“Musing on the Lamp‐Flame”: Teaching a Narrative Poem in a College‐Level ESOL Class

The intellect and emotions of teachers as well as students can be stimulated by sharing literary texts. In teaching a narrative poem, the logical place to start is with the story—the who, what, when, where , and, since poetry encapsulates human emotions and motivations, the how and why . Cultural references can be clarified through notes, pictures, and guiding questions. Once comfortable with the surface meaning of a poem, students will be ready to explore deeper layers of meaning by considering figurative language and other poetic strategies. In classes where composition is a focus, writing assignments that prompt rereading and reflection help students to extend their understanding and thus their literary pleasure.