Poet James Whitcomb Riley: Famous in His Own Day

An engaging biography of "Hoosier" poet James Whitcomb Riley serves as a springboard for study of his unique dialect-based verse. Several activities illuminate differences between spoken vernacular and formal language. Learners record themselves speaking, transcribe, and compare oral language to written. They practice reading Riley's poetry aloud and "translate" it to modern written English. Includes a useful generic self assessment. Compatible with American Lit or poetry units.