Introduction

=**Introduction** =

Stage 6 course: Year 11 Standard Learners: Lower to medium ability class; diverse range of cultural backgrounds.

 The chosen focus for this anthology is 'Protest Poetry'. Poems in this anthology are composed about controversial and topical issues, and aim to persuade the audience to think a certain way about the issue. The topics which the poems address range from the Vietnam War to modern consumerism. The choice of specific poems was based upon the following criteria related to my specific learners: events of which teenage students have knowledge or can research, poems which use literary techniques accessible for these students, and a representation of the cross-section of views on issues of concern in the community.

 Firstly, the age of the learners (15-17) is such that they have begun to reason abstractly and develop a more sophisticated sense of empathy. The chosen poems aim to develop these qualities further by exposing them to a range of viewpoints, emotions, and issues. The views and emotions expressed by poets will also encourage students to challenge their own beliefs, for example, 'I'm Not Santa' (Fogarty) encourages students to see Christmas from the point of view of those who do hold the same values as they might. This exposure to contrasting points of view will develop the critical thinking skills which are one of the cornerstones of the Stage 6 syllabus (Preliminary Outcomes 6, 8, 10).

 The nature of the learners, being a standard course, and being lower to medium ability students requires a level of text which is accessible. Protest poetry often has a direct message, often uses accessible language and language techniques (such as repetition, metaphor, alliteration) in order to reach a wide audience. The rhythm and rhyming schemes used are also familiar to readers, this musical quality making them easy and enjoyable to read aloud, for example, the a/b/a/b rhyming scheme of 'Poverty Knock' (Unknown) resulted in it being adapted into a folk song. Literary analysis to the level required by the Stage 6 syllabus (Preliminary Outcomes 4 and 7) then becomes achievable for these students because of the nature of the text. There are also poems which use more complex literary techniques, such as imagery of 'The Sunset of the Century' (Taglore). These poems will cater for students in the class who master literary analysis and need to extend and apply these skills.

 The topical and controversial nature of many of the events featured in protest poems and the relationship this type of poetry has with popular culture also makes this focus relevant for the age and level of knowledge of current events of these learners. The poems draw upon prior knowledge of events such as the War in Terror (‘Dear Mr President’), and the colonisation of Australia ('We Are Going'). I have chosen a cross-section of poems to reflect the multicultural nature of my classroom, and also a range of events distributed throughout history, increasing the possibility that these poems will allow students to make cross-curricular connections. For students who are not familiar with current or historical events, the topics the poems deal with are very easy to research, which is a consideration relevant to students with under-developed research or literacy skills. This topicality also provides an opportunity for students to investigate the influence of a composer's context on their text and views (Outcomes 1 and 2).

 Please Note: the Anthology is arranged in chronological order