Department of Education, University of the People

EDUC 5271 - Advanced Practices for Teaching Elementary and Middle School Literacy

Dr. Amanda Nugent

Oct 16, 2022

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Introduction

Poetry is a very important part of students’ learning. It assists with developing their memory and

brainpower, it motivates them to play with language and words and teaches them how to explore

and experiment with language, which helps them identify new ways of communication. Poetry

can also assist them to understand the perspectives of others. Emotions can also be expressed in a

controlled way (West End, 2019). As students engage in diverse poetry reading activities, they

can impact their social and emotional well-being in a positive way. They also provide them with

new ways of thinking about something, encouraging them to express themselves and their

feelings. They can also develop their vocabulary and strengthen their reading skills.

The Learning Benefits of Poetry Activities

“Poetry is open for interpretation. A child can use his imagination, no matter the age, and

interpret poetry from different, unique, and surprising perspectives. This form of art is not to be

taken lightly but should be valued. Poems are created to open the eye of the mind and help

students to engage with contemplation and deep-rooted reflection. (Poetica, 2020). “Teaching

poetry helps build phonemic awareness and ultimately helps children learn to read. When you

focus on rhyme and the rhythm of words in a poem, the foundation is being built for a child’s

literacy skills. Poetry also aids in speech development and introduces your students to new

vocabulary words. Learning short poems helps build the brain and even improves memory.”

(Learning at the Teacher Table, 2022).

Poetry also has the following benefits as outlined by Proud to be Primary (2022):

● It builds Reading, Speaking, & Listening Skills

● It provides teachers with a tool that can be used to teach many literacy skills.

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 ● It teaches students how to put words together to form meaning and context.

● It encourages students to express themselves and their feelings.

● It encourages students to imagine new worlds and experiences.

Taking it a Step Further

Teachers can use the steps outlined by Learning at the Teacher Table ( 2022) in order to extend

poetry in the classroom:

1. Allow students to count the words in the poem.

2. Incorporate a movement activity to go along with the poem.

3. Create a poem puzzle. Write the words of the poem on sentence strips and cut them apart

then allow the class to work together to assemble it.

4. Say the poem in a funny way such as whispering, using a high-pitched voice, using a

giant’s voice, or talking like a robot!

5. Identify specific letters or sight words in the poem.

6. Find repeated words throughout the poem.

7. Clap out the rhythm/beats of the poem.

8. Identify rhyming words in the poem and brainstorm more.

9. Use other rhyming words to change the poem.

10. Recite the poem using sign language/fingerspelling.

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A Poetry Writing Workshop for use in the Classroom

“Writing workshop is a student-centered framework for teaching writing that is based on the idea

that students learn to write best when they write frequently, for extended periods of time, on

topics of their own choosing.” (Mulvahill, 2018). In order to develop skills as a writer, students

need ownership of their own writing, guidance from an experienced writer, and support from a

community of fellow learners. The workshop is aimed at supporting students in taking their

writing seriously and viewing themselves as writers. (Mulvahill, 2018).

The five components of the poetry writing workshop consist of: thinking time, talking time,

brainstorming time, writing, and sharing time. (Carter, 2004). They will enable students to be

engaged and focused while writing their poems in the classroom. It is also a guide to provide

direction when they are writing to ensure that they have, “... time to mull over ideas, to share

ideas and for the resulting material to fully grow and develop” (Carter, 2004). The components

will be applied to the poem “All About Me” which will be included in a lesson plan that is

intended for a first-grade class. Students will be required to create a one-page poem about who

they are with no more than ten lines. They will use figurative language throughout their poems

such as personification, simile and metaphor.

● Thinking Time - Students will be provided with the opportunity to have uninterrupted

thinking time so that they can take time to think of ideas relating to the task. They will be

given 10 minutes of thinking time, “... where the mind wanders and wonders, can be

creative and play with potential ideas for writing” (Carter, 2004).

● Talking Time - After students have had time to think, they will be given time to share

their thinking and thoughts with each other. This is a time for them “... to talk, discuss, to

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 listen to, and to share ideas either as a whole class or in small groups” (Carter, 2004, p.

3). Students will work in pairs and share their thoughts. They will be provided with a

recording sheet where they can give feedback to their peers, or provide assistance to their

peers who are struggling with coming up with ideas. They will share their ideas and

provide feedback to their peers for twenty-five minutes.

● Brainstorming Time - After students have finished sharing their ideas, they will return to

their seats and start brainstorming on their own. They will incorporate the feedback and

ideas that were suggested by their peers. They will begin writing down all the ideas so

that they will have it for reference when they begin their poem. Students should

understand that, “... all ideas are worth putting down, as you cannot tell which ones will

be used at a later stage” (Carter, 2004). Students can create a mind map with words that

relate to them.. This will assist them in visualizing their ideas and make connections to

what they want to incorporate in their poems.

● Writing Time - After students have brainstormed ideas for their poem, they will begin

writing their first draft.. This lesson should take about one week if adequate time is spent

on it each day. When the draft is completed,they will submit them to their teacher, who

will provide feedback. After reviewing the feedback they will be given a rubric and will

edit their poems. They will then type their poems into a Google Doc for the final

submission.

● Sharing Time - This is the stage when students will present their poems to the rest of the

class. This is the opportunity “... for others to comment and feedback and for children to

reflect upon their poems - saying how effective they feel the poem is and what aspects

may need further work” (Carter, 2004). Students need to understand that although they

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 have submitted a final draft, they should listen to the feedback that is provided and make

changes for the future in order to strengthen their writing skills.

Conclusion

There are many learning benefits of incorporating poetry activities into the classroom to help

students become successful in poetry writing. If they incorporate the strategies outlined above,

they will become more skilful writers. Students will also be able to make connections between

what they are learning at school and their personal lives. They will be actively engaged in the

learning process as they will be able to relate to what they are writing about.

References

Carter, J. (2004). Page to Stage: Developing Writing, Speaking, and Listening Skills in Primary
Schools David Fulton Publishers. Retrieved from eBook Central
Learning at the Teacher Table, (2022). Easy Activities for Teaching PoetryEasy Activities for
Teaching Poetry (learningattheteachertable.com)

Mulvahill, E. (2018). What Is Writing Workshop? What Is Writing Workshop and How Do I
Use It in the Classroom? (weareteachers.com)
Poetica, (2020). Why is Poetry important for children? www.poeticia.com/why-is-poetry-
important-for-children

Proud to be Primary, (2022). Why is Poetry Important? 5 Reasons to Teach Poetry in the
Classroom https://proudtobeprimary.com/reasons-teach-poetry-classroom/

West End in Schools. (2019). The importance of poetry in primary schools. Retrieved from
https://westendinschools.org.uk/blog/the-importance-of-poetry-in-primary-school