‘Shakespeare’– An endangered species?

Abstract

In October 2008 testing of student attainment, over their first three years in English Secondary schools, was abolished. In this article I will argue that, though this was a much welcomed move, one of the possible consequences of this volte‐face by Government was that Shakespeare study is becoming marginalised. After a brief introduction, my past life and current Action Research, Parts One and Two of this article will develop the argument that Shakespeare is in danger of becoming an endangered species, and make the case for the pedagogic added‐value that Shakespeare study offers the curriculum, based on the need to make the plays relevant to the student’s life world. In Part Three, I will describe a series of lesson plans which I used to make Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet relevant for 11‐14-year old learners. And in Part Four I will highlight three beneficial results of this work, namely: Shakespeare ‘become their (the students) buddy’; the students understood the relevance of the story to their personal and social development; and, tangentially, the teachers got to know their students on a deeper level.

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