•         Choose poems to read that are immediately accessible, non-threatening and relevant to students’ lives--encourage reading projects that will invite all students into the world of poetry.

•         Help students connect personally to a poem by guiding them toward finding themselves and their lives inside a poem.

•         Guide students toward analyzing the craft of a poem, figuring out how a poem is built, interpreting what a poem means, or unlocking the puzzle of a difficult poem.

These are a couple of very practical tips towards making use of poems in English classes. A lot more about the topic is discussed in the presentation titled:

" Wondrous Words: The Power, Majesty, and Delight of Children’s Poetry From Many Cultures" by Dr. Kathy Jongsma, the English specialist at the Supreme Education Council.

Wondrous Words: The Power, Majesty, and Delight of Children’s Poetry From Many Cultures  (PPT)