An Integrated Approach to Teaching/ Studying Postcolonial Poetry

Abstract

This article presents a discussion on teaching/studying postcolonial poetry in English as part of a course on modern and contemporary poetry in a foreign language literature classroom at university level. The argument in the article is based on ways and benefits of using an integrated approach that pays attention to, and puts emphasis on, fostering students' literary and language competence to meet their academic and occupational needs. The particular poems chosen to illustrate the argument are by Grace Nichols and John Agard, two contemporary immigrant poets from the Caribbean, whose work can be regarded as highly representative of the characteristic features and major concerns of much postcolonial poetry produced in Britain by poets from former colonies.