Introduction
As a middle school English teacher, one of the first units that I teach to my students in the fall is an introduction to poetry. And in spite of their refreshed academic attitudes that result from a well-deserved summer break, I invariably hear the groans and complaints as I prepare students to study poetry. Lately, I have come to the conclusion that their resistance is little more than fear. Like many of us, they are uncomfortable because they do not know how to approach and respond to this type of literature with confidence. If we as educators can teach students comprehension strategies such as clarification and connecting to the literature, their ability to think critically will improve. Not only will they be able to speak intelligently about poetry, but they will have the necessary intellectual tools to confidently approach many types of literature.
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