Engaging students in Shakespeare

Presented by Claire Amos [email protected]

Three Strategies

 Differentiating Shakespeare for Learning Profile  Wikis and web quests  Shakespeare - the Shortland Street Years

What is differentiation?

Differentiation-one facet of expert teaching reminds us that these things are unlikely to happen for the full range of students unless curriculum and instruction fit each individual, unless students have choices about what to learn and how, unless students take part in setting learning goals, and unless the classroom connects with the experiences and interest of the individual (Tomlinson, 1995, 1999).

How Learning Profiles fits in with the bigger picture

DIFFERENTIATION

Is a teacher's response to learners' needs Guided by general princ iples of differentiation

Respectful Tasks Flexible Grouping

Teachers can differentiate through

Continual Assessment Content Process Product Environment

According to students'

Readiness Interest Learning Profile

Through a variety of instruc tional strategies

Learning Profile Factors

These can include factors such as:  Group Orientation e.g. independent, group  Cognitive Style e.g. creative/conforming, concrete/abstract, oral/visual/kinaesthetic  Learning Environment e.g. noise/quiet, still/mobile  Intelligence Preference e.g. analytic, practical, creative, verbal, spatial/visual

What is VARK?

VARK is a questionnaire that provides users with a profile of their learning preferences. These preferences are about the ways that they want to take-in and give-out information. V = Visual A = Auditory R = Reader / Writer K = Kinaesthetic

Lesson planning activity

Refer to your handouts 1. Lesson plan for Macbeth – plot summary 2. Annotated lesson plan for Macbeth – plot summary 3. Your blank lesson plan 4. Ideas for VARK tasks

Useful Websites

 http://www.vark-learn.com/english/index.asp

 http://www.doe.state.in.us/exceptional/gt/tiered_curri culum/welcome.html

 http://www.caroltomlinson.com/  http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/index.jsp/  http://people.virginia.edu/~mws6u/diff/

Wikis and Webquests

Wiki - A collaborative website whose content can be edited by anyone who has access to it. Webquest - An inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web.

Wiki

Webquests

Constructing a Web Quest

From: http://www.internet4classrooms.com/using_quest.htm

Useful websites

     http://webquest.org/index.php

http://www.work.co.nz/reviews/webquests.asp

http://educationalwikis.wikispaces.com/Classroo m+Wikis http://www.wikispaces.com/site/for/teachers100 K http://year13english.pbwiki.com/Richard+III

Putting Shakespeare in a modern context

    There are a number of ways to contextualise Shakespeare so as to make it more accessible e.g.

Films Humanising characters and scenarios through discussion Using Audio Tapes Graphic Novels

A modern context but original language…

Modern interpretations…

Humanising and modernising characters and scenarios

   Getting “Dr Phil” to interview characters about their motivations Get students to adapt the storyline to a Shortland St script Discuss scenarios and scenes in a familiar context such as school, home or sports

Audio tapes

     Research shows that a large percentage- 85%- of our learning and knowledge actually comes from listening. Another plus factor for using audio books is the improvement of the students' listening and comprehension skills. They are compelled to listen attentively since they cannot follow what is being played on tape with a book. The rhythm of the speech and its patterns are made distinct, thereby making the printed material flowing and easily absorbed. Readers can learn the pronunciation of words through listening to books on tapes. This minimizes the risk of losing interest in reading. Difficulty in pronouncing words and the pressure of pronouncing words correctly are two of the most common reason why people lose interest in reading. Even if the reader does not understand the definite meaning of words or of what they're hearing, they will have an idea about its meaning depending on how it is said on tape.

Graphic Novels

"Readers in the 21st century need to be able to analyze what they read and understand the motive of the author and the accuracy of the reading. They need to see themselves as active users, not merely vessels to be filled. Graphic novels offer a forum for these essential discussions." -- Nancy Frey, Using Graphic Novels, Anime, and the Internet in an Urban High School

Shakespearean Graphic Novels

Useful Websites

   Audio tapes http://ezinearticles.com/?Advantages-of-Learning-Through-Audio Books&id=207999 Graphic Novels http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev105.shtml

http://www.bardcentral.com/index.php?cPath=266&osCsid=c29cddbd09018 e754ae0df73d06