Literacy news
Government drive encourages the learning of poetry by heart
9 Jan 2013
130 poems selected under a new government initiative to encourage young people to learn poetry by heart span 600-plus years. Launched this week, Poetry by Heart, a Department for Education-funded contest, will see school champions fight through to regional heats, which in turn will select the best reciters for a weekend of finals in London this April.
The contest, open to pupils in England in from years 10 and above, is intended to spark pupil's interest in poetry. While pupils are obliged to learn just two pieces for the contest – three if they reach the national final – the intention is that they will read many more as they select from the Poetry by Heart website, which lists the poems on a timeline. Each verse is accompanied by a brief background on the poem and poet.
The selection, made by two poets, Sir Andrew Motion and Jean Sprackland, includes classics but has a deliberate bias to more accessible modern pieces, with a majority of the 130 poems written post-1914, and almost 50 dating from the past half-century.
Read the full article at The Guardian.
If you are looking for poetry resources for years seven to 10, you could take part in our Write On competition which encourages pupils to write their own poetry. Find out more.
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