Shakespeare

Shakespeare in his Time – for Years 3 to 6

Learning Focus: Understand the differences between theatrical entertainment in Shakespeare’s time when compared to today. Be able to write, practise and perform a play in a short time frame, much like Shakespeare and his fellow playwrights would have done in Tudor times. Shakespeare was one of the most important… Read More

Shakespeare and English

The English language owes a lot to Shakespeare. If he hadn’t written his plays chock full of new words and phrases, we would find it hard to express ourselves eloquently today. It’s hard to believe that many of the words and phrases we use today have been around for over… Read More

Performing Shakespeare

Suitable For: Year 4 to Year 6 Learning Focus: To explore the meaning of language in a play script by acting it out. Performing Shakespeare can be seen as a hardship, torturous even but there are many ways to make it accessible. Here are two examples… a)    Use a… Read More

Primary Literacy – The Cultural Olympiad

You’d be right in thinking that the Cultural Olympiad would include many works by Britain’s most famous poets, writers and playwrights. Performances of plays, readings of extracts of famous books and recital of great poetry have all marked the Olympiad. In this series of activities you will introduce the children… Read More

Secondary English – Any Questions?

I sometimes wonder what my students really think about my lessons. No, let me correct that. I sometimes wonder what my students really understand in my lessons. Unfortunately I think that too often there is a gap between my assumptions of what they ‘get’ and what they don’t. So, last… Read More

Secondary English – Shakespeare in their language!

Making Shakespeare exciting and relevant to today’s teenagers Another academic year underway, a new timetable to be cautiously navigated… and the same old intractable dilemma  – how to make the words of Shakespeare speak to teenagers born into a world so brave that not even the great man himself could… Read More

GCSE English – Stand up for Shakespeare

I have to admit that, in the past, I was rather prone to keeping my students sitting down in class. Especially when teaching drama texts. This may be because my attempts at using drama in the classroom usually ended up resembling a scene from ‘Lord of the Flies’; it may… Read More