I ;l 74-10,974 HUEITENMUELLER, Elizabeth Renee, 1933- A MULTI-SENSORY APPROACH TO TEACHING POETRY TO SIXTH GRADE SIUDENTS. The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1973 Education, theory and practice University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan © 1974 ELIZABETH.RENEE HUETTENMUELLER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICRQFIIMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. A MULTI-SENSORY APPROACH TO TEACHING POETRY TO SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Elizabeth Ren6e Huettenmueller, A.B., M.A. ***** The Ohio State University 1973 Reading Committee: Approved by Dr. Charlotte S. Huck Dr. Robert Emans Dr. Frank J. Zidonis Miss L. Jane Stewart Adviser Department of Early and Middle Childhood Education ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer wishes to express her appreciation to Dr. Charlotte S. Huck, who directed this study, for her support, interest and guid­ ance. The writer is grateful, too, for the assistance and interest of Dr. Robert Emans, Dr. Frank J. Zidonis, and Miss L. Jane Stewart, the members of her advisory committee. The cooperation of Dr. Patricia Bixler, Reading Consultant of the San Mateo City School District; Dr. Randall A. Cognetta, the Testing and Research Director; the administrators of Abbott, Borel, and Bayside Middle Schools; and the teachers and students who participated in this study is gratefully acknowledged. The writer also wishes to acknowledge the professional advice provided by Dr. John D. McNeil and Oded Erlich; the consultant help from Dr. Dorothy Petitt, Mrs. June Byers, Dr. Iris Teidt, and other teachers who served in this capacity. Appreciation is also expressed to Dr. Sharon Ruhley, Dr. Grant McCurney, students and friends who helped in the production of the tapes and slides. Finally, to friends, and especially Charles S. Nathan, the writer expresses sincere gratitude for the cooperation, assistance, and support for the successful completion of this dissertation. VITA March 13, 1933 Born - Greeley, Kansas 1951-1967 Elementary and Junior High Classroom Teacher, Archdiocesan Schools of Kansas City, Kansas. 1964 A.B., Marymount College, Salina, Kansas. 1965 NDEA English Institute, San Fernando Valley State College, Northridge, California. 1967-1969 Title III - Language Arts Consultant, "Innovative Teaching in the Language Arts," now Shawnee Mission Unified District, Shawnee Mission, Kansas. 1969-1970 EPDA Experienced Teacher Reading Fellowship, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. 1970 M.A., State University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. 1970-1971 Teaching Associate, Department of Early and Middle Childhood Education, The Ohio State University; Graduate Assistant, Title III The Ohio State University-Columbus Public Schools, "Reading- Language Arts In-service (NCTE/HEW) Project," Columbus, Ohio. 1971-1973 Language Arts Consultant, American Book Co., Millbrae, California FIELD OF STUDY Major Fields: Language Arts Children s Literature, Language Arts and Reading. Dr. Charlotte S. Huck Dr. Robert Emans Literature for Adolescents and English Education. Dr. Frank Zidonis Miss L. Jane Stewart TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................................... ii VITA ....................... iii LIST OF TABLES........................................ iv CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ................................. 1 Background and Need for the Study Statement of the Problem Definition of Terms Summary of Procedures Scope and Limitations II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ................... 15 Introduction Poetry Interests, Preferences, Attitudes and Influences / The Teaching of Poetry and Related Research III. PROCEDURES................................... 47 Introduction Selection and Description of the Sample Experimental Procedures and Construction of Unit Materials Measurement Construction Data Collection Test Analysis of Test Measures Using Total Sample Results Analysis of Data Summary of Procedures iv TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) CHAPTER Page IV. FINDINGS.................................... 89 Introduction Treatment, Sex Differences and Interaction Effects on the Measure of Understanding and Interpreting Poetry, "Looking at Poetry" Treatment, Sex Differences and Interaction Effects on the Measure of Attitudes toward Poetry, "Poetry Survey" Relationship between the Measures of Understanding and Attitude Teacher Questionnaire Results of Individual Items from the Attitude Test Summary of the Findings Additional Data Collected After Analyzing Study Data V. SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING.................................... 129 Summary Findings Conclusions Recommendations for Further Research Implications for Teaching APPENDIX A. SAMPLE LESSON PLANS .......................... 151 B. INSTRUMENTS........................ 159 C. ADDITIONAL D A T A ............................. 177 D. COPYRIGHT PERMISSIONS ........................ 184 E. A SAMPLE OF STUDENT POETRY WRITTEN DURING THE S T U D Y............................. 187 BIBLIOGRAPHY.................................... 195 V LIST OF TABLES TABLE Page 1. A List of One Hundred Fifty-one Poems Selected and Clustered for the Eighteen Lessons in the Poetry U n i t .................................. 57 2. Source and Distribution of Two Hundred Twenty- seven Slides Used in the Aural-Visual Treatment . 65 3. A List of Twelve Poems Selected for "Looking at Poetry".................................... 70 4. Mean Scores, Standard Deviation, Average Item Difficulty, Standard Error of Measurement, Reliability - Test-Retest Group, "Looking at P o e t r y " ......................... 76 5. Initial Category and Item Distribution for "Poetry Survey" ............................... 78 6. Six Subgroupings and Item Distribution for "Poetry Survey" ............................... 79 7. Mean Scores and Standard Deviations - Test- retest Group, "Poetry Survey" .................. 81 8. Mean Scores, Standard Deviation, Average Item Difficulty, and Reliability Coefficient, Total Study Sample, "Looking at Poetry" .............. 83 9. Histogram of the Score Distribution on "Looking at Poetry," Total Study Sample .................. 84 10. Mean Scores and Standard Deviations for the "Poetry Survey," Total Study and Test-retest Group . 85 11. Mean Scores on the Total Poetry Understanding Measure by Treatment and S e x .................... 91 12. Summary of ANOVA on Total Poetry Understanding Scores by Treatment and S e x .................... 91 vi LIST OF TABLES (Continued) TABLE Page 13. Mean Scores on the Translation Subtest by Treatment and S e x ............................. 93 14. Summary of ANOVA on Translation Subtest by Treatment and S e x ............................. 93 15. Mean Scores on the Extension Subtest by Treatment and S e x ............................. 94 16. Summary of ANOVA on the Extension Subtest by Treatment and S e x ............................. 95 17. Mean Scores on the Awareness Subtest by Treatment and S e x ....................... 96 18. Summary of ANOVA on the Awareness Subtest by Treatment and S e x . 96 19. Mean Scores on the Total Attitude Measure by Treatment and S e x ............................. 97 20. Summary of ANOVA on the Total Attitude Measure Scores by Treatment and S e x .................... 98 / 21. Mean Scores on Attitudes toward Poetry Teaching Methods, Subgrouping of the Attitude Measure, by Treatment and S e x ........................... 99 22. Summary of ANOVA on Subgrouping Scores of Attitudes toward Poetry Teaching Methods, by Treatment and S e x ...................................... 99 23. Mean Scores on Poetry Preferences, Subgrouping of the Attitude Measure, by Treatment and Sex . 100 24. Summary of ANOVA on Subgrouping Scores of Poetry Preferences, by Treatment and S e x .................. 101 25. Mean Scores on Attitudes toward the Poetic Process, Subgrouping of the Attitude Measure, by Treatment and S e x ............................. 102 26. Summary of ANOVA on Subgrouping Scores of Attitudes toward the Poetic Process, by Treatment and S e x ........................................ 102 vii LIST OF TABLES (Continued) TABLE Page 27. Mean Scores of Poetry Attitudes in Relation to Self and Peers, Subgrouping of the Attitude Measure, by Treatment and Sex . ........... 103 28. Summary of ANOVA on Subgrouping Scores of Attitudes in Relation to Self and Peers by Treatment and S e x ............................. 104 29. Mean Scores on Attitudes Toward Curriculum Involvement, Subgrouping of the Attitude Measure by Treatment and S e x ........................... 104 * 30. Summary of ANOVA on Subgrouping Scores of Attitudes toward Curriculum Involvement by Treatment and S e x ............................. 105 31. Mean Scores of Attitudes toward Poetry Study and Using Visuals with Poetry, Subgrouping of the Attitude Measure, by Treatment and S e x ........ 106 32. Summary of ANOVA on Subgrouping Scores of Attitudes toward Poetry Study and Using Visuals with Poetry, by Treatment and S e x ........ 106 33. Mean Scores and Standard Deviations of the Five Control, Ten Aural-Visual, and Ten Aural Groups for the Understanding and Attitude Measures .... 108 34. Summary of Questionnaire Responses Regarding Overall Language Arts and Reading Ability, and Predictive Performance on the Understanding Measure, by Teacher and C l a s s ............ 110 35. Summary by Teacher and Class of Questionnaire Responses Regarding General Class Attitude and