Contributions of Poetry to Foreign Language Teaching

Selection of the text types which are suitable to the classroom environment has always been one of the biggest concerns of the teachers in foreign language processes. In the foreign language courses run using suitable teaching materials, texts which draw the attention of the learners and keep them motivated have always been among the most preferred types. In this sense, it is useful to address the aspects of poetry which keep the motivation of students high in the class with its peculiar characteristics and offer new ways of communication thanks to its different use of language and encouraging nature. The substantial role of literary texts in foreign language learning activities is a widely known fact. Furthermore, as poetry is the type of text which has the most developed a literary features, its great contributions to foreign language learning processes cannot be underestimated. The special linguistic structure, techniques of expressions, figurative language use, expressions for the abstract world, and new chains of associations make great contributions to the foreign language learning and teaching practices as the multiple powers of impact. This study is a reference to the multifaceted benefits of poetry to the foreign language learning and teaching processes within the abovementioned paradigms. The methodology used in this study involves student-centred readings, construction of analysis strategies, and studies of semantic constructions on poetry.