Making the case for poetry in schools Sometimes poetry can get squeezed in schools or young people can find it daunting. If you’re struggling to convince pupils, parents, or colleagues of poetry’s value, here are some places to start… Wellbeing
Transferable skills
There’s a growing body of evidence linking arts and culture to wellbeing. A 2022 Arts Council England report found that engagement in creativity and culture can have a positive impact on mental health, life satisfaction, resilience, feeling connected, and motivation. Sadly, for some pupils access to arts and culture is limited by financial constraints, health needs, or geographic location. In this respect, poetry is an accessible art form: there’s lots of it freely available online in diverse formats; it can be accessed from home or school without needing to travel; and it’s bite-sized.
Poetry is incredible for developing transferable skills, which not only help pupils in the English classroom but in the other subjects they study too. Skills include: •
Attention to detail and critical analysis – When we read a poem closely, we learn to notice all the tiny details and ask questions about how they work.
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Empathy – In thinking about what motivated the poet, pupils look outside themselves to imagine what someone else feels. At its heart, poetry is about the relationship between writer and reader. The poem is the vehicle for that relationship.
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Logic – By analysing why the poet made certain poetic choices, and the effect those choices have on a reader, pupils investigate cause and effect through a process of logical reasoning.
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Making an argument – Pupils will make the case for why they have interpreted the poem in a particular way. Reading is subjective – there are often no right or wrong answers, which is a valuable life lesson. It’s up to the pupil to explain their reading persuasively; in so doing, they’re learning how to construct an argument.
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Self-expression – Reading and writing are two sides of the same coin. When they read a poem and respond to it, or write their own poem, pupils develop their ability to express themselves in a way that’s engaging and accessible to others.
The joy of creativity Both reading and writing poetry are an exercise of the imagination. Writing poetry builds confidence, helps young people learn to communicate and can be great fun! It opens up their worlds and teaches them to trust their instincts. During the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, the National Literacy Trust found that 59% of children and young people reported that reading made them feel better, and 50% reported that reading encouraged them to dream about the future. 66% reported that writing poems made them feel better.
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