6.5 Computers and poetry
Using computers to publish and illustrate their poetry can encourage children to 'polish' their work, allowing them to draft and edit their work more readily than by hand.
The internet offers a wealth of material for teachers and students and the addresses of some useful sites are given below. Teachers can find ideas for lessons and resources, while for children there are competitions, writing activities and the chance to review poems. Most sites for children include a section for teachers as well.
www.asla.nsw.edu.au/bookslit.htm
This site of the Australian School Library Association (NSW) Inc has links to others. The Poet's Corner allows children to submit different forms of poetry throughout the year and interested schools can easily subscribe. The 2004 program is already up on the site.
http://education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/literacy/poetry/resources.html
This Poetry on the move site of Education Queensland also has useful links to competitions for students as well as resources for teachers
www.scu.edu.au/schools/edu/student_pages/2001/jkelly
Another excellent Australian site developed by an Education student at
Southern Cross University. There are teacher's notes as well as activities
for students.
www.gigglepoetry.com
Judging by the number of other sites recommending this one, it is very popular with children. Again, there are numerous activities and competitions, as well as teaching ideas.
www.poetryteachers.com
This American site has suggestions for teachers and links to activities for children, including a "fill-in-the-blank" poem under the Poetry Fun link.
www.poetry4kids.com
On Ken Nesbitt's site there are biographies, how to write your own poem and even a fan club. For teachers there are ideas for incorporating poetry into the curriculum.
www.surfnetkids.com/pubpoem.htm
Children are encouraged to submit their own poems for publication and review others.
www.poetryzone.ndirect.co.uk
This British site includes a "teacher zone" as well as recommendations for links to other sites.
These are just a few of the many sites to assist the teacher, each of which has links to follow. Other sites with useful information are those of PETA (Primary English Teaching Association) EdNA and the Board of Studies, NSW.