ENG24-25 Shakespeare for Teachers

Format

Seminars and lectures; independent research.

There will be six seminars and lectures, two of which will be on-site and the rest will be online.

The course will include viewing of the plays online, and a visit to the Shakespearetheater in Diever.

Exam

Presentation 40%

This assignment brings together three main objectives of the course by helping you develop 1) your skills as presenters and teachers; 2) your comprehension of Shakespeare; and 3) your ability to make meaningful critical connections between the scene under analysis and the course’s secondary literature.

One student group per week will select 1) a scene around which to organize their discussion and 2) one of the critical texts assigned for that week. The group’s discussion will showcase their understanding of the scene (and thus the play), their understanding of the critical text, and their ability to engage students in discussing their chosen scene. You must inform the lecturer of which scene and which essay will you discuss no later than the Monday before our Friday class.

Research essay 60%

For this assignment, you will develop a class around one of the plays under discussion and you will draw on one of the theoretical lenses discussed during the course. Your paper will contain assignments and activities for different age groups, involving the text as well as online theatre productions. This essay will be 3000 words (including references) and will be formatted in MLA style.

Note: You must earn at least a 5.6 on this assignment in order to pass the course.

Study load

Seminars: 6 x 3 = 21 hrs

Excursion to Diever: 6 hrs

Reading and preparatory work per week: 6 x 9 = 56 hrs

Presentation = 23 hrs

Research Essay = 34 hrs

UvA/VU 6 ECTS

Students who need 6 ECTS may elect to do an extra assignment. This must be determined with your lecturer in week 1.

Literature 

Set texts will be provided in the Digital Learning Environment.

• Ralph Alan Cohen, ShakesFear and How to Cure It, The Arden Shakespeare, 2018, ISBN 978-14742-2971-8
• Shakespeare, William, Macbeth, ed. by Linzy Brady and David James; Cambridge School Shakespeare, third edition, 2014 ISBN 978-1-107-61549-6
• Shakespeare, William, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, ed. by Linda Buckle; Cambridge School Shakespeare, fourth edition, 2014; ISBN 978-1-107-61545-8
• Shakespeare, William, Romeo and Juliet, ed. by Rob Smith; Cambridge School Shakespeare, Fourth ed. 2014, ISBN 978-1-107-61540-3
• recommended: Abigail Rokison, Shakespeare for Young People, The Arden Shakespeare, 2013, ISBN 9781441125569

Costs

€70,-