POETRY IN SECONDARY SCHOOL

Poetry in Secondary School

[Name of the Institute]

Table of Contents

Introduction3

Part A: Teaching and learning poetry4

Pupils' attitudes to poetry4

Pupils writing poems7

Marking and assessing poetry16

Cognitive therapy18

Interactive Poetry for the classroom19

A synthesis of cognitive therapy and poetry21

Part B: The poetry curriculum in schools23

What poems do pupils read in school?23

Leading and enhancing the poetry curriculum29

Discussion40

Conclusion41

References44

Appendix50

Introduction

Exactly 20 years ago, Teaching poetry in the secondary school: an HMI view, was published. This highly influential pamphlet was a passionate argument for the central place of poetry in the secondary English curriculum. It argued:

Poetry matters because it is a central example of the use human beings make of words to explore and understand. Like other forms of writing we value, it lends shape and meaning to our experiences and helps us to move confidently in the world we know and then to step beyond it.

The report argued that poetry should be at the heart of work in English 'because of the quality of language at work on experience that it offers to us'. However, it also reflected on the lack of poetry in much teaching of English in secondary schools at the time: 'Poetry is frequently neglected and poorly provided for.' Since then, poetry has been given a central place in the National Curriculum for English and inspections confirm that it is a common element in all pupils' experience of English in schools. Despite this, the emphasis over recent years on raising standards of basic literacy has meant that little detailed attention has been given to the teaching of poetry. In this context, it was opportune to conduct the survey, particularly given current revisions to the National Curriculum and an increasing emphasis on creativity within English.

This survey found that provision for poetry was at least satisfactory in all the schools visited, with nearly two thirds of the schools providing well for it. However, these figures do not tell the complete story. Inspectors' judgements during the visits were less positive about poetry than about other aspects of English provision, such as the quality of teaching and the effectiveness of leadership and management. This suggests that poetry remains a weaker element of provision even where the overall effectiveness of English is strong.

Provision was slightly better in the than in the secondary schools surveyed. This is because poetry is more likely to be enjoyed by pupils in schools, where there is a greater emphasis on performance and original writing. In secondary schools, some teachers feel constrained by national tests and examinations and this tends to have a negative impact on many pupils' response in lessons, especially at Key Stage 4. Overall, only eight of the schools visited made outstanding provision for poetry, suggesting that many have some ground to make up if their work in this area is to reach the standard of the best.

Part A: Teaching and learning poetry

Pupils' attitudes to poetry

The common perception among many teachers, especially in secondary schools, is that pupils have a negative attitude towards poetry. This was not what the survey ...