High school teachers’ experiences with the teaching of poetry: a case study of township English second language teachers.

Abstract

This research study sought to understand the experiences of high school teachers in teaching poetry to English second language learners in township schools. In understanding these teachers’ experiences the study utilised Vygotsky’s social constructivism theory which is the lens in which the study was viewed. The study employed a qualitative approach within the interpretative paradigm and a qualitative case study was conducted with educators in the Pinetown district in KwaZulu Natal. Interviews and questionnaires were used in this qualitative study to gain insights on teachers’ experiences and a thematic analysis was utilised to analyse the generated data. The study found that teachers have varied experiences that are unique to each individual which are both negative and positive. The study revealed that teaching poetry comes with challenges even for teachers who seem to love poetry. It further revealed that the experiences displayed by teachers were rooted in numerous factors from their past, the manner they were taught poetry, the classroom and beyond the classroom. These factors thus influenced, sometimes unwittingly, the methods they chose to use when teaching poetry and the negative attitude they held towards poetry and the teaching thereof. Some of the contributing factors to the negative attitude were self-doubt, inadequate tertiary education training and in-service professional development, inability to interpret and appreciate poetry, complex language used in poetry, and the nature and calibre of the learners, time constraints and curriculum needs. The findings revealed that ESL teachers, even those who appeared to love poetry, were uncomfortable with teaching the genre. They were unsure of the best approach because of its unique use of language. The study further found that teachers were not confident enough to teach poetry in grade 12 because of the nature of examination which is set at national level. As far as their distaste for this genre is concerned, the study found that it emanated from their past experiences with the genre. The teachers revealed that High school and tertiary education did not prepare them well enough for the proper appreciation and the teaching of this genre. Therefore, this study concludes that in order to improve on the issue of language barrier and resistance to poetry from both teachers and learners, the Department of Education, among other things, should ensure that teachers do introduce poetry at the early stages of the learners’ education in order to familiarise the learners with this genre.