Reading and Interpreting Poetry

Question: How can I help students to interpret poems from several points of view.

Answer: Students given a variety of well-recognized poems. Each student selects one poem.

 > First they respond to the poem they selected with a personal interpretation, citing correctly quotations from the poem. .

> Second, they research information from the content of the poem that will help them to understand it.

> Third, they read a critical essay by a professional critic on the poem.

 “Finally, students revise the three parts of the assignment into a complete analysis of the poem.” P. 83.

 Title: “A Scaffolded Essay Assignment on Poetry.” Jane Arnold. Teaching English in the Two-Year College (September 2011), 82-83.