Handbook : Unit informationEdith Cowan University

Faculty of Education and Arts

School: Communications and Arts

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

• Unit Title

  Children and Poetry

• Unit Code

  ENG3472

• Year

  2015

• Enrolment Period

  1

• Version

  1

• Credit Points

  15

• Full Year Unit

  N

• Mode of Delivery

  Online

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Description

This unit introduces a history of childrens poetry, taking into account how changing concepts of childhood are embedded within the poetry. Students read a wide range of oral traditions, including nursery and counting rhymes, as well as nonsense verse. Students will examine how the didactic verse of the 18th and 19th century was surprisingly filled with naughty, noisy, grubby and badly behaved children. The unit concludes with an analysis of highly regarded contemporary poetry for children.

Non Standard Timetable Requirements

Online delivery.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded ENG4472

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. Analyse how concepts of the child emerge historically in childrens poetry.
2. Compare and contrast traditional oral poetry (ie nursery rhymes) with contemporary versions such as Rasta.
3. Contextualise Australian childrens poetry in relation to the tradition in English globally.
4. Discuss forms of childrens poetry.
5. Discuss poetic devices historically associated with childrens poetry.

Unit Content

1. 18th century didactic verse for children; such as Hannah Mores didactic chapbook verse, Coles Funny Picture Book.
2. 19th century lyric tradition for children, such as Stevensons Child Garden of Verses, Rossettis Sing Song.
3. 20th century and contemporary, including Australian.
4. Case Study Poetry such as West Indian, Benjamin Zephanias rasta poetry for children.
5. Nursery verse, such as nursery rhymes, nonsense and counting rhymes; Mother Goose.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Online.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

Text References

• ^ Styles, M. (1998). From the garden to the street: 300 years of poetry for children. London: Cassell.
• Turnley, E. Cole. (1980). Cole?s funny picture book. Melbourne: Cole Publications.
• Belloc, H. (1995. Orig. 1939). Cautionary verses. New York: Red Fox (Random House).
• Dahl, R. (2003). Revolting rhymes. London: Puffin.
• Dahl. R. (2005). Vile verses. London: Viking Juvenile (Penguin).
• D?Amico, D., & Kent, D. A. (2006). "Rosetti and the Tracterians". In D. D'Amico & D.A. Kent, Victorian poetry (p. 44).
• East. K. (2007). Across cultures: A guide to multicultural literature for children. Westport: Libraries Unlimited.
• Hoffman, H. (1995). Struuwelpeter. New York: Dover Publications.
• Nichols, G. (1990). Poetry jump up: An anthology of black poetry. London: Puffin.
• Rosetti, C. (1893). Sing song. Online.
• Patten, B. (1999). Puffin book of utterly brilliant poetry. London: Puffin.
• Pfeiffer, J. (1999).
• Sedgwick, F. (1997). Read my mind: Young children, poetry, and learning. London: Routledge.
• Stevenson, R. L. A child?s garden of verses. Online.
• Styles, C. M. (2004). "The play's the thing: the Ludic and the ludicrous in poetry for children". In S. Pearce & K. Mallan (Eds.), Seriously playful: Genre, performance and text. (pp. 1-18). Flaxton, Qld: Post-Pressed.
• Thomas, J. T. (2007). Poetry's playground: The culture of contemporary American children?s poetry. Detroit: Wayne State University Press.
• Zephaniah, B. (1995). Talking turkey. London: Puffin.
• Zephaniah, B. (1997). Funky chicken. London: Puffin.

Journal References

• The Lion and the Unicorn.
• Children's Literature.
• Fabrykowski, K. N. (2000). The role of poetry and stories of young children in their process of learning. Journal of Instructional Psychology. p. 27.
• Halliday, A. (2003). Poetry in Australia: A modern dilemma. The Lion and the Unicorn. 27 (2), 218-235.
• Jocson, K. M. (2006). There?s a better word: Urban youth re-writing their social worlds through poetry. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. 49 (8), 700-708.
• Joseph, M. (2005). The rise and maiden flight of Hannah Goose Nursery Rhymes. The Lion and the Unicorn. 29 (1), 16-38.
• Pfeiffer, J. (1999). Dream not of other worlds: Paradise lost and the child reader. Children's Literature. 27, 1-22.

Website References

• Eclipse Web, on nursery rhymes http://eclipse.rutgers.edu/goose
• Children?s Literature Association Links page http://chla.wikispaces.com/Links?token=3b4818ddea55632fac310be4b9b24d43

^ Mandatory reference

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