Poetry education research as an anchorage of thought : using poetry as interview stimulus material

Abstract

Interviews in qualitative research may sometimes employ stimulus material as a means of eliciting richer data. However, scant consideration has been given to the use of poetry for this purpose, especially within the field of poetry education research. This article seeks to address the gap in the literature by illustrating how the use of poetry as interview stimulus material can help poetry education research to clarify the connection between teachers’ and students’ beliefs and practices in relation to poetry and pedagogy. Depending on the nature of their inquiry and context, poetry education researchers can choose relevant poems that have the potential to stimulate a discussion about specific beliefs and practices.