English Teaching Tools


The following is a description of Tetactrys Poetry.
This can be used as a different way to teach the topic of syllables.


Tetactrys Poetry is a simple form of poetry that allows both creativity and structure. There are other structured poetry types, such as the sonnet and the haiku. Tetactrys poetry has fewer rules to be followed and therefore is easier to create this type of poetry. Each line of the poem has a different number of syllables. The first line has one, the second line has two, the third line has three, the fourth line has four and the last line has ten syllables.

This type of poetry has a mathematical sense to it, so it appeals to students who don't consider themselves creative or gifted in the English arena. It can be taught with a formula method similar to the way I discuss how to write a Five Paragraph Essay. And it can be an easy way to help students learn how to group ideas for a topic which can be used in many areas.

There are Examples of Tetactrys Poetry available on this site. These can be used with students to practice the idea of how to count syllables, since that is the foundation of creating a Tetactrys Poem. Many times students will hear a poem read and be able to hear the syllables or beats to each of the lines of the poem. It may be helpful to have the poem written on the board or have a page for each perso to lok at while it is being read. It can also help to read it out loud with everyone looking at it the first time, then ask everyone to close their eyes while it is being read. This can trigger the auditory learning mode to be able to hear the beats of the syllables.

A step by step approach to writing a Tetactrys Poem is also avaiable on this site. It discusses the use of clapping for each syllable to make sure the correct number of syllables are included in each line of the poem. This helps students learn what syllables are and how to recognize them. This type of poetry is also an easy way to show how this knowledge of syllables can be used as soon as it is learned. Often what is taught to students is not given the attention it needs to allow students to see why they should learn it in the first place. Fewer Algebra students would ask why they needed to learn math if it was pointed out that they already learned the basics of Algebra in first grade when they filled in circles and trianles with numbers that made the number sentences true. Everything ties together in some way, it is important to communicate this to the students as they are learning new concepts.

A reproducable packet of this topic with a worksheet can be purchased at the Online Store.

Home Page last updated 03/08/07