What is The Discovering Poetry Project?
The Discovering Poetry Project is a creative writing multimedia program, delivered on CD Rom, that combines audio/visual digital presentations and printed worksheets to encourage children to write poems about their own experiences of everyday life. The main aim of this learning program is to improve a child's education and fostor his/her sense of cultural identity through the writing of poetry. The program also features a teacher resource section and is aimed at Primary 3-7. The program has been produced in conjunction with the English Language 5-14 National Guidelines and is targeted at pupils in the B,C and D levels of attainment and applies to most of the strands listed within the attainment targets.
Teaching philosophy
The Discovering Poetry was designed and produced in conjunction with primary head teachers and the Scottish Poetry Library in Edinburgh. Feedback from these sources indicated that in order to effectively stimulate children to write poetry, it was important to stimulate the five senses of touch, taste, smell, sight and sound. As a result it was strongly felt that the use of a computer program in the classroom should combine digital interactivity with printed material and the use of 'real' items such as bird's feathers, seashells, leaves etc.
Teaching Aims

1. To introduce children to poetry by encouraging self expression

2. To develop the observational abilities of the child by increasing awareness of his/her surroundings.

3. To provide a resource to assist the teaching of poetry in the classroom

4. To give a child a basic appreciation of poetry at an early age.

In order to help the teacher match the suitability of the program to the 5-14 Guidelines, the learning outcomes and appropriate strands are listed below.

Listening
Appropriate strands include:
Listening for information, instructions and directions.
Listening in groups.
Listening in order to respond to texts.

Talking
Appropriate strands include:
Talking in groups
Talking about experiences, feelings and opinions
Talking about texts
Audience awareness.
Knowledge about language

Reading
Appropriate strands include:
Reading for enjoyment.
Reading to reflect on the writer's ideas and craft.
Reading aloud.

Writing
Appropriate strands include:
Personal writing.
Illustrative writing.
Punctuation and structure

Spelling
Handwriting and presentation.

To obtain copies of the Discovering Poetry Project please contact us by phone on 01764 652453 or email neilthomson@ntdesign.co.uk
The Discovering Poetry Project, Rosmaris, Murray Place, Crieff, PH7 3DF Tel: 01764652453 Email: info@ntdesign.co.uk

Copyright Neil Thomson 2004

The Discovering Poetry project is Glow approved! Find it in the National Literacy & English resources section of the world first National Intranet for learning.Click on the Glow logo to access the portal. Please note you will need your username and password to access.