Page 29 - @ccess 3 Teacher´s Book

Practice 2

Words You Feel

Activity 1 Warm-up stage
• This practice focuses on
reading poems. Poems have
an undeserved reputation of
being “difficult” texts, but that
is because nowadays literary
production is centered on prose,
so there are not many chances
to interact with poetry. Poetry
is an outstanding window into
getting acquainted with others’
emotions and understanding
how poets try to convey their
feelings to their readers. It also
allows the readers to feel a
different array of emotions while
they enjoy a poem.

• Poetry in every culture has
a special place, since it links
the most creative aspects of
language with music. In the
history of humankind, poetry
has been used to talk about
legendary heroes, such as in
the Iliad and the Odyssey, or
in the Ramayana. One of the first
texts we recognize as English
is Beowulf, a poem from the 7th
century AD.
• Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American writer known for his short stories and poetry. He invented
detective fiction. Among his most famous short stories are: The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Black Cat,
The Cask of Amontillado, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Tell-Tale Heart; his poems Anabel Lee and
The Raven are well known, as well as his only novel, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket.
• Remember: there are not inherently difficult or easy texts, it depends on your skill and the help you can
provide your students to cope with the complexities of the text.
• Take time to allow your students to read the poem and, especially, to enjoy it and to let them get involved in
the act of reading poems. Reading poems, before anything, should be a moment of leisure and a moment
of personal pleasure. Many times, we as teachers tend to make our students flee from reading, because it
becomes strictly didactic.
Translate icon / Additional definitions: sorrow (n.): tristeza (pena, pesar, dolor)
rack 12 Activity 2

T • Instead of using the track, you could ask someone to read the poem aloud. This could be also a solution in
case the CD player malfunctions.

28 Teacher’s Book / Practice 2