Students’ Learning About English Poetry As Literary Works: A Lesson/ Learning Study Approach

ABSTRACT

The study examined students‟ learning of English poetry as a literary work using lesson/ learning study approach. The study deployed ethnographic research design along with qualitative and quantitative approaches. It was underpinned by variation theory of learning and lesson/learning study approach. It involved 65 respondents whereby 5 were English language teachers and 60 were form IV students who were purposively sampled from a sampled school. Data related to the study were collected through interviews, observations, focus group discussions as well as pre-and posttest assessments. Furthermore, the qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis whereas the quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis. The findings of the study revealed that both teachers and students perceived difficult to discern English poetry literary works. The study also found that teachers were not aware of lesson study approach with variation theory of learning and how they worked in teaching particular object of learning that was essentially perceived as difficult. Further, the findings revealed that teachers‟ competence increased as they participated in the lesson study approach of teaching and learning. Similarly the study found that there was substantial improvement of students‟ learning abilities which was determined from their mean score performances. Based on the findings of this study it was recommended that the government had to plan subsequently and run the teachers professional development seminars as well as workshops. The seminars were meant for orienting teachers to the lesson study approach and variation theory of learning in discernment of difficult topics along with developing teachers‟ professional competences and improvement of students‟ learning abilities.