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Forum Topic: Shakespeare in the primary school
Topic started by: Helen Watts, Literacy Time Editor at 08 March 2008 - 18:09
Have you read the story in the News section here on the Education PLUS website about the RSC encouraging more teachers to introduce children to Shakespeare before KS3? If so, you might be interested in the March issue of ‘Literacy Time PLUS’ Ages 7 to 9 which not only featured an article exploring this very issue, but also included some fantastic classroom resources. There’s a set of downloadable videos in which primary aged children read for the part of Jaques in ‘As You Like It’. Plus a group reading leaflet featuring an extract from the ‘Easy Reading Shakespeare’ version of the same play, by Richard Cuddington. All are accompanied by some practical teachers’ notes and worksheets.
Discussion
- Posted by: Michelle Ireson at 09 April 2008 - 19:22
I teach all of Key Stage 2 in one class and we have recently enjoyed some very successful work on Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’. The children read some simplified scripts and then wrote their own version of the play for a puppet show which they presented to our Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 class. The video auditions for ‘As you like it’ are very good and would make for an interesting class discussion, especially when making decisions about which of the children should get the role. We are having a summer performance of some kind this year and I might use this as a means of showing the children good and not-so-good things to do in auditions before we hold our own.