Transforming the Teaching of Shakespeare with the Royal Shakespeare Company

by Joe Winston

This book tells the story of the Royal Shakespeare Company's acclaimed and influential project to transform the teaching of Shakespeare in schools. It examines their approaches to making his plays more accessible, enjoyable and relevant to young people, describing the innovative classroom practices that the Company has pioneered and locating these within a clearly articulated theory of learning. It also provides evidence of their impact on children and young people's experience of Shakespeare, drawing upon original research as well as research commissioned by the RSC itself.

Authoritative but highly readable, the book is relevant to anyone with an interest in the teaching of Shakespeare, and in how a major cultural organisation can have a real impact on the education of young people from a wide range of social backgrounds. It benefits from interviews with key policy makers and practitioners from within the RSC, including their legendary voice coach, Cicely Berry, and with internationally renowned figures such as the writer and academic, Jonathan Bate; the previous artistic director of the RSC, Michael Boyd; and the celebrated playwright, Tim Crouch.

Genres: Shakespeare

208 pages, Paperback

First published November 20, 2014

Reviews

[Helen Mears · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent account of the education work of the RSC and their Stand Up for Shakespeare manifesto. I admit to having a vested interest, being part of the associated Masters Programme, but this book gives teachers a feel for how this approach works with some comprehensive worked examples to see their effects.