with disabilities like autism and for exceptional learners, reciting poetry is a brilliant way to understand language, build confidence, and improve public speaking skills. For younger children who get motivated even with small victories, mastering a small poem is also a major accomplishment.
Poetry acts as an essential element in enhancing students’ academic, cognitive, and mental well-being. It helps them to not only learn, but also appreciate a literary work. It assists students to improve their curricular and co-curricular performance, along with emotional prosperity. Hence, for better academic outcomes, poetry can play a game-changing role.
– Ananda Kamal Das
