Critical Pedagogy and Active Approaches to Teaching Shakespeare

Active approaches to teaching Shakespeare are growing in popularity, seen not only as enjoyable and accessible, but as an egalitarian and progressive teaching practice. A growing body of resources supports this work in classrooms. Yet critiques of these approaches argue they are not rigorous and do little to challenge the conservative status quo around Shakespeare. Meanwhile, Shakespeare scholarship more broadly is increasingly recognising the role of critical pedagogy, particularly feminist and decolonising approaches, and asks how best to teach Shakespeare within twenty-first century understandings of cultural value and social justice. Via vignettes of schools' participation in Coram Shakespeare School Foundation's festival, this Element draws on critical theories of education, play and identity to argue active Shakespeare teaching is a playful co-construction with learners and holds rich potential towards furthering social justice-oriented approaches to teaching the plays.

List of contents

Introduction; 1. Active Shakespeare as critical pedagogy; 2. Critical pedagogy: core principles; 3. Playing as reading the text; 4. Identity and care in the active Shakespeare classroom; 5. Critical active Shakespeare as restorying; References.

Summary

This Element draws on critical theories of education, play and identity to argue active Shakespeare teaching is a playful co-construction with learners and holds rich potential towards furthering social justice-oriented approaches to teaching the plays.

Foreword

This Element helps demonstrate the potential of critical pedagogy genesis for furthering social justice aims within Shakespeare education.

Product details

• Authors: Jennifer Kitchen, Jennifer (University of Warwick) Kitchen
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 30.11.2023
• EAN: 9781108792653
• ISBN: 978-1-108-79265-3
• No. of pages: 75
• Series: Elements in Shakespeare and Pedagogy
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Art > Theatre, ballet; English, LITERARY CRITICISM / Drama, DRAMA / Shakespeare, PERFORMING ARTS / Theater / General, Theatre Studies, Teaching skills and techniques, Teaching skills & techniques, Literary studies: plays & playwrights, Shakespeare Studies & Criticism, Classic and pre-20th century plays, Shakespeare Plays, Literary studies: plays and playwrights, Relating to Shakespeare / Shakespearean, EDUCATION / Teaching / Methods & Strategies