An approach to the teaching of poetry to the student in junior high school : using Newfoundland authors exclusively

Parsons, Robert James (1979) An approach to the teaching of poetry to the student in junior high school : using Newfoundland authors exclusively. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

This investigation was primarily motivated by the desire to develop a solution to the problem of student disinterest in poetry. -- Since a poetry unit is part of the compulsory core to be studied in order to attain promotion to grade nine, and since student achievement in this core had been consistently low for several terms, it was felt that a workable solution to the problem would be of immediate benefit to both students and teacher. -- A review of literature and research related to the problem revealed that the apparent causes of student disinterest and low achievement are many and varied. Of the causes noted in the research conducted, several were adopted as being pertinent to the study reported here. -- The investigator formulated the framework of the proposed instructional approach to derive a proposed solution. The investigator used his two grade eight classes as an experimental and a control group respectively. Selected local Newfoundland writings formed the content of the program for the experimental group, while the control group studied the poetry section in the prescribed literature text. Serving as an advance organizer, a worksheet containing definitions of various literary terms to be encountered at the grade eight level was given to both groups. -- Several pretest and post-test instruments were administered to the students in both groups. As a further means of evaluation, the raw scores obtained on the poetry question of the teacher-made final exam were analyzed. Permission to conduct the investigation was obtained from the Superintendent of the Avalon North Integrated School District. The investigation was conducted with the cooperation of the principal, of St. Peter's Elementary School. -- The limitations and findings of the study are listed, and suggestions for additional research are duly noted. While the results of the pretest and post-test of students' listening and reading abilities showed no significant differences, the analysis of the raw scores obtained on the teacher-made poetry question indicates that the experiment had merit and that certain realistic gains were achieved.

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