🌎 EAL-Friendly Poetry Activities for Primary Schools | KS2 English & International Classrooms

Poetry is a fantastic way to support EAL (English as an Additional Language) learners in primary schools — and it works beautifully in international school English lessons, multilingual classrooms, and KS2 literacy sessions.

For EAL pupils, poetry provides rhythm, repetition, gesture, performance and play — all of which accelerate language confidence.

This blog shares EAL-friendly poetry activities, full poem examples, and practical ideas you can use immediately in your KS2 English classroom or international school poetry lessons.

👉 I deliver poetry workshops for EAL learners, KS2 performance poetry sessions, and live online poetry workshops for international schools around the world — helping pupils find their voice through rhyme, humour and expression.

📅 Book a poetry day or online workshop here

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💡 Why Poetry Helps EAL Learners

Poetry supports language learning because it:

✅ Uses repetition & rhythm (great for retention)
✅ Encourages speaking, listening & expression
✅ Scaffolds language patterns
✅ Builds vocabulary naturally
✅ Works well with movement & gesture
✅ Makes learning joyful & memorable

Whether you’re teaching in a UK primary school or delivering EAL English lessons in an international school, poetry gives every learner a way to join in — even with limited English.

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🧑‍🏫 Poem 1: Mrs Jardine

Mrs Jardine

Mrs Jardine doesn’t smile
She grins,
Mrs Jardine’s got a dozen
Chins.

Mrs Jardine doesn’t sing
She howls,
Mrs Jardine looks at you and
Scowls.

Mrs Jardine doesn’t talk
She barks
Mrs Jardine’s fingers shoot out
Sparks.

Mrs Jardine doesn’t mark
She scribbles
Mrs Jardine’s got a mouth that
Dribbles.

Mrs Jardine doesn’t drink
She slurps,
Mrs Jardine likes to loudly
Burp.

Mrs Jardine doesn’t walk
She staggers,
Mrs Jardine’s drawer is full of
DAGGERS!

👉 Mrs Jardine Poem Writing Framework

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🎓 Why this poem helps EAL learners

This poem works brilliantly in EAL poetry activities and KS2 performance poetry lessons because it contains:

• Repeating sentence structure (easy to copy)

• Strong action verbs

• Clear rhythm and expression

• Simple contrasts (“doesn’t ___ / she ___”)

It’s excellent for scaffolding EAL writing, supporting speaking skills, and introducing humour.

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💡 Classroom Activity Ideas for Mrs Jardine

1️⃣ TPR (Total Physical Response)
Read each verb and pupils act it out: grin, howl, bark, stagger, slurp, burp.

🥇 Best for: speaking & understanding through movement

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2️⃣ Sentence Frame Support

Give pupils a frame:

___ doesn’t ___
They ___

Example:

Mr Khan doesn’t walk,
He glides.

Perfect for EAL primary English lessons — children can succeed immediately.

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3️⃣ Visual Matching Cards

Show images for verbs → pupils match word, picture, then act it.

Great for EAL newcomers and younger KS2 writers.

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🧛‍♂️ Poems 2 & 3: Who Am I? & What Am I?

Who Am I?

You’ll see me stalking on the yard
I make your work so very hard
My lessons last for years and years
When I’m off ill the classroom cheers
My favourite noise to make is sigh
Who am I?

What Am I?

My fingers burn when I touch a cross
At changing form I’m quite the boss
I just can’t stand the light of day
I live in a castle far away
I’ll bite you then you’ll slowly die…
What am I?

👉 Puzzle Poems Writing Framework

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💡 EAL Classroom Activity Ideas for Riddle Poems

These work brilliantly as a combined lesson, especially in international schools or EAL KS2 English classes.

1️⃣ Vocabulary Reveal Game
Introduce key words with pictures: stalk, castle, sigh, cross, bite.

Helps EAL pupils build meaning before reading.

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2️⃣ Prediction Speaking Frames

After each line, learners guess:

• I think it is…

• Maybe it’s a… because…

Encourages full-sentence speaking — essential for EAL confidence.

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3️⃣ Build a Class Word Bank

Category sort:

Supports vocabulary retention through semantic grouping.

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4️⃣ Write Your Own Riddles (with scaffolds)

Give sentence starters:

I live _______
I like _______
I don’t like _______
Who am I?

A perfect EAL writing structure.

👉 Puzzle Poems Writing Framework

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5️⃣ Drama Performance

Pupils whisper, growl, pause and perform clues.

Boosts confidence in intonation & pronunciation — key goals in EAL poetry lessons.

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👏 Poem 4: Can You Do It?

Can You Do It?

Clap clap with your hands
Sniff sniff with your nose
Stamp stamp with your feet
Tiptoe with your toes

Blink blink with your eyes
Shake shake with your hips
Bend bend with your knees
Kiss kiss with your lips

Sing sing with your voice
Nod nod with your head
Whistle whistle through your lips
Bounce bounce on the bed

Wave wave with your hands
Rock rock on your chair
Click click with your tongue
Growl growl like a bear!

Pop pop with your cheek
Rub rub on your tum
Knock knock with your knees
Wiggle wiggle with your bum!

👉 Can You Do It? Poem Writing Framework

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🎭 Why this poem is perfect for EAL learners

This poem is ideal for EAL English development because it:

• Uses repeated action verbs

• Encourages movement

• Supports pronunciation practice

• Works for all language levels

• Makes learning feel safe and joyful

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💡 Classroom Activity Ideas for Can You Do It?

1️⃣ Echo & Action Game

Teacher: Clap clap
Children repeat & act.

Then swap leaders.

Promotes listening, speaking & rhythm awareness.

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2️⃣ Create New Action Verses

Let children suggest movements:

Wave wave like a bird
Stomp stomp like a dragon

Great international school inclusion activity — invite cultural animal actions too.

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3️⃣ EAL Display Work

Write actions + draw pictures → class action chart.

Helps visual language reinforcement.

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🧠 EAL Teacher Notes

EAL-friendly poetry lessons should use:

This approach fits perfectly with international school literacy, KS2 performance poetry, and EAL English support programmes.

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🌟 Final Thoughts

Poetry unlocks:

✔ Vocabulary growth
✔ Natural speech rhythm
✔ Confidence performing in English
✔ Creative thinking
✔ Classroom belonging

For EAL pupils, poetry is more than literacy — it’s a bridge into English.

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🎤 Bring Poetry to Life in Your School

I work with:

🌍 International schools
🗣️ EAL learners
🎭 KS2 performance poetry groups
💻 Online author visit programmes

👉 In my Poetry Days in primary schools across the UK I work hard to get the children excited about writing and performing their own poems. I visit over 100 schools every year and I’d love to work with your children and teachers.

📅 You can book me for:

• In-person Poetry Days across the UK

• Online Poetry Workshops (affordable and flexible)

➡ Secure your date here: Poets in Schools – Ian Bland