Academic Summary

Academic Summary: Using Haiku to Develop Voice in EFL Settings

            In the article entitled "Developing Voice by Composing Haiku: A Social-Expressivist Approach for Teaching Haiku Writing in EFL Contexts" (Iida, 2010), the author argues that haiku, a type of Japanese poem, is a powerful tool that can be used within the social-expressivist approach to help L2 students develop voice and become aware of the interaction between readers and writers in EFL writing classrooms. 

           A requirement for L2 students at the terciary level is being able to make their voices heard. However, they do not do so in isolation but by interacting with others who become their audience. In this respect, adopting the social-expressivist approach in writing tasks within EFL settings aids students in making their voices heard and to develop a sense of audience because such approach applies communicative methods which generate "a process of negotiation to make meaning" (Iida, 2010, p. 29).

          Within this context, "composing and producing haiku is a communicative act that allows L2 writers to become sensitive to the writer-reader relationship" (Iida, 2010, p. 30). In fact, reader-centeredness is a key feature of haiku, which means that free interpretations by readers are encouraged. Therefore, its introduction in the writing classroom is found to be very helpful to develop students’ communication skills.

          The author recommends that reading haiku be practised before engaging students in composition so that they can analyse its structure and then work on their interpretations of the poem. Once they have discussed several haiku in class, they are prepared to compose haiku and this is done by following certain steps which include reviewing the concept of haiku, collecting material to write it, composing the haiku, asking a peer to read it and provide feedback, and finally publishing it.

          To conclude, composing and reading haiku in EFL writing classrooms is a powerful communicative tool within the social-expressivist approach, which allows students to express themselves and interact with others in a meaningful way, which results in successful language learning. 

          

References

Iida, A. (2010).  Developing Voice by Composing Haiku: A Social-Expressivist Approach for Teaching Haiku Writing in EFL Contexts. English Teaching Forum, Nbr. 1. DOI: EJ914886

Este obra está bajo una licencia de Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-SinObraDerivada 3.0 Unported.