Poetry Speaks 2026

Poetry Speaks is a new, exciting and accessible poetry anthology, written and designed specifically for the Ordinary Level Leaving Certificate English course.

• Filled with activities that promote classroom communication, Poetry Speaks aims to create a learning space that encourages students to explore and understand poems and poets from a variety of perspectives.
• The textbook includes all prescribed poems and poets for the 2026 Leaving Certificate examination at Ordinary Level.
• Visually attractive, with an appealing design, the images are carefully selected to stimulate curiosity and interest. 
• Packed with active learning tasks to encourage students to think and talk about the content, theme and style in poetry.
• Designed to promote engagement and make poetry meaningful and relevant to students’ lives.
• Poetry Speaks is accompanied by author podcasts that are available in the resources area on the CJ Fallon website.

Some Key Features… 

Poetry Speaks has been carefully designed with the Ordinary Level student in mind. Ease of use, clarity and student engagement are central to this textbook. Each poem is supported by a variety of resources:

• Concise biographies, with relevant information and images to enhance students’ knowledge of each poet.
• Talk About activities that introduce the topics and themes explored in the poems, while encouraging students to actively collaborate.
• Write About activities that create a space for students to record their thoughts and feelings on issues that emerge from their study of poetry. These activities help students to develop understanding through writing personal responses.
• Each poem is accompanied by a helpful glossary that enables student understanding in order to successfully navigate the world of the poem.
• A concise series of questions on content, theme and style consolidate further understanding of each poem’s key features.
• A unique feature of Poetry Speaks is the Zoom in! study cards, where poetic techniques (e.g. alliteration, form, personification) are explained in clear, unambiguous language.
• The Practice Activity, linked to the study cards, provides an effective formative assessment task, which tests the students’ understanding of poetic techniques, reinforces learning and builds their confidence in writing about the style and techniques of each poem.
• A series of concise Revision Cards include helpful notes and tips on the content of each poem, analysing the poem’s theme and key features of the poet’s style.