1.4 Course outcomes
At the end of this course we hope that you will not only have expanded your knowledge of poetry, but also increased your confidence in your ability to engender an enthusiasm for and appreciation of the poetic form in your own students and so enable them to respond to and present "critical, interpretative and imaginative texts" (Board of Studies NSW English Years 7-10 Syllabus, 2002, p.47) and to enjoy "experiencing and responding to a range of spoken and written texts" (Board of Studies NSW English K-6 Syllabus, 1998, p.16).
At the end of Section 2 you will:
- Be able to give a definition of poetry and explain what distinguishes it from prose
- Be able to explain what qualities make some poems more effective than others
At the end of Section 3 you will:
- Know the fundamental features of a poem
- Know the three components of a poem: statement/voice, rhythm and rhyme
- Know the devices enhancing the three components such as alliteration and assonance
- Understand the three affective levels of a poem
- Appreciate how these levels and techniques contribute to the meaning of a poem
At the end of Section 4 you will:
- Know the major poetic forms such as ballad, sonnet and ode
- Be able to respond emotionally and intellectually to examples of the main poetic forms
- Be able to articulate your responses to particular poems
- Appreciate ways in which writers can "transform ideas and experience into texts, including consideration of their insight, imaginative powers and verbal ingenuity" (Board of Studies NSW English Years 7-10 Syllabus, 2002, p.37)
By the end of Section 5 you will:
- Understand the purpose of poetry and its place in the curriculum
- Value the role poetry plays in preparing students "for effective and responsible participation in their society, taking account of moral, ethical and spiritual dimensions" (Board of Studies NSW English Years 7-10 Syllabus, 2002, p.5).
By the end of Section 6 you will:
- Be able to critically evaluate and select appropriate poems for students at various age groups at the primary level
- Develop strategies and ideas for engendering an appreciation and enthusiasm for poetry in students as both readers and writers of poetry
- Develop strategies and ideas for presenting poetry across the curriculum
By the end of Section 7 you will:
- Be able to critically evaluate and select appropriate poems for students at the secondary level
- Develop strategies and ideas for engendering an appreciation and enthusiasm for poetry in students as both readers and writers of poetry