I really like the humorous approach as I think it makes the poems very relatable to children who will be able to compare themes within the poems to their own school day. Allan Ahlberg is best known for his school poems. There are poems about lost scissors, the class hamster, making friends and falling out, the excitement of a stray dog in playground – and the infamous Derek Drew! He captures the noisy playground moments as well as the quiet -thinking-in-the-corner moments. He notices the small, absurd things that go on all the time in every school. Heard It in the Playground' by Allan Ahlberg is a fantastic book consisting of a collection of long and short poems and songs. It is aimed at children aged 7 - 11 years old and is based around life in a primary school. As this book connects to the childrens lives I think it may inspire them to write some of their own songs or poems. Using school experiences in a clever and fun way, this book really engages you - there are even instructions on how to sing some of the songs.

A great poem also is Heard it in the Playground. This poem, Ahlberg states, is for performance. It has repetition, rhyme, different sounds, nonsense words and changing dynamics which would be great to perform with a class. It would be an enjoyable and unforgettable experience. Whether you are a pupil or a teacher ‘Heard it in the playground’ is a collection of poems and songs that will strike a chord. Allan Ahlberg masterfully conjures a portrait of what it means to a part of primary school, encompassing all the joy, stress and mayhem of daily life.

This a fantastic collection of poems about different aspects of life in a primary school. The poems are categorised into short, medium and long ones which I think is a really useful feature for use within the classroom. This is because poems can be selected with regards to time constraints throughout the day (short ones at the end of the day when there is a spare 5 minutes!). PDF / EPUB File Name: Heard_it_in_the_Playground_-_Allan_Ahlberg.pdf, Heard_it_in_the_Playground_-_Allan_Ahlberg.epub Allan often uses traditional verse forms like the ballad. Many of his poems have a very strong rhythm, and some sound like playground rhymes and chants. Some are actually written to be sung to a traditional tune. You can sing ’What shall we do with a grumpy teacher?’ to the tune of ‘What shall we do with a drunken sailor?’! I think that this book could be used in a variety of different ways within a classroom to familiarise children with poetry. The strong rhythm and rhymes within this collection combined with the comical use of nonsense words make the poems perfect for performance. This will allow the children the opportunity to focus on the rhythm, rhyme, language and tone of poetry. However, the different aspects of language can also be explored with the class following a dramatic reading by the class teacher. Listening to the poem being read expressively will allow the children to detect patterns and get a real feel for rhythm and rhyme. Billy McBone is a light hearted and amusing poem about a boy in school who is a bit of a day dreamer. The structure and rhythm is rigid throughout with repetition of the first two lines: "Billy McBone, Had a mind of his own" used to begin each stanza. The end of each line rhymes in the format 'aabccb' and this adds to the repetition to create a feeling of frustration and going through the motions on the part of Billy.

The songs in the book have particular tunes with one exception. The song 'The Mrs Butler Blues'' can be sing to the tune of any blues song. What a fantastic way of exploring blues music and the differences in tempo, pitch and rhythm. It also explores the approach behind lyric writing. Heard it in the Playground is a collection of poems based on primary school life. The book is presented in three sections: short poems, songs and long poems. The collection is mostly light-hearted and humorous covering everything from grumpy teachers to the school’s escapee pet hamster. This illustrated collection of amusing poems and songs celebrating primary school life won the Signal Poetry Award in 1990. Meet Billy McBone and the Mad Professor’s Daughter, be amazed by the Longest Kiss Contest, shed a tear for the Boy Without a Name and – if you’re a stressed teacher – sing the Mrs Butler Blues. Heard it in the Playground by Allan Ahlberg – eBook Details Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing -Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical Moments Allan is perfectly tuned in to the language of the classroom, the playground and the kitchen table. His first book of school poems was published over thirty years ago, but you will almost certainly recognise some of the things that the children, teachers and parents say. (So will your teachers, we’re willing to bet!) In ‘Please Mrs Butler’, you can hear him speak with voice of the teacher and the child. Both sound more and more desperate.