Prospective EFL teachers’ perception toward teaching English vocabulary through poetry


  • (1) * Ni Komang Arie Suwastini            Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha  
            Indonesia

  • (2)  Putu Rahmayanti            Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha  
            Indonesia

    (*) Corresponding Author

Abstract

Poetry  has  been  reported  to  promote  language  awareness  and  authentic  learning sources.  As  poems  are  composed  in  carefully  arranged  words  to  form  rhyming sounds  with  beautiful  rhythm,  the  present  study  aimed  to  reveal  EFL  students' perceptions  of  using  poetry  to  teach  English  vocabulary. As  a  qualitative  research, the  present  study  observed  eighty-seven  short  essays  on  using  English  poems  for improving  students'  vocabulary  written  by  students  in  an  English  Language Education  Department  in  Bali.  It  was  revealed  that  the  student-teachers  perceived poetry to help improve students' acquisition of word form, use, and meaning. Forty-four  students  wrote  poems  that  could  improve  students'  understanding  of  English word  forms;  twenty-three  students  argued  that  poetry  could  improve  students' pronunciation.  Twenty-one  participants  believed  poems  could  improve  students' spelling. In terms of word meaning, a total of thirty vouched for the use of poetry for  introducing  figurative  languages  (twenty-three  students),  enhancing students' acquisition  of  colloquial  vocabulary  (eleven  students),  and  familiarizing  students with unfamiliar words (eleven participants). Nine students insisted that poems could be used to improve students' word use, whereas six students believed poems could display  grammatical  functions.  At  the  same  time,  three  participants  recognized  the use  of  poems  for  acquainting  students  with collocations.  These  results  imply  that future EFL teachers recognize the potential of bringing English poetry as a medium for improving  their  EFL  students''  vocabulary,  hinting  at  the  need  for  further research  on  the  systematic  procedure  of  how  to  implement  poetry  into  EFL classrooms.

HIGHLIGHTS :

  • Poetry, incorporating rhyme, figurative language, and diction, enables students to learn
    creative vocabulary through pronunciation, spelling, figurative language, colloquial
    language, unfamiliar words, grammatical function, and collocation.
  • Poetry comes in form of short and rich texts providing contextual sources for vocabulary
    elements. Hence, it can enhance vocabulary learning through engaging activities, but
    teachers must consider students' level and type.
  • Vocabulary enhances students' receptive and productive skills, particularly writing.
    Poetry in EFL classes can enhance comprehension and consumption of complex texts,
    supporting the writing process and improving eloquence, ultimately affecting the quality
    of writing results.

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Author Biographies

Ni Komang Arie Suwastini, Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha

Ni Komang Arie Suwastini is a professor of English Language Education, Languages and Arts
Faculty in Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha, Bali. Finishing her Master and Doctoral in the
University of Indonesia on Popular Culture and Feminism, she continues her research in the
critical analysis of folklores and their popular culture representations. She has written several
papers in the areas of feminism, language teaching, and online learning. She can be contacted at
email: arie.suwastini@undiksha.ac.id 

Putu Rahmayanti, Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha

Putu Rahmayanti is an English Teacher for young and adult learners in Professional Academy
Bali. Finishing her Master Degree of English Language Education in Postgraduate Program in
Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha. She can be contacted at email: rahmayanti@undiksha.ac.id

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Published
2024-03-08
 
How to Cite
Suwastini, N. K. A., & Rahmayanti, P. (2024). Prospective EFL teachers’ perception toward teaching English vocabulary through poetry. JEES (Journal of English Educators Society), 9(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.21070/jees.v9i1.1769
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