HOW CAN TEACHERS ENCOURGE CHILDREN AND YOUTH TO WRITE POEMS?
Children and youth can write poems that rhyme or do not rhyme; are completely free flowing or follow a specific form. Young poets can be very creative when given opportunities to play with language and use words in new and special ways. Techniques and strategies for teaching poetry writing depend in part on students ages and abilities Here are a few ideas you might try—as is, or after adapting to fit your young poets. Use interesting examples of excellent poetry to introduce a variety of poetic forms and techniques through poetry, their creativity will soar.
Introduce specific techniques such as using similes and metaphors through a group brainstorming activity. Have children fill in the blank and record their responses on a large piece of paper.
“Snow is white as____”
“When I wake up I feel____”
“My room is as messy as ____”
Young poets will find it gratifying to see how others to their creations. Set aside time each week for reading poetry aloud and make room in the class paper to publish poems. Encourage students to submit their poems to Internet sites for young poets and suggest they send poems via e-mail to friends and family.
STRATEGIES
A list of vocabulary words will be added as well.
Finally, We shall incorporate a special bibliography for teachers and one for the students. Materials, which may be ordered for classroom use, will also be listed. They will include books of poetry, pictures or photos, drawing paper, pencil, crayons or magic markers. Student’s poems will also be included.
This unit may be used for children of the elementary grades through junior high school grades and even above if desired. Teachers would use their discretion and their adaptive skills to best suit their individual needs in terms of their exact grade level and or instructional level.
At first, the students will be required to write freely, Freely, meaning that they will write whatever comes to their minds and whatever ideas flow to their pens or pencils. This method is used in creative writing during the prewriting stage, and it encourages the flow of ideas without inhibitions. Later, however, they will write on student-selected topics.
These topics will consist of any appropriate topic, which each student will be given, and opportunity to select. These topics are usually placed on the chalkboard for the students to use as a guide as they work. There is never a problem if a child decides to write on a topic, which was never placed on the chalkboard. The idea is to find a way of getting the children to write at leisure and in a contented manner. Before placing the children’s ideas suggestions, which will help them in their thinking. For example, the children need to be aware of the fact that they may write about any present or past experiences which they have encountered, even as a toddler or earlier if they are able to recall that far. They may write about their genuine feelings on any subject; they may write about a dream or a desire, and the like.
