Celebrating poetry in and out of the classroom on National Poetry Day
The number of young people reading and writing poems outside class has increased every year since 2010.
Despite the culture of fear surrounding poetry for many adults, our research shows that the number of young people reading and writing poems outside class has increased every year since 2010. Perhaps more surprising is that children receiving free school meals are significantly more likely to engage with poetry than their peers. However, interest and enjoyment are key motivators. That means that finding an inspiring stimulus is absolutely critical.
About this time two years ago, I was beginning to despair of my bottom set Year 9 class. One student in particular was clearly very intelligent but it was imperative to his social standing that he not appear bright or achieve highly in any of his subjects. During one lunchtime, I noticed him and his brother focusing intently on learning and repeating some lyrics. When I asked him about it later, I was told with a shrug that they had been “spitting bars”. In other words: reciting poetry.
That January, I announced to the class that we would be entering into a poetry battle against the top set and that everyone one would participate in some way. My disengaged student was able to engage in lessons, taking on the role of an expert on rhyme and rhythm, and ultimately led our set to victory.
In that term, I discovered three things about poetry along with my class:
1. It’s fun (although very few of them would admit to it publicly)
Playing with language and the freedom of knowing there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ is liberating for students who might otherwise feel intimidated when presented with a writing task.
2. It’s flexible
Both in terms of the very many forms of poetry (including poetry for performance, lyrics and rap) and the infinite possibilities for subject matter. Poetry can be used to explore any topic, including students’ interests and subjects as well as classroom detritus such as my umbrella.
3. It gives us a voice
Poetry gives young people an opportunity to express themselves and their emotions in a way that they may not always feel able to.
Over the last few years, at the National Literacy Trust, we have explored working with cultural stimuli to improve writing. Most recently, we worked in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery, Apples and Snakes and galleries across England to deliver a schools programme linked to the Picture the Poet exhibition.
We used this touring exhibition of portraits of living poets to encourage students to explore the poets’ work and respond to the images with their own writing. Featured poets included Michael Rosen, Francesca Beard, Anne Stevenson, Benjamin Zephaniah and Ben Okri. As a result of the project, 88% of pupils say they now know more about poetry and 57% feel that their writing has improved as a result of the experience.
Perhaps most strikingly, for two in five of the pupils involved, it was the first time they had visited a gallery at all. For those students, they were able to experience a whole new world and find the words to explore it.
Fay Lant is a Project Manager on our Cultural Writers Programme. Prior to this she was an English teacher at a secondary school in south London.
Originally published at www.literacytrust.org.uk.
