John Kay is a teacher and trainer at ETC International College in Bournemouth, UK. He is also a published poet and visual artist. Email: johnkaypoet@googlemail.com

 

The poem

 

Through

We’re through

said the operator.

 

We’re through

said the Captain.

 

We’re through

said the football fan.

 

We’re through

said the bank robber.

 

We’re through

said the tunneler.

 

We’re through

said the prisoner.

 

We’re through

said the smuggler.

 

We’re through

said the explorer.

 

We’re through

said the camel driver.

 

We’re through.

said the girlfriend.

 

 

Some ideas for teachers

1 Read the poem silently. Each verse contains its own individual story. Decide who said it, who to, where, why, how they got there, how they feel now and what happens next. (Some classes have illustrated their work with pictures.)

2 Read it aloud. Identify the rhythm, stress placement, intonation.

3 Act out each verse in the manner of the person who said it.

4 Separate verses and place them face down. The groups choose one, check the vocabulary and create the story.

5 Then share it with the class. Competitive classes often vote on the best stories.

6 In pairs, one student reads the first line of each verse (suitably dramatically) and the second reads the second, without emotion.

7 Write a news report based on each verse for a tabloid newspaper. (With a headline)

 

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