Teacher Subject Knowledge

Subject
Pedagogical Knowledge
Curriculum Knowledge

Benton (1992) has stated that the handling of poetry is an area of the curriculum teachers feel
most unsure about, something they feel guilty about. They worry about the rightness of a
poems meaning and of their teaching methods, conveying to children an ambience of anxiety at
a problem with hidden rules rather than one of enjoyment.
DeLawter (1992) many teachers are concerned with accountability, proficiency testing and a
perceived need to teach mastery of specific reading skills. This indicates they are little more
than curriculum clerks.
Academic self-concept. Interest in poetry should be encouraged not hindered.
Developmental needs need to be considered.
To understand poem children may need experience of: subject matter knowledge illustration,
object and discussion might provide this prerequisite knowledge; novel use of the selected words
in the poem these need attention (possibly display prior to reading).
Reading and writing of free verse poems preferred by children those that contain no necessary
rhyme or use of syllables.
Carefully selected poetry has the potential to engage minds, elicit intense emotions and sensory
reactions and arouse intrinsic passions.
Poetry touches all children a meaningful way. Could be the genre that excites children and
motivate them to read and write.
It is amazingly effective but underused (Cullinan et al.,1995). Teachers often see it as a difficult
and fruitful task (Rogers, 1985) It is the genre teachers feel most uncomfortable with (Lockward
1994)

Teacher Subject Knowledge

Subject
Pedagogical Knowledge
Curriculum Knowledge

Helping pupils see the need and purpose of all kinds of poetry is a challenge for primary school
teachers.
Dias (1992) most pupils in classrooms arrive at destinations rather than having travelled (an
analogy suggesting children are given answers to a poems meaning rather than the opportunity to
explore a poems meaning for themselves).
Reading poetry is an opportunity for reading success, increasing the confidence of more timid
readers.
Ray (0000) uncertainty on the part of some trainee teachers about the teaching of poetry. KS1 and
2 poetry largely taught in context of literacy skills/topic work. May be due to gap in specialist
knowledge.
Meek (1991) teachers kept attention on the need to control aspects such as SPAG and getting the
words right, rather than on poetrys liberating feature the use of the imagination!
Teachers believe what they are to teach should be prescribed thoroughly so they are in no doubt
what they are to deliver.
Teachers should have a deeper knowledge of the subject to inform and enrich their teaching as well
as provide answers to questions and to extend their pupils abilities going beyond the National
Curriculum content!
Twisellton (1998) emphasis on general classroom management and childrens self-esteem rather
than subject content.
Trainees say they were taught poetry rather than how to understand it/enjoy it/appreciate it. As a
result they dont go looking to read it or stumble across it.

Teacher Subject Knowledge

Subject
Pedagogical Knowledge
Curriculum Knowledge

Perry (1973) intellectual pressure felt in all curriculum planning namely the habit of making
cognitive education the principle emphasis subordinating other things to it for the cognitive advance
they can achieve.
Reported decline of children reading for pleasure
Teachers pedagogical knowledge and understanding of their use of childrens literature. Seek to
develop young readers who can and do choose to read.
Classroom practice influenced by a myriad of factors. Teachers knowledge of literature surely a
prerequisite to nurture positive attitudes and to sustain and develop young readers. Rarely included
in list of teacher required competencies.
Children in England continue to read somewhat less independently and find less pleasure in reading.
Wide range of text types now available: magazines, comics, TV, books. More diverse literary texts
need to be made available in schools.
Practice of relying upon extracts, downloaded/purchased is heavily criticised.
Teachers creative literature restricted by centralised systems and their attendant pedagogical
practices.
ACE (2003) teachers confidence is knowledge and using childrens literature may be limited
particularly due to a lack of time to read personally for pleasure.
58% could name 2,1,0 poets. 22% named 0. only 10% named 6. few women or black poets
mentioned (Cremin, 2008). DfE (1995) literary texts shared should be written by significant
childrens authors.
Teachers tend to lean towards those whose poetry might be seen as light-hearted/humorous.

Teacher Subject Knowledge

Subject
Pedagogical Knowledge
Curriculum Knowledge

Benton (1978) poetry survives in the gaps if at all. Poetrys problem connected with its risky nature.
Maybin 1993 ppls need to understand genres as part of their socialisation denying access to the
genre means denying them access to the subject.
Kress 1982 the child learns to control the genre but in the process the genre comes to control the
child.
Assuage of child vulnerability in the face of printed literature.
Pupils dont always seem to use a conventional, established literacy-critical metalanguage to discuss
poetry. This doesnt mean they dont make sensitive interpretations of text/attend to complex ways of
meaning making sometimes construct situated understandings of apparently simple everyday
terms which serves as carriers for deep comprehension of textual details.
Preminger and Brogan (1993) pupils should have more opportunity to appreciate the bivalent
nature of poetry.
Ray (1999); Benton (1999, 2000) urged greater attention to poetry in CPD in relation to teachers
lack of confidence.
Approaches to poetry in the classroom can make children aware of the wide range of emotional
possibilities each word possesses according to its context, association, speaker, association/history.
Bruner (on Vygotsky) learners grow into the intellectual life of those around them. Learning is a
social activity by nature! (personal growth model)
Wilson and Myhill (2012) teachers view metalanguage as being linked to creative freedom of writing
poetry. Linguistic metalanguage is associated with rules and restrictions. Teachers reveal a lack of
confidence with subject knowledge in both literary and linguistic metalanguage which may be

Teacher Subject Knowledge

Subject
Pedagogical Knowledge
Curriculum Knowledge

Wilson (2010) ability to conceptualise apparently contradictory aspects of thinking divergent

thinking!
Perkings (2011) poetry said to fulfil social and expressive needs this is a claim also made by
neuroscientists.
School teachers expected to demonstrate proficiency as writers. Assumption all teachers have
confidence in themselves as writers the opposite is generally the case.
Perfect (2005) poetrys format is especially suited to struggling/reluctant readers and can enhance
their motivation.
Poetry seems to be the text type most often associated with negative feelings and seems to offer
people the most challenges.
Adopting the position of supreme arbitrator will not help the pupils develop their own personal
response to a text. It will merely compare them to accept the opinion of an expert reader. This can
make pupils passive and lead them to perceive reading as if it were a mystery (Stratta et al., 1973)
(creativity stifled)
Should be counterbalanced with activities that guide pupils into the study of poems without forcing
them to accept the teachers interpretation hopefully tapping pupils creativity and transform them
into active readers of poetry.
When poetry is obscure, chiefly because information necessary for comprehension, not part of the
readers knowledge.
Reader response critics see meaning resulting from a process of interaction between poem and
reader.

Teacher Subject Knowledge

Subject
Pedagogical Knowledge
Curriculum Knowledge

Multiple benefits of teaching literacy creatively. Involves teaching literacy skills and developing
knowledge about language in creative contexts. Explicitly invite learners to engage imaginatively,
stretch their generative and evaluative capacities by taking risks and being innovative.
Creative teachers extend childrens abilities as readers, writers, speakers and listeners, helping them
express themselves effectively.
When creativity emerges children actively become absorbed in exploring ideas, initiating own
learning and making choices and decisions.
Subject leader voiced concern that if poetry is studied for 2+ weeks children can become bored.
Poetry is a subject teachers would quite readily hide in a box and forget all about.
Supporting the development of poetry can be an overwhelming task, especially when so many feel
their own knowledge of poetry is limited.
Hughes (2007) effective use of poetry highly beneficial for childrens literacy development as it
encourages an economy and precision in language which can transfer to other types of oral and
written communication.
Dymoke (2003) 2 differing attitudes: poetry should be central to the curriculum; other teachers
treat it with suspicion, often arising from their own negative experiences.
Childrens poetry not an exclusive club. Moses (1998) poetry should be for everyone, including
reluctant boys who it traditionally doesnt reach. Fuller (1987) those who write poetry for children
better written for people of any age. The more pure the poetry, the more difficult to say for whom the
poem is written for.
Rosen (1992) poetry written for children has become more diverse. It has many voices. Seeks to

Teacher Subject Knowledge

Subject
Pedagogical Knowledge
Curriculum Knowledge

Too often in poetry, children encounter anthologies often with a narrow range of poems and poets.
Children dont engage with individual authors work.
Carter (2007) sharp reduction in single poet collections as part of a general decrease in poetry book
publications.
Teacher confidence an issue to teach poetry is to notice how children are writing as one has to draw
on their own experiences
Kress (1982) the child learns to control the genre but in the process the genre comes to control the
child.
Duffy (2011) poems are a form of texting. The fun and creativity of mobile texting will turn today's
children into exciting poets of tomorrow
Britton (1970, 3) verbalisation of the speakers immediate preoccupation and mood of the moment
expressive language! (a kind of matrix. As this moved towards the poetic became more shaped and
organised, heightening/intensifying the explicit.