Barbara Bleiman
@barbarableiman.bsky.social
Education consultant, writer of fiction & children's poetry; passionately committed to English as a subject, to education, and to the idea that learning is founded on dialogue. Poems on Dirigible Balloon & Northern Gravy.
This arrived yesterday by @attielime.bsky.social Looking forward to dipping in!
November 6, 2025 at 8:03 AM
This arrived yesterday by @attielime.bsky.social Looking forward to dipping in!
Here's a little Bonfire Night poem. Maybe some EY, KS1 and 2 teachers might spot it and share it with children. Now that would be just lovely!
November 5, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Here's a little Bonfire Night poem. Maybe some EY, KS1 and 2 teachers might spot it and share it with children. Now that would be just lovely!
A Halloween poetry offering for little 'uns getting geared up for Halloween and donning their costumes, stepping out into the night all prepared to be very scary...and to be very scared!
October 29, 2025 at 4:15 PM
A Halloween poetry offering for little 'uns getting geared up for Halloween and donning their costumes, stepping out into the night all prepared to be very scary...and to be very scared!
These prompts are a great stimulus for writing. Here's my latest effort!
October 28, 2025 at 11:32 AM
These prompts are a great stimulus for writing. Here's my latest effort!
Fantastic piece! I checked back on my latest poem about animals for little ‘uns - a draft - and found this!
October 25, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Fantastic piece! I checked back on my latest poem about animals for little ‘uns - a draft - and found this!
I'm doing a 45min half-term performance based on 'Snap!' in Saxmundham Library, as part of Poetry in Aldeburgh Festival. If you're in striking distance and have little ones who'd enjoy a fun event, why not come along? It's FREE, but do please book in advance.
October 22, 2025 at 6:47 AM
I'm doing a 45min half-term performance based on 'Snap!' in Saxmundham Library, as part of Poetry in Aldeburgh Festival. If you're in striking distance and have little ones who'd enjoy a fun event, why not come along? It's FREE, but do please book in advance.
🤣 They talk about 'red' words which don't follow the phonetic patterns taught - long lists of words which are seen as 'irregular'. But so many words are 'red' ones if you have a fixed notion that the basic pattern of English is phonically 'regular' rather than also determined by history & meaning.
October 18, 2025 at 8:31 AM
🤣 They talk about 'red' words which don't follow the phonetic patterns taught - long lists of words which are seen as 'irregular'. But so many words are 'red' ones if you have a fixed notion that the basic pattern of English is phonically 'regular' rather than also determined by history & meaning.
I wrote this poem on the limits of phonics, a while back. Our spelling system is based on the history of words, meaning & connections with other words, as well as sounds. Whether a sound is spelt 'oar' 'ore' 'aw' can't be decided on phonics alone & confronted with those letter combinations in 1/.
October 18, 2025 at 8:05 AM
I wrote this poem on the limits of phonics, a while back. Our spelling system is based on the history of words, meaning & connections with other words, as well as sounds. Whether a sound is spelt 'oar' 'ore' 'aw' can't be decided on phonics alone & confronted with those letter combinations in 1/.
A good few sales last week, 14 lovely reviews, 100% 5* ratings! So glad that it’s being received so well. I hope that EY, KS1 and 2 teachers might be buying copies and sharing poems with classes! Lots of ones for joining in & for sparking own writing. www.amazon.co.uk/Snap-Poems-C...
October 18, 2025 at 7:39 AM
A good few sales last week, 14 lovely reviews, 100% 5* ratings! So glad that it’s being received so well. I hope that EY, KS1 and 2 teachers might be buying copies and sharing poems with classes! Lots of ones for joining in & for sparking own writing. www.amazon.co.uk/Snap-Poems-C...
Just finished knitting a little jumper and hat for my son & daughter-in-law’s baby girl, due in November!
October 13, 2025 at 6:25 AM
Just finished knitting a little jumper and hat for my son & daughter-in-law’s baby girl, due in November!
This was such an important thing to be saying a year ago, and just as important now!
October 10, 2025 at 12:56 PM
This was such an important thing to be saying a year ago, and just as important now!
Another excellent blog on writing by @writingrocks.bsky.social This (below) is one of many powerful insights that need serious consideration by teachers…and policymakers.
October 10, 2025 at 7:11 AM
Another excellent blog on writing by @writingrocks.bsky.social This (below) is one of many powerful insights that need serious consideration by teachers…and policymakers.
I'm doing a half-term reading/workshop on my poetry collection 'Snap!' at Saxmundham Library on Tuesday 28th October, as part of Poetry in Aldeburgh Festival. If you're in the area, with small children, why not come along? FREE but booking is required!
October 6, 2025 at 8:23 AM
I'm doing a half-term reading/workshop on my poetry collection 'Snap!' at Saxmundham Library on Tuesday 28th October, as part of Poetry in Aldeburgh Festival. If you're in the area, with small children, why not come along? FREE but booking is required!
Another email from an English teacher this morning about the appalling NATIONAL SCANDAL of GCSE English marking. They gave their permission to quote the email in full & I want to share it because it is so shocking. What are Ofqual & DfE doing about this?
September 30, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Another email from an English teacher this morning about the appalling NATIONAL SCANDAL of GCSE English marking. They gave their permission to quote the email in full & I want to share it because it is so shocking. What are Ofqual & DfE doing about this?
For @poetryday it just so happens that the whole first section of my book ‘Snap!’ is on Games, Play & Activities, including, especially appropriately, the title poem. Here it is. The book is available on Amazon. amazon.co.uk/Snap-Poems-Chi…
September 27, 2025 at 5:57 PM
For @poetryday it just so happens that the whole first section of my book ‘Snap!’ is on Games, Play & Activities, including, especially appropriately, the title poem. Here it is. The book is available on Amazon. amazon.co.uk/Snap-Poems-Chi…
Worth taking a look at the poems here for @PoetryDayUK! I have a couple on the site myself. scaryness.com
September 27, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Worth taking a look at the poems here for @PoetryDayUK! I have a couple on the site myself. scaryness.com
These readings and interview clips are well worth watching, especially so now, as a reminder of Tony Harrison’s stunning poetry, intellect, qualities as a reader of his own poetry and thinker about working class life, culture and poetry. poetrystation.org.uk/search/poets/t…
September 27, 2025 at 7:00 AM
These readings and interview clips are well worth watching, especially so now, as a reminder of Tony Harrison’s stunning poetry, intellect, qualities as a reader of his own poetry and thinker about working class life, culture and poetry. poetrystation.org.uk/search/poets/t…
The annual Young Romantics Prize is now open for entries! Something for your keen A Level students to go in for, especially if they're studying Mary Shelley! keats-shelley.org/news/2025_6_...
September 23, 2025 at 10:04 AM
The annual Young Romantics Prize is now open for entries! Something for your keen A Level students to go in for, especially if they're studying Mary Shelley! keats-shelley.org/news/2025_6_...
Very proud to have children’s poems in these lovely collections!
September 21, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Very proud to have children’s poems in these lovely collections!
Here's a poem I wrote this time last year - a children's poem about seeing Autumn in a positive light!
September 21, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Here's a poem I wrote this time last year - a children's poem about seeing Autumn in a positive light!
So lovely to have a poem published in this beautiful issue of @littlethoughtspress.com magazine! It's one dear to my heart, as it brings in memories of my grandmother and thoughts about language and cultural identity. www.littlethoughtspress.com
September 17, 2025 at 1:08 PM
So lovely to have a poem published in this beautiful issue of @littlethoughtspress.com magazine! It's one dear to my heart, as it brings in memories of my grandmother and thoughts about language and cultural identity. www.littlethoughtspress.com
Very excited to have two new poems up on the fabulous Scaryness poetry website. They're in the 'new poems' section - one about ghosts who're afraid of children, the other about the shivery thrill of reading scary books! scaryness.com
September 16, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Very excited to have two new poems up on the fabulous Scaryness poetry website. They're in the 'new poems' section - one about ghosts who're afraid of children, the other about the shivery thrill of reading scary books! scaryness.com
Such a fun afternoon at Hornsey library for my launch of Snap! A really good turnout of kids and adults & a lovely receptive audience! Plus another booking request on the back of this event. 🙏 to all who came.
September 13, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Such a fun afternoon at Hornsey library for my launch of Snap! A really good turnout of kids and adults & a lovely receptive audience! Plus another booking request on the back of this event. 🙏 to all who came.
Such a fun afternoon at Hornsey library for my launch of Snap! A really good turnout of kids and adults & a lovely receptive audience! Plus another booking request on the back of this event. 🙏 to all who came.
September 13, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Such a fun afternoon at Hornsey library for my launch of Snap! A really good turnout of kids and adults & a lovely receptive audience! Plus another booking request on the back of this event. 🙏 to all who came.
A terrific poem by @dreambeastpoems.bsky.social Great for @poetrydayuk.bsky.social theme #Play, playing with dialect words and phrases from his home town in the #midlands. @englangblog.bsky.social @englishassociation.bsky.social @engmediacentre.bsky.social
September 12, 2025 at 7:02 AM
A terrific poem by @dreambeastpoems.bsky.social Great for @poetrydayuk.bsky.social theme #Play, playing with dialect words and phrases from his home town in the #midlands. @englangblog.bsky.social @englishassociation.bsky.social @engmediacentre.bsky.social