Teaching Poetic Sound Devices: A Complete Guide

Poetic sound devices are a specific type of literary device. There are many literary devices used in poetry- rhyme, repetition, onomatopoeia, alliteration, assonance, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, and symbolism to name some of the more common ones. Literary devices, in either prose or poetry, are used intentionally to enhance the meaning of any piece of literature.

Depth is added to a poem when poetic sound devices are used. Poetic sound devices are the purposeful usage of words, phrases and sounds to increase and enhance the meaning and enjoyment of a poem.

What is UDL (Universal Design for Learning)?

The goal of UDL is to use a variety of teaching methods to remove any barriers to learning through building in flexibility that can be adjusted for every student’s strengths and challenges.

Universal Design for Learning offers flexibility in the ways students access material and show what they know. Variability is the rule. Students may need to learn in different ways, using different materials, to learn the same things.

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UDL essentially is best teaching practice for all students.

Teaching Poetic Sound Devices Using UDL

Adding universal design when teaching anything is really about adding variety.

When teaching and learning poetic sound devices it helps to not only have good examples and clear definitions for each device, but also include what the point of the device actually is. Giving students the ‘why this device is important to poetry’ helps give it a clear purpose and increases the meaning of each device.

Without using UDL practices, most of the student population will walk away from the concept of assonance and consonance with an understanding that they are NOT alliteration. That doesn’t really help them understand that they are repeating sounds, repetition of vowel sounds (assonance) and repetition of consonants in the beginning middle or end of a word (consonance).

Types of Poetic Sound Devices

While we typically see poetic sound devices in poetry, sound devices are not limited to only poems. You can find sound devices in any type of literature to emphasize various sounds. An author might use a poetic sound device to enhance the mood or tone of a scary story.

I know that I tend to enjoy teaching a poem more when poetic sound devices show up in the poem. These poems are fun to read aloud and many times my students will ask me to read a poem again- yes, 5th graders will ask for a reread of a fun poem.

So what are the different types of poetic sound devices? The main four include alliteration, assonance, consonance, and onomatopoeia. There are others, but I teach fifth grade and can barely say assonance in the classroom without a reaction. If you really want to elevate your poetic sound device lessons you can dive into cacophony, sibilance, and euphony.

Poetic Sound Device: Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in nearby, neighboring words.

Examples include:

Kit-kat, Dunkin’ Donuts, Captain Crunch, Minute Maid (Brands)

Peter Parker, Clark Kent, Wonder Woman, Matt Murdoch (comic book characters)

Stinky Stanley stunk since he sat upon a skunk (tongue twisters)

Why is alliteration important to poetry?

Alliteration is usually added intentionally by the poet to link together the chosen words
It can add a singsong quality that adds to the rhythm of the poem
In narrative poetry, the rhythm can add to the mood and tone

Poetic Sound Device: Assonance

Assonance is the repetition of the same vowel sounds among words in nearby, neighboring words.

Examples include:

Keep your eyes on the prize (eyes & prize)
The early bird catches the worm (early, bird, worm)
You snooze, you lose (snooze & lose)

Why is assonance important to poetry?

Assonance is usually added intentionally by the poet to link together the chosen words
Grabs the reader or listener’s attention to remember for a long time. “There’s no place like home” stands out more than, “I really like my house.”
It adds to the rhythm of the poem
It adds to the mood of the poem

Poetic Sound Device: Consonance

Consonance is the repetition of the same consonant sounds among words in nearby, neighboring words or a line of text.

This sounds very similar to alliteration because alliteration is actually a subtype of consonance where the consonant sound has to be at the beginning or words in nearby, neighboring words.

Examples include:

hickory dickory dock (repeated ck sound)
“And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
thrilled me – filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before” (Edgar Allen Poe- The Raven)

Why is consonance important to poetry?

Consonance can be used to create partial rhymes, words that have close endings sounds but are not 100% rhymes.
Consonance adds to the rhythm of the poem by making the arrangement of the words more pleasing to the listeners ear.
It can enhance imagery within the writing
Consonance, in addition to alliteration adds to the fun of tongue twisters.

Poetic Sound Device: Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is a word or a string of words that written together can produce an associated sound effect.

Examples include– boing, pitter-patter, clank, sizzle, gargle. (I am smiling as I type this. . . you just can’t be grumpy when trying to say ‘boing’ or ‘gargle’- see poetry can be a delight!)

Why is onomatopoeia important to poetry?

Onomatopoeia has a sensory effect on a poem, adding to the vivid imagery
Important to not only poems, but also children’s literature, comic books and advertisements
Adds excitement, action, humor and interest to writing

YouTube Videos for Teaching Poetic Sound Devices

Alliteration– This Alliteration video looks like it has a slow start, but it is fantastic for the entire video. Give it a chance and share it with your class. I love all of her examples and even her breakdown in the meaning of the word alliteration.

Assonance & Consonance– Oregon State University has a whole Youtube Channel that dives into various literary devices. They have some nice videos- check them out if you have a chance. They have a high level assonance & consonance video that could be a good starting point for the whole class, stopping to discuss the examples given in the video, or a way to differentiate for some of your more advanced learners who are ready to dive deeper into these poetic sound devices.

Onomatopoeia– The Onomatopoeia Alphabet is a ridiculous video, but the creator is thorough. Sometimes we need some ridiculous things in our teaching repertoire. You know your class best, check this out and see if this will be helpful or a complete distraction.

What is an Onomatopoeia? is a good video to have students try to identify sounds throughout the video. The narrator immediately identifies the examples. I like the video because it goes beyond the typical buzz, zoom, clap type of basic examples and has some pretty good less common onomatopoeias used in the video.

Songs to Review all Types of Poetic Sound Devices

Surface Pressure (Encanto)

Assonance in Songs (medley of songs with lyrics posted)

Alliteration in Songs (medley of songs with lyrics posted)

Poetry Project- Assonance & Consonance in Music (student made project with songs & lyrics posted)

Literary Devices in Pop Music (variety of devices highlighted with lyrics displayed)

Poetic Sound Devices Guided Notes

If you are looking for a quick poetic sound device guided notes pack, I created a product that has guided notes for onomatopoeia, alliteration, assonance and consonance.

Each sound device includes:

one blank notes page including why is this device important notes section
a modified notes page
a teacher answer key

Get Into the Poetry Spirit- Poetic Sound Device Edition

I love me some adorable reading themed teaching t-shirts. They make me happy!

Reading themed t-shirts are perfect for any day of the week but especially when they are poetry themed and you are teaching poetic sound devices! Here are a few of my favorites-

Absolutely Awesome Alliteration– Etsy

Silly Goose Sought Six Shiny Shells by the Seashore– Etsy

Haikus are Easy– Etsy

Poetry is Self Care– Etsy

It’s a Beautiful Day for Poetry– Etsy

Poetry is my Jam– Etsy

I Speak Fluent Poetry– Etsy

Onomatopoeia is the Buzz Word– Etsy