Spice up teaching through pattern poetry and rhythmic singing

13 October, 2012

The theory of multiple intelligences (MI) has received a good amount of attention for inclusive education and acceptance for the diversity among students, MI was propounded by Howard Gardner in 1983 as a model of intelligence that differentiates intelligence into various specific categories,

THOUGH THIS this learning theory has met with mixed responses, yet there are teachers and educators who are trying to translate MI theory into action. The theory says that different children have different styles of learning and broadly have seven different kinds of intelligences or smartness that can become as the vehicles of their learning. Gardner believes that eight ways of learning are: spatial or visual; linguistic or verbal; logical-mathematical; bodily-kinesthetic; musical or rhythmic; interpersonal; intrapersonal and naturalistic.

Out of these ways of classroom instruction, teachers fight shy of musical intelligence as a vehicle of classroom instruction since they find it hard to write verses and recite them in front of their students. However, some teachers do pick up the skill of pattern poetry suitable for the text of their subject matter and try using it in the classroom.

A music-smart individual has sensitivity to sounds, pitch, patterns, rhythms, stress, tones, humming and instrumental music. People with a high musical intelligence normally have good pitch and are able to recite, play musical instruments, and compose lyrics and rhythmic music.

Some recent research evidences prove that use of music on learning second language can be significantly effective and supportive of strong music-language connection. But, every subject has its own vocabulary and language. Some portion of each lesson of any subject can be presented through rhythmic music and pattern poetry.

My own experience of working as teacher educator and science instructor led to modifying the French pattern poetry of five lines called ‘cinquain’ to describe things and define subject related terminology with a little modification, I call the modified cinquains 'pedagogical cinquains' for their being used in the teaching-learning process.

A pedagogical cinquain has the following line pattern.

Line 1: One word or phrase giving the title (concept label or object)

Line 2: Two words or phrases that describe the title (adjectives, attributes, qualities)

Line 3: Three words that express action (Verbs, or action phrases with 'ing')

Line 4: A statement that expresses a feeling or defines the concept in the title

Line 5: One word that gives the title a different name (synonym or similarly describing phrase)

Here are some science cinquain pattern verses for you to strengthen science vocabulary. Please recite and enjoy!

Air

Life support, gaseous

Enveloping, surrounding, blowing

A mixture of gases making up the atmosphere of the Earth

Gaseous envelop

---------------------------

Alkali

Bitter, soapy

Dissolving, neutralizing, reacting

A chemical compound neutralizing acids and turning red litmus blue

Gripe water

---------------------------

Alloy

Mixture, metallic

Mixing, combining, conducting

A mixture of metal with another metal or non-metal

Steel

---------------------------

Alternator

Rotary, dynamic

Spinning, turning, cycling

An electromagnetic device which produces alternating current

A.C. dynamo

---------------------------

Ammeter

Instrument, electrical

Measuring, indicating, reading

An instrument that measures the strength of electric current

Ampere-meter

---------------------------

Amplifier

Stronger, larger

Enhancing, strengthening, augmenting

An electronic device that strengthens a weak electrical signal

Signal-strengthener

---------------------------

My own experience of using these verses in science instruction could develop interest of girls in science but also led to students converting some statements of scientific laws and principles into pattern poetry as well hold jam sessions. It became interesting to remember the subject matter through pattern poetry.