Teaching and Learning Shakespeare through Theatre-based Practice

Tracy Irish, Jennifer Kitchen, Tracy Irish, Jennifer Kitchen

• Publisher: The Arden Shakespeare
• Year: 2023
• Print ISBN: 9781350292048
• eBook ISBN: 9781350292079
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Shakespeare Drama
• Index: Literature

How can the study of Shakespeare contribute to equipping young people for the challenges of an uncertain future?

This book argues for the necessity of a Shakespeare education that: finds meaning in the texts through inviting in the prior knowledge, experiences and ideas of students; combines intellectual, social and emotional learning; and develops a critical perspective on what a cultural inheritance is all about. It offers a comprehensive exploration of the educational principles underpinning theatre-based practice and explains how and why this practice can open up the possibilities of Shakespeare study in the classroom. It empowers Shakespeare educators working with young people aged 5-18 to interact critically, creatively and collaboratively with Shakespeare as a living artist.

Drawing on the authors' research and experience with organizations including the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare's Globe, the Folger and Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation, Part One consolidates recent developments in the field and engages in lively dialogue with core questions of Shakespeare's place in the classroom. Part Two curates a series of interviews with leaders and practitioners from the above and other Shakespeare institutions, exploring their core principles and practices. Part Three presents chapters from and about classroom teachers, who share their experiences of successfully embedding theatre-based approaches to Shakespeare in their own diverse contexts.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-Title
• Series
• Title
• Contents
• List of Contributors
• Foreword by James Stredder
• Acknowledgements
• Note on the Text
• Introduction
• PART ONE Perspectives from multidisciplinary research
• 1 The pedagogy question
• 2 The cultural value question
• 3 The literature question
• 4 The language question
• PART TWO Perspectives from organizations and practitioners
• 5 Perspectives from organizations and practitioners: Introduction
• 6 Aims, scope and areas of focus
• 7 On teaching, schools, and culture
• 8 Why Shakespeare?
• PART THREE Perspectives from the classroom
• 9 Perspectives from the classroom: Introduction
• 10  Dirty Shakespeare: Outdoor learning with primary pupils
• 11  How relevant is Shakespeare in an international school context?
• 12  Macbeth, ماكبث-, Макбет: Utilizing students’ code-switching as a tool for engaging with Shakespeare at secondary level
• 13  Salvaging the bard: A success story of theatre-based practice for neurodiverse learners
• 14  Transference and Integration: Using Shakespeare to teach composition
• 15  Theatre-based pedagogy in a knowledge-rich curriculum: Perspectives from initial teacher training
• 16  Much ado about decolonized Shakespeare
• Epilogue
• References
• Index
• Copyright