Module Information
Module Identifier
WR31220
Module Title
Poetry for today
Academic Year
2019/2020
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 2
Other Staff
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Seminar | 10 x 2 Hour Seminars |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Portfolio of Poetry (1250 words) | 75% |
| Semester Assessment | Presentation (10 minutes) | 25% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Portfolio (Students must take elements of assessments equivalent to those that lead to failure of the module). | 75% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Presentation (Students must take elements of assessments equivalent to those that lead to failure of the module). | 25% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Developed awareness of a range of approaches and concerns of contemporary poetry.
2. Make constructive critical responses to their own and other students’ writing, and engage in appropriate revisions of their own work.
3. Apply their understanding of identity, voice and form, and other contemporary concerns in their writing practice.
4. Demonstrate confident critical reflection on a wide range of contemporary poetry and poetic techniques covered on the module.
5. Demonstrate presentation skills – Independent Research, Planning/ writing/ timing and presenting.
Brief description
This module explores a wide range of contemporary poetry, chosen to be of interest to students who write across different styles of poetry. It focusses on diversity and reflects the current cultural, social and ecological concerns and debates. This includes exploring poetry from minority voices, looking at gender, sexuality, ethnicity and also concerns about identity and relationships with the world around us. The seminars will focus on the close reading of selected poems, discussion of key features in form and theme, and participation in short exercises. Workshops will give students the opportunity to share work and ideas and reflect upon feedback.
On this module, students will develop their knowledge and understanding of current poetry and its context within poetry as a whole. They will have an opportunity to give a ten minute presentation on a living poet’s work and relate this to their own approach to writing poetry. Students will develop the habit of keeping a poetry notebook, collecting ideas and writing materials daily. They will submit an extended poetry portfolio, which allows a greater engagement with longer poems or sequence of poems, along with a short commentary based on their reflective poetry notebook.
On this module, students will develop their knowledge and understanding of current poetry and its context within poetry as a whole. They will have an opportunity to give a ten minute presentation on a living poet’s work and relate this to their own approach to writing poetry. Students will develop the habit of keeping a poetry notebook, collecting ideas and writing materials daily. They will submit an extended poetry portfolio, which allows a greater engagement with longer poems or sequence of poems, along with a short commentary based on their reflective poetry notebook.
Content
Seminar Programme:
Week 1. Introduction to module.
21st century voices:
Exploring current debate on confessional poetry and mainstream and minority voices (inclusive of race, ethnicity & LGBT) Close reading and discussion. Exercise on reflective poetry notebook.
Week 2. Workshop and feedback exercises on confessional poetry and current debate.
Week 3. Place and poetry:
Exploring City poetry and Radical landscape poetry. Introducing concepts of psychogeography, ecocriticism, and identity with place. Close reading and discussion on current debate. Exercise on memory and place.
Week 4. Workshop poem based on research and fieldwork. Discussion on feedback, and reflective exercise.
Week 5. Sequences:
Exploring repeating themes and forms and the practicalities of writing a sequence of poems. Close reading, discussion and reflective exercise.
Week 6. Workshop poem as part of a sequence. Discussion and reflective feedback exercise on sequences.
Week 7. Bare bones sonnet: is it a sonnet?
Exploring issues around reinventing traditional forms. Close reading and discussion on 21st century sonnets. Exercise in reinvention of non-rhyming sonnet.
Week 8. Workshop reinvented sonnet. Feedback and reflective discussion and exercises.
Week 9. Say it like this!
Exploring Performance poetry. Close reading and watching recorded performance poems. Discussing sound elements and presentation of poems.
Week 10. Workshop and performance. Round up and reflection.
Week 1. Introduction to module.
21st century voices:
Exploring current debate on confessional poetry and mainstream and minority voices (inclusive of race, ethnicity & LGBT) Close reading and discussion. Exercise on reflective poetry notebook.
Week 2. Workshop and feedback exercises on confessional poetry and current debate.
Week 3. Place and poetry:
Exploring City poetry and Radical landscape poetry. Introducing concepts of psychogeography, ecocriticism, and identity with place. Close reading and discussion on current debate. Exercise on memory and place.
Week 4. Workshop poem based on research and fieldwork. Discussion on feedback, and reflective exercise.
Week 5. Sequences:
Exploring repeating themes and forms and the practicalities of writing a sequence of poems. Close reading, discussion and reflective exercise.
Week 6. Workshop poem as part of a sequence. Discussion and reflective feedback exercise on sequences.
Week 7. Bare bones sonnet: is it a sonnet?
Exploring issues around reinventing traditional forms. Close reading and discussion on 21st century sonnets. Exercise in reinvention of non-rhyming sonnet.
Week 8. Workshop reinvented sonnet. Feedback and reflective discussion and exercises.
Week 9. Say it like this!
Exploring Performance poetry. Close reading and watching recorded performance poems. Discussing sound elements and presentation of poems.
Week 10. Workshop and performance. Round up and reflection.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | n/a |
| Communication | Through workshop and seminar discussion, and though writing the assignments. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Through independent reading and research. Through learning to present and presentation of their work. |
| Information Technology | Use of digital resources for research. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Develop awareness of personal skills, improving work in response to peer and tutor feedback. |
| Problem solving | Through dealing with problems of writing and research. |
| Research skills | Understand a range of research methods. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Use appropriate critical and/or evaluative skills in presenting a written argument. |
| Team work | Play an active part in group activities in the seminar workshop. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 6