Peer Review

This OER is a culmination of conversations, pedagogical practices, and ways of being together that developed as a collaboration between co-authors Borbala Gaspar and Chantelle Warner (at the University of Arizona) and the engaged group of students who took part in a year-long series of extracurricular gatherings, which served as an exploratory space for the ideas shared in this handbook.

The poetry club evolved from the authors’ shared desire to create a space adjacent to the classrooms in their language programs (Italian and German respectively) where students could explore the aesthetic and affective endeavor of language learning, rooted in the human capacity for exploring alternative ways of making sense of themselves, the world, and their experiences within it.

This handbook is intended as a resource for educators who wish to develop a similar extracurricular club or who are looking for inspiration for their classrooms. In the first chapter of the handbook, we introduce you to the background of the project and the current discussions of well-being in higher education.

Part two provides an overview of the conceptual underpinnings of multilingual making and poetic play as ways of engaging with language and language learning.

Core concepts and principles are outlined, emphasizing the significance of living together in and through languages, and the role of multilingual making when learning a new language.

The handbook explores various forms of poetic play, such as collage, response artwork to poetry, clay work and visual representation of poems. It delves into core principles for establishing a multilingual poetry club offering guidance on creating and sustaining such a club.

Sample activities illustrate each example including collage, mixed media, limericks, and remarks from the authors and creators of the artworks. Additional resources such as blackout poetry and other ideas that could potentially further engage club members in creative expression are included as well.

Finally, this book concludes with reflections and additional resources for educators interested in promoting multilingualism and creativity through poetry. 

Tutorial/Guide/Handbook with samples

"Multilingual Making in a Second-Language Poetry Club" is a versatile resource that can be utilized in various educational settings to enhance language learning through creative expression.

The book serves as a didactic, practical guide for educators to create a yearlong series of exploratory gatherings, which the authors offered as a set of collaborative-optional, open-ended, self-paced, extracurricular activities. 

 Here are some recommended uses:

1. Extracurricular Poetry Club:

The handbook is specifically designed to guide educators in establishing extracurricular poetry clubs that promote multilingualism. These clubs can provide a relaxed environment where students collaboratively explore and create poetry across different languages, fostering a sense of community and belonging.

2. In-Class Activities:

Educators can integrate the sample activities from the handbook into their regular language classes. For instance, activities like collage creation, response artwork, and visual representation of poems can be conducted in small groups to encourage teamwork and deepen engagement with the language material.

3. Workshops and Seminars:

The concepts and activities outlined can be adapted for workshops or seminars focused on creative language learning techniques. These sessions can be beneficial for both students and educators interested in innovative approaches to language acquisition. 

4. Self-Paced Learning:

Individuals interested in exploring multilingual poetry can use the handbook as a self-study guide. The detailed explanations and examples allow learners to engage with the material at their own pace, experimenting with different forms of poetic expression. 

5. Professional Development for Educators:

Language instructors can utilize this resource for professional development, gaining insights into incorporating creative, multilingual activities into their teaching practices. The handbook offers theoretical foundations alongside practical applications, making it a valuable tool for educators aiming to enrich their methodology.

By leveraging the diverse applications of this handbook, educators and learners can enrich the language learning experience, making it more engaging and inclusive.

A PDF reader to access this web browser-enbedded PDF.

After reading this book, the educator will be able to:

• Identify key factors students indicate that influence their senseof belonging.
• Define key concepts and terms related to playful poetry and living literacies approach.
• Relate the playful poetry and living literacies approaches to other discussions in the field of second-language teaching and learning.
• Explore the forms and functions of multimodality and living literacies through the provided samples.
• Reflect on how you want to apply the ideas about poetic play and living literacies into various disciplines in K-12 and higher education contexts without the learner having prerequisite knowledge of either discipline.

Elementary School, Middle School, High School, College General Ed, College Lower Division, College Upper Division, Graduate School

Aside from critical thinking (to apply the concepts to disciplines other linguistics or those that facilitate language learning), no prerequisite knowledge or skills needed.