Shakespeare’s plays are central to the English curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4 and his contribution to to the world is important to Britain’s national identity. However, not all students are immediately excited by the challenges associated with reading the Bard. Bringing Shakespeare to life for students can be rewarding for educators at all levels, but it’s not always easy find new ways to do this.
The following pages outline some useful websites that have varied and innovative approaches to engaging with Shakespeare. Many organisations have worked with teachers and researchers to develop specific resources for the curriculum so there are plenty of options for both classroom and individual project learning. In addition to the curriculum resources, there are resources that show how passion and creativity can bring vitality to the historical world of Elizabethan England and the cultural heritage of the Tudor era.
Although Shakespeare is often the core of English or Drama classes, there are many ways to involve him in classroom activities throughout the curriculum or to support the core learning objectives with creative approaches. These websites can add to the many creative and deep thinking approaches you already use in your classroom.
TES Teaching Shakespeare (KS 3-4)
www.tes.com/teaching-shakespeare/
The TES Teaching Shakespeare website has a wide range of Shakespeare teaching resources.
Partnering with Into Film, BFI Film Forever, The Victoria and Albert Museum and the Royal Shakespeare Company, TES offers a wide range of teaching resources that approach Shakespeare from many different angles. Visually appealing, the site entreats the user to “Discover inspiring resources for bringing Shakespeare’s work to life”. There are five sections on the site, including Cultural Approaches, Themes, Context, Genre and Plays.