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Text Analysis #1

Introduction

In the secondary classroom teachers teach their students poetry as a form of expression either

from the student’s point-of-view, narrator’s, or author’s. According to Approaching Literature,

these differences in expressions indicate that not all poetry is metrical. This chapter indicates the

opposite, rather that poetry is non metrical (Schakel & Ridl, 2005). For the purpose of this text,

non metrical forms of expression as it relates to poetry includes the usage of figurative language

that is both emotional and intensive (Schakel & Ridl, 2005). The authors, Peter Schakel and Jack

Ridl emphasize both of these emotional and intensive usages of language through their headers

such as “poetry giving voice”, “the fascination behind words”, and “reading for connotative

language”.

Strengths

Just like the authors set the overall tone of this section of Approaching Literature with the

intention to enhance excitement, inspiration, and creation for the reader or student, so should a

student when “giving voice” to a poem. The text gives a good clear explanation of how a student

can give this voice when reading poetry. Poetry is partially supposed to be read in a student’s

own personal way that is distinct to the authors. According to the text, “The words are our words,

the rhythms are our rhythms, the clumsiness and sophistication of phrasings are ours, the sounds,

the tones, the attempts to be artful are ours” (Schakel & Ridl, 2005, 566). To clarify, the author’s

may have one (or a few) overarching themes to their poems, but the rest is left to the reader’s

ability to analyze, be creative, and interpret the text in their own personal way. Additionally, the

way one reads for tone or mood is key when analyzing for these understandings of the text.
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Besides personal inner expression, both Shakel and Ridl also do a good job at trying to

connect the reader or student through real lived outer experiences of expression. For example,

the authors think poetry should be a part of the reader's lives (566). It is explained that “some

read poetry to relish an artist’s craftsmanship; to experience the beauty of the words and sounds

and pictures through which a poem expresses emotions and ideas or tells a story” (Schakel &

Ridl, 2005, 567). By viewing poetry as a connection from our inner thoughts and expressions

to our outer day-to-day lives, poetry can be perceived as easy, fun, and natural to read and

discuss.

The author’s do a good job at further explaining the significance of reading poetry in school

such as knowing and understanding the different types of poetry. It is explained that the three

major types of poetry are narrative, dramatized, or in lyric formations (567). Understanding these

differences in poems further enhances not only the student’s ability to create and visualize better,

but to also understand the overarching themes and underlying goals/ and messages of the author

better.

Lastly, Approaching Literature does a really good job at organizing the steps relating to

reading comprehension in regards to how one should read poetry (additionally is written in a

comprehensible way for a middle/ high school reader to understand). The steps on how to read

poetry are listed in order as well as bullet pointed, italicized, in bold text. The headers go as:

“Read straight through”, “Look and Listen”, “Watch the words”, “Interact with the work”, and

lastly, “Take in what is happening” (Schakel & Ridl, 2005, 567 & 568). This step-by-step

approach to reading and analyzing poetry is part of the overarching idea of what the authors

think are important skills in regards to what it means to “Actively Read” (which is in bigger bold

text to emphasize this overarching structure). Furthermore, once the reader has mastered those
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first five steps, they can proceed on to the next overarching theme, that of “Rereading” (Schakel

& Ridl, 2005, 568). In order to use re re reading as another good method used for reading

comprehension purposes Approaching Literature says the reader must: “Slow down”, “Read

aloud”, “Hear the music”, “Focus on what catches your attention”, and “Follow the Sentences”

(Schakel & Ridl, 2005, 568 & 569). Lastly, a lot of the headers in this section are asking

educational questions. This is a good strategy to get the reader or student to begin thinking in a

critical way before they begin to read and take in the information.

Weaknesses

The author’s usage of specific word choices, as well as some ideas come across as negative,

challenging, or even hypocritical at times. For example, it is stated that in order “to comprehend

a poem requires attention to its words. That’s obvious enough” (Schakel & Ridl, 2005, 570).

Additionally, this is stated directly under a header that states: “Poets rely on words” (570). This

page that comes after everything stated above the “Weaknesses” header, appears to be somewhat

hypocritical. This is due to the emphasis of the word choices themselves in relation to logic and

actual meaning, as opposed to previously the authors were asking their readers to “read in

between the lines” and view things in a creative and abstract fashion. As it’s true that a learner

should do both when reading a poem, this isn’t clear. An adolescent may wonder which action of

analysis to use.

Furthermore, the word and phrase choices that come across as poor are:“obvious”,

“complexities”, “hesitant about your ability to understand” (Schakel & Ridl, 2005, 570), and

“poems are difficult to grasp” (Schakel & Ridl, 2005, 570) to list a few examples. These are poor

and negative usages of language that are somewhat ironic to what proceeds after this; the

explanations to the definitions of denotation and connotative usages of language. For example,
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the tone of this section sort of makes the reader feel dumb, as if they should already know this

information. In a section that speaks on what the definition of denotation is (the literal dictionary

term of a word or phrase), words such as “obvious” shouldn’t be used. Lastly, the constant switch

in tone from page-to-page can come across confusing especially to an adolescent. For example,

the page proceeding 570 goes back to the excitement filled tone that is similar to a few pages

back.

Assumptions

The text does a good job at positively encouraging a reader’s background when it comes time

to analyze a reader’s individual response to the poetry. For example it is encouraged to “think

about what part your background plays in your response to the poem” (Schakel & Ridl, 2005,

575). This is said more specifically in a section that speaks on words carrying feelings and

associations based off of an example poem that talks about the struggles of being poor and that of

the lower class (575). It is true that one’s perception of the poem may vary depending on their

personal background.

Secondly, the author’s assume the readers know how to use the OED, and use some of

Shakespeare’s lines as a reference (571). Despite this section doing a good job at explaining that

English and other languages change and adapt over time, it does not explain very well what the

OED is or how to use it.

Lastly, a lot of the poems and imagery are culturally relevant, and do provide for a lot of

context for differences in culture. For example there is a poem about Gwendolyn Brooks (a black

author), as well as Maxine Kumin. Above each author there are boxes that provide the reader

with some background information on the authors of the example poems, and what the authors

may want the reader to know about their specific forms of poetry.
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Teaching

In order to successfully teach this section of the text, I’d first have students read out loud some

of the example poetry a few times over each in a different perspective. I’d ask them to note

specific words that stood out to them, as well as anything that seemed confusing to them. I’d

next handout a graphic organizer, and teach the lecture. The graphic organizer would work in

favor of writing down any key vocabulary, what type of poetry it is and why, as well as any

specific words that spark the student’s creative interests. I think the best strategies for reading

poetry are re reading and that of visualizations. At the end of this lesson or for the homework

proceeding this, I could ask the students to address the poems in five different lenses. For

example, re reading for personal perspective, author’s perspective, differences in reading it

silently or out loud, or for creative perspectives.

Conclusion

I did believe prior to completing this assignment that teachers chose their textbooks based on

their personal biases, their interests, what they believe their student’s interests will be, cost, as

well as what they believe to be most educational. What I learned after reading chapter three is

that textbooks are not always written for students, administration plays a bigger role in choosing

textbooks oftentimes, and that good textbooks should remain as unbiased as possible. When it

comes time to choose my own text(s) in the future, I’d highly consider positive usages of

language, unbiased information (or as close as the text can get), and that it meets my teaching

style(s). The biggest challenges a student may have when reading a textbook seems to include

confusion amongst switches in tone or mood, hypocrisy, and the text not being relatable. A

teacher can help enhance reading comprehension to help fix this through having the student

reread the text as needed, read the text in various ways (for example, once for paying close
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attention to specific word choices, and another for making personal connections), or reading the

text out loud. I think whether or not I get to choose the textbook or administration can to a

certain degree be irrelevant. For example, if I get a text chosen by the administration that I don’t

necessarily agree with, the way I decide to teach from the text will make all the difference.

Appendix
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