The role of literature as a teaching tool in language classrooms has often been underestimated and many give little value to incorporating poetry memorization in their lesson plans. Some see the process as cumbersome and time consuming while others view poetry as a deviation from standard norms of language. In this presentation, I will share my experience of using poetry memorization successfully for Beginner Persian curriculum by discussing the following while seeking roundtable participants feedback on each topic:
Benefits of poetry memorization
Criteria for selecting appropriate poem
Step-by-step process of guiding student through memorization
Evaluation
Feedback
