GCSE Poetry - Teaching the iamb

An introduction to rhythm and metre in poetry, focusing on the iamb.
This resource contains explanatory handouts and exercises, including some first lines in iambic tetrameter that students could use to get started on writing their own poems.
Many students find it difficult to understand rhythm and metre in poetry and, as a consequence, a lot of teachers tend not to teach it. This is a pity because it can be fun to discover and it can help deepen a student’s love and understanding of many poems.
I have set out some active ways to help students get to grips with the iamb. Students will learn how to write about it when answering an analysis question – something that examiners love to see! – and they will get a chance to have a go at writing their own iambic poems.
There is a very brief supplement at the end on Shakespeare’s use of the trochee in Macbeth – handy for anyone teaching that play.