Building a Foundation of Literacy Through Poetry in Primary Grades

by Amy Shultz

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Words are magical, giving children power to name, create, control, communicate, enrage or entertain their world. There is an innate delight in sharing songs and stories, rhymes and poems with children. Poetry lays a natural foundation for literacy when used intentionally. Implement the study of poetry to capture imagination, to instigate a love of language, to inspire reading and writing, and even to address state standards.

Call attention to the beauty of language as you enjoy poems with your students:

“Did you notice...?”
“Don’t you just love how ...?”
“Why do you think the author chose to use this word?”
“Which verse speaks to you? Why?”

Poetry inspires students to struggle through the arduous task of learning to read and write. Reading well takes lots of practice and poems are an invaluable addition to a reading curriculum. For struggling readers, a successful poem will be a pleasure to read, shorter in length, and will include vocabulary that is comfortable. More advanced students will benefit from the same poem, but they will pick up on subtleties such as voice, rhythm, figurative language, etc.

Taking pleasure in reading or hearing a good poem is the first step in writing a good poem, or anything else. Consider infusing your primary classroom with poetry, not as a “fluff” unit to squeeze in at the end of the year, but as groundwork laid for true literacy.

Poetry gives practice in:

• using the five senses
• recognizing and creating voice
• identifying and using figurative language
• choosing words carefully for different effects
• being concise in communicating
• focusing on a specific theme or format
• painlessly refining, polishing, and proofreading
• reinforcing grammar
• expressing emotions and opinions through writing

Indiana State Standards expect K-2nd grade students to:

• Listen to stories read aloud to them and use the vocabulary in those stories in oral language.
• Create and state a series of rhyming words.
• Write simple rhymes.
• Write rhymes and simple poems.
• Recite poems, rhymes, songs, and stories.
• Read aloud fluently and accurately with appropriate changes in voice and expression.
• Know and use common word families (such as –ale, -est, -ine, -ock, -ump) when reading unfamiliar words.
• Understand and explain common synonyms and antonyms.
• Read a wide variety of fiction, such as classic and contemporary fiction, folktales, poetry or songs, plays, and others.
• Identify the use of rhythm, rhyme, and alliteration in poetry or narratives
• Review, evaluate, and revise writing for meaning and clarity.
• Use descriptive words when writing.
• Provide descriptions with attention to sensory detail.

Amy Shultz

Amy Shultz, former fourth grade teacher, works as a facilitator for the Buddy Teaching and Learning Center. She also writes for The Write Connection newsletter and The Writing Site, under the Buddy System Project.

This featured article appeared in Volume 1, Number 3 issue of the Write Connections quarterly newsletter. View other archived newsletters , a topical organization of all newsletters, or sign-up to receive notification when the next newsletters are ready to download.