09.27.06
The “Language Barrier” of Shakespeare
As you continue exploring the potential of Shakespeare’s works in the English classroom, consider this question:
What active methods can you use to help your students to overcome the “language barrier” of Shakespeare and create meaning, humor, and lasting emotion when staging his work in the classroom? Many of you mentioned this concern in their comments this week. Discuss the strengths and challenges of the methods and approaches you select.
November 24, 2006 at 9:38 pm
Gibson’s (1998, 2006) suggests an exercise that seems like it might be helpful in breaking down the “language barrier” of Shakespeare. It involves pairing off students and having one student speak a short section of script in a neutral tone to a partner. The partner is then required to repeat the section back in a different style of their choosing (i.e. a joke, happy, sad, etc.). This exercise could serve to make the students more comfortable with the language by virtue of the fact that it gives them practice in speaking it. Familiarity with the language might raise their comfort level with their performances.
November 28, 2006 at 5:10 pm
I’d start by comparing the language from the “translations” to the original language. Which sounds better? Why?
I’d suggest that the students hear as much of the play as possible. With Shakespeare–and only Shakespeare–I find myself mumbling the play to myself while I’m reading the play.
Many of the clever elements of Shakespeare’s language, like the insults, sarcastic comebacks, and witty asides are things that the students can creatively duplicate or synthesize on their own. Make up some Shakespeare-style insults!
When we staged S’s work in my high school classroom, my classmates and I invented a running gag where we would find the most creative uses for random classroom things as props. It wasn’t something anyone thought of–it was just really funny the first few times and then it took on a life of its own. A little slapstick and some improv can help the students focus on staging their own Shakespeare, not the play they think they should be staging.
November 29, 2006 at 11:24 am
Since I teach ELL students, we are given side-by-side editions of the play so the students have the original version of the text as well as a modern “translation” of it. I always like to start the Shakespeare unit with a summary of the play. I find that the students follow along much better if they have an idea of the basic plot. This is especially useful since I teach 10th grade, and we read A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
I also like to start by explaining the pronouns that Shakespeare uses. This seems to help students later by allowing them to keep track of who is speaking and to whom they are speaking. We also do some activities where the students create “Shakespearean Insults” by using lists of words that I’ll put up on a transparency.
Then, we will read the modern translation of the text for the first act. If we come to key scenes or important speeches, we’ll read the modern version, then read the original version to ease the students into the language.
By the second act, we’ll concentrate more on the original text, do some role-playing, and watch clips of the movie version to compare the different mediums of presentation.
I think the more you can get the students to read aloud, act out scenes, and view interpretations of scenes, the more comfortable they will feel with the language, and the more they will enjoy the plays.