Critical Thinking through Children’s Literature

Children love to write poetry and are amazed that a few well-chosen words are able to express their innermost feelings (Social-emotional learning). When children are afraid to write poetry, it is often because they are unsure of how to proceed — there are no clear-cut answers about what is right and what is wrong. This interaction is a sneak-peek into helping children to enjoy poetry. Write, Read and perform poems aloud and encourage active listening. Children will get a hands-on experience on a few styles of poetry writing.

The workshop introduces children to the notion of making-meaning together through thinking and discussion, with focus on carefully chosen picture books. The books act as a stimulus for discussion and at the same time developing a far wider range of literary understanding. The workshop is a time for thinking about and digesting the pictures as well as the text, and then engaging in discussions and to ask questions - a powerful means of developing children’s spoken ability without apprehensions. The process fosters critical thinking and visual literacy.

By the end of the program, children will be able to write and present a couple of poems in different styles, thereby making them confident to write often.