High school teachers’ experiences with the teaching of poetry: a case study of township English second language teachers.
Date
2021
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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.
Description
Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.