Is It a Mink All Dressed in Pink?

Abstract

Short four-line rhyming poems with illustrations can be introduced in the ESL classroom to provide variety and a change of pace. The poems are frequently humorous and the visual cues facilitate comprehension. They can be incorporated in activities which help students expand their vocabulary, learn new language functions and structures, and acquire intonation and stress patterns. Rhyming poems can involve both teachers and students in a creative process. They can be adapted for use with learners of all ages and of different levels of ability.