The Josephine Hart Poetry Foundation has developed the number one educational app for poetry within the iTunes store. The free app allows students to read great poems alongside performances and narrations by great actors.
The app was originally designed by the late author and poetry enthusiast, Josephine Hart and is now being constantly updated to ensure that all the readings surrounding her infamous Poetry Hours will be available to view.
The app features actors such as Bob Geldof, Ralph Fiennes and Harriet Walter, to name but a few. The poetry collection stems from Philip Larkin to Elizabeth Bishop, all beautifully presented alongside audio and video.
The app interface is designed to take students to a different world. Behind each picture frame is a different poetic journey. You scroll through time and space, encountering an array of poets and actors, with each poem represented by a floating hot air balloon. Once a poem has been chosen, the font size can be manipulated and an introduction from Josephine Hart is regularly included.
Students can also write and record their own poetry within the app, with inspirational words from all the poets in case they need a little help. This function has been used alongside schools and charities and is proving particularly eye opening in terms of the way they understand poetry.
“The app will always be free and contains zero advertising,” explains director Eleanor Carter. “Using the iPad allows students the freedom to write away from their textbooks and into a private, creative space. When taking the iPad into schools we have seen students really connect with the device and subsequently feel compelled to write personal and meaningful verse.”
Should you have any questions about the app or would like a ‘Poetry App session’ at your school, please do get in touch with Eleanor at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address); and download the app for free here for iPad/iPhone, or here for Android.
