Teaching Poetry in a Digital World: Inspiring Poetry Writing through Technology in Grades 6-12

Teaching Poetry in a Digital World supports English language arts (ELA) educators for grades 6–12 to incorporate digital literacy in their classrooms by teaching the reading and writing of poetry.

In an increasingly digital age, educators must adapt to meet the changing needs and interests of their students by incorporating technology into the classroom. This book introduces its audience to the e-Poetry Framework. This framework demonstrates how poetry might present itself in a literacy-based unit with the benefit of a technology medium to share with the world. Examples include teaching zip-ode poetry, incorporating haiku with the creation of GIFs, and ethically discussing AI with nonet poems. With adaptable lesson plans and assessments, as well as educator examples, the book will inspire teachers to create intentional student-centered e-Poetry units.

The book is aligned with ELA literacy standards, International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) educator standards, and National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)’s position statement for integrating technology into ELA classrooms. It is a key resource for secondary school educators teaching ELA, creative writing, and digital media.

Stefani Boutelier has over 20 years of teaching experience in K–20 and is currently an Associate Professor of Education at Aquinas College. She teaches pre-service and in-service teacher courses in instructional design, literacy, ed tech, and research methods as well as general education first-year seminar courses.

Sarah J. Donovan is an Associate Professor of Secondary Education English at Oklahoma State University and founder of Ethical ELA. Launched in 2015, the Ethical ELA website hosts a monthly five-day online poetry writing experience with teachers and Verselove, 30 days of poetry writing in celebration of National Poetry Month. Her work focuses on how writing poetry shapes learning and well-being.