ntroduction The River is one of the new literature components for the English subject.

The poem is written by Valerie Bloom. The Form One students in the year 20 0 ha!e started e"ploring and learning this new poem.

Synopsis of the poem The River is about the many faces of a ri!er. The ri!er is a wanderer where he mo!es all o!er the place. #e does not sit still and is always in motion. #e is also a winder where he twists and turns. #e meanders. #e is also a hoarder where he $eeps things deep down in his ri!er bed. %ometimes& he is a baby when he is happily flowing along. 't times& he is a singer as seen through the happy sounds of the water. Finally& he is also a monster and can de!our trees (most probably referring to a flood). How I went about teaching the poem

* remembered teaching this poem to my first formers last year during my practicum. * began my lesson by showing students a few pictures of clean ri!ers from a +ower+oint slide,

Relau River, Pahang (%ource of +icture, http,--www.impression.com.my-Tahan-gunung.tahan.htm)

Congkak River, Hulu Langat, Selangor (%ource of +icture, http,--www.flic$r.com-photos-bec$/aidan-0 10201121-) Then& * as$ed and discussed the following 3uestions with students, . 2. 6. 7. 4hat can you see from these pictures5 (Anticipated answer: They are the pictures of rivers) #ow do the ri!ers loo$ li$e5 (Anticipated answer: The rivers are clean) #ow do you feel when you see these pictures5 (Anticipated answers: calm/relaxed/happy/peaceful/etc.) 4hy do you feel calm-rela"ed-happy-peaceful-etc5 (Anticipated answers: The rivers are clean and beautiful/ There are no rubbish in the rivers / It is great to have a picnic with our family beside the river/etc.) 8e"t& * showed students a few pictures of dirty ri!ers,

Sibuti River, Sarawak (%ource of +icture, http,--utusansubis.blogspot.com-20 0-06-cete$ana$9di9ulu9sungai9sibuti9yang.html)

Pinang River, Pulang Pinang (%ource of +icture, http,--www.malaysia/oom.com-utara9sungai9darah9babi-) Then& * as$ed and discussed the same 3uestion with students,

. 2. 6.

#ow do the ri!ers loo$ li$e5 (Anticipated answer: The rivers are dirty/polluted) #ow do you feel when you see these pictures5 (Anticipated answers: I feel sic /sad/angry/disgusted/etc.) 4hy do you feel sic$-sad-angry-disgusted-etc5 (Anticipated answers: !eople don"t ta e care of the rivers" cleanliness/ All marine life will die/ The clean water source will deplete / etc.)

* related the abo!e acti!ities by telling students that they were going to learn a poem entitled :The ;i!er: by Valerie Bloom. The poem consists of 1 stan/as.

The rivers a wanderer, A nomad, a tramp. He doesn t !hoose an" one pla!e To set up his !amp. The rivers a winder, Through valle" and hill He twists and he turns, He #ust !annot be still. The rivers a hoarder, And he buries down deep Those little treasures That he wants to keep. The rivers a bab", He gurgles and hums, And sounds like hes happil" Su!king his thumbs. The rivers a singer, As he dan!es along, The !ountr"side e!hoes The notes o$ his song. The rivers a monster, Hungr" and ve%ed, Hes gobbled up trees And hell swallow "ou ne%t. First& * modeled the recitation of the poem. This is an important step to allow students to hear how a poem is read with the correct pronunciation and enunciation. * read aloud the poem by playing a bac$ground music by <itaro=s %il$ ;oad. The music is not only calming to hear but also sets the mood and suits the title of the poem. 4atch the following !ideo to hear the music,

'fter modeling the recitation of the poem& * instructed students to choral read the poem. * normally as$ students to ta$e turn reciting the poem. For e"ample& the girls will read the first stan/a& then the boys will read the second stan/a& and they will ta$e turn until all stan/as are read. 8e"t& * as$ed students to form si" groups. Each group comprised of 0 or 1 students. The lower forms classes in my school normally comprise about 70 students. %o& it is 3uite difficult to get students to form and wor$ in smaller groups. %ubse3uently& students in groups used the dictionaries to find the meaning of unfamiliar words, >roup 9 wanderer& nomad& tramp (words from stan/a )

>roup 2 9 winder& !alley& twists (words from stan/a 2) >roup 6 9 hoarder& buries& treasures (words from stan/a 6) >roup 7 and 0 9 gurgles& hums& echoes (words from stan/as 7 and 0) >roup 1 9 monster& !e"ed& gobbled (words from stan/as 1) * used the The ;i!er.?nfamiliar 4ords.@eaning handouts in the classroom. Aater& as homewor$& students may cut and paste the words and their respecti!e meaning side by side in their Aiterature E"ercise Boo$. 'fter finding the meaning of words& we shared the answers with the whole class. 8e"t& * e"plained the meaning of the poem from the +ower+oint slides that * had prepared. The slides ha!e been con!erted into a !ideo format. %o& anyone can watch and use this !ideo in their lesson.