DIFFERENT POETRY FORMS

The National Standards states that ……

“by the end of key stage 2, children should have a range of simple forms to draw upon for their own writing. The key forms for children’s writing are:

• collage or list poem

• free verse

• shape poems (free verse in a shape)

• short patterned poems, for example, haiku, cinquain, kennings

• borrow or invent own pattern, for example, pairs of lines

• simple rhyming form, for example, rap”

From my own experience I am also aware that other favourite forms of poems are alphabet poems and acrostic poems.

However, I found limited resources available to teachers actually explaining each of these forms, or offering alternatives, and showing ways to inspire an overall enjoyment of writing poetry.  My website therefore provides a taster of some of the favourite poetry forms, particularly those which are fun, easy to do at all ages and have real literacy benefits.  I am also currently working on a purpose written book for teachers which will cover this closely and much more besides in a very unique and all inclusive way, but I have prioritised the website temporarily as I have become aware that it is already a valuable help to many teachers and children in the meantime. (By all means, email me if you would like to be advised when the book will be available for sale)

I have therefore written a page for each of the following poem forms: ACROSTICS, ALPHABET POEMS, ALTERNATIVE NURSERY RHYMES, FREE VERSE, HAIKU, KENNINGS, LIST POEMS, SHAPE POEMS (OR CALLIGRAMS),  and finally TRADITIONAL NURSERY RHYMES.  On each page you will find brief definitions and criteria of that poetry form and suggestions of ideas and ways to use each poetry form in the classroom or when practising at home.  If you would like to find example poems for the respective poetry forms, you can find them in the  POEM FORMS category (ACROSTICS, ALPHABET POEMS, ALTERNATIVE NURSERY RHYMES,  etc.  Just click on the one you want from the drop down menu above)  Many of my poems serve more than one purpose, and will come under several different categories above, but they are duplicated deliberately so that you can find them by whichever means you need to use them.  Poems are also listed alphabetically in the POEM INDEX by title.