Diamond Poems in the Teaching of Malay Language: An Exploratory Study

The term Puisi Intan is given to a type of poems known as “diamante” or “diamond poems”, which denotes its particular ‘diamond shape’with its shiny and valuable features. This rather new and popular genre is presently very pervasive in the internet.Therefore the teaching of this type of poem in Malaywas introduced to the trainee teachers undergoing the Diploma and B.A. students in Malay Language and Literature Programm, as well as to experienced teachersparticipating in the ProfessionalDevelopment ContinuumModels (PDCM) This exploratory study was designed to gauge the feasibility of teaching this genre in a wider school context. The data which was obtained through a special feedback in the form of written responses by the participant was analysed qualitatively. The positive result shows the potential of this type of poetry to be introduced in the Malay language curriculum at the primary as well as secondary level of schooling.