Welcome to Improving the teaching of Shakespeare

Children's awareness of Shakespeare does not just begin in school. Shakespeare's language and themes are deeply embedded in current fiction, poetry, films, television dramas and the world of advertising. Do you remember the advertisement for a well know breakfast cereal that showed Caesar saying to Brutus after he had stabbed him 'Ate two, Brutus?' or the husband who proudly boasts that 'My Anne hath a way with her'? Shakespeare continues to inspire the writers, actors, stage and film directors of today. This is the legacy that teachers of English who have taught Shakespeare with imagination, flair and enthusiasm and companies such as the RSC and The Globe, have created.

Many children have experiences of Shakespeare as performance, both as performers and observers, in their Primary years at school. When pupils arrive in Key Stage 3 (KS3) they all know about Shakespeare and have enjoyed engaging with the stories and exploring the language. The challenge for secondary teachers is to build on those experiences so that pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills are consolidated and extended from Years 7 – 11.

If you are an English consultant, you may also be interested in the Globe education materials for consultants.

Image of William Shakespeare (engraving) by Martin Droeshout © National Portrait Gallery, London. www.npg.org.uk. Used with kind permission.