The representation of poetry in literature textbooks

Abstract

The paper discusses the representation of poetry in textbooks intended for primary education. Poetic education begins in the preschool period, and is continued systematically with the beginning of the first grade of primary school. The choice of poetic texts and the appropriate methodological tools are critical in pupils’ reception and communication of poetry. The analysis of textbooks is based on the selection principles in the choice of texts, namely national, aesthetic, pedagogical and receptive. The examination of one textbook set, extending from the first to the fourth grade of primary education, focuses on the representation of poetry in textbooks in relation to other literary genres, the relationship between classical and contemporary poetry, as well as the thematic diversity of poetry. The analysis showed a considerable representation of poetic texts. There is an inconsistency in the representation between the national and international canons. As expected, thematic diversity is present but with a special positioning of childhood and other child-related themes.