Throughout history, poems have been used to share experiences and paint a picture of the day. Poetry can be invaluable in schools. They’re less intimidating than a large page of text and can be enjoyed by students of all ages and abilities.
Poetry can be used as a gateway to other forms of writing. Rarely do you see uniformity in a poetry book. Instead, you see poems of different shapes and sizes, and an entire world of possibilities for language. This naturally encourages children and young writers to express themselves and compose their own.
What are the Benefits?
Reading, Speaking and Listening
Poetry helps children to develop their reading, speaking and listening skills. Poetry is often read aloud as a class and repeated several times, which builds speaking and listening skills.
Poetry also supports reading comprehension, as children try to understand the words and imagery being used. The patterns of the poems on the page also support this.
Vocabulary and Grammar
Reading and hearing poetry exposes children to different ways of composing ideas via language, layout and punctuation. Poems can teach grammar, sentence structure and more!
Rhyme teaches children to look for patterns within words and how they are formed, supporting word recognition and spelling.
Poetry can become a gateway to other forms of writing; it is less restrictive than essays for example, and can help children to shape expression and create meaning in different formats.
Inspire Creativity
A benefit that cannot be measured is the creativity that poetry inspires. It shows children how to put words and layouts together to form meaning.
Poetry allows children to safely communicate their thoughts and feelings. It increases emotional intelligence and can create new ways of thinking.
Our Favourite Poetry
If you want to use poetry in your classroom, here are some of our favourite poetry books for use in schools:
Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl