Why should we USE POETRY in the ESL classroom?

(Photo credit: http://bit.ly/15oMyws)

Often when I think about introducing a poem into the ESL class setting with a view to perhaps learning new vocabulary etc, I find myself a little afraid of how the students will respond because poems may look short and simple, but often are very complex.   But to my amazement often the students love it because:

1. Sometimes it has some fun rhyming words

ESL students learn through many kinds of ways, and every way is as unique as the student themselves. Often rhyming can really help them with their pronunciation and it can be fun too.

1. Their diction can be improved

Sometimes there is alliteration and that helps the students have fun repeating and pronouncing some of those difficult consonants. E.g. for Arabic it is always ‘b’ and ‘p’…

1. Often there is a simple message

Even if you have to tell the students what the simple…