Poetry for pleasure: How poetry aids literacy and oracy

Chris Britt-Searle

Fundraising and Communications Officer

It’s no coincidence that most nursery rhymes and many of the best children’s stories are written in verse. The same goes for much of classical literature and the writings of some of our greatest writers, such as Shakespeare and Chaucer. Put simply – poetry rocks (that’s why rockstars are partial to it too!)

Poetry has multiple benefits. According to the National Literacy Trust, children who enjoy poetry find that it helps them to relax, to work through emotions, and to understand the views of other people. Not only that, but it’s a powerful tool to aid the development of literacy and oracy.

The richness of poetry

Poetry is play – and play is often how children learn best. Not only is it fun, but crucially, it accentuates some of the key foundations of language such as rhyme, rhythm and music. It also lends itself to repetition – all of which makes it manifestly memorable. Just think of how many nursery rhymes you can easily recall, even if you haven’t heard them for years.

Another brilliant benefit of poetry is the powerful punch it packs in the sheer richness of language and imagery contained in such a short piece of writing. This can help young children build their vocabulary by introducing new and unfamiliar words in a fun and memorable way. For example, Spike Milligan’s poem, ‘Granny’ might be the first time a child comes across the words ‘nook’ and ‘cranny’:

Through every nook and every cranny

The wind blew in on poor old Granny

Around her knees, into each ear

(And up her nose as well, I fear)

Firing creativity and imagination

All of this playfulness, fun and richness of language is fab for fuelling the imagination. The seeming lack of rules in poetry means that it can approach subjects in novel and unexpected ways and can allow children the opportunity to think differently and express themselves. It can also help to make connections between words and concepts that might not have been made otherwise. Nonsense poems are particular good for this, for example, Max Scratchmann’s ‘The Hungry Fish:

The goldfish was a-swimming round, around the great big lake,

He said I want some chocolate, boys, I wants a chocolate cake,

He said I am so hungry, boys, that I will surely die,

So he ate the state of Texas and a maple pecan pie.

Say it out loud!

Poetry is designed to be said out loud. It was a largely oral tradition passed down through performance and storytelling for thousands of years before pesky old pen and paper came along and trapped it on the page. Poems come to life when they’re read out loud and they’re a fantastic way to aid children’s oracy.

For a start, poems are often quite short, so this makes them accessible, less intimidating and easier to remember. Stories which are written as poetry, for example the books of Julia Donaldson (Gruffalo, Snail and the Whale, Stick Man), can encourage younger children to speak along with the words and even memorise the whole story. Most importantly, poetry is FUN. It’s all about performance – playing around with rhythm, cadence, speed and pronunciation. If you want a perfect example of this, watch a video of Michael Rosen performing ‘Chocolate Cake’ – a great way to get a class of children hooting and giggling!