In North Rhine-Westphalia teaching Shakespeare is, as in other federal states, an integral part in the curriculum for the Sekundarstufe II in English and has equal to the prior years, in the upcoming Abitur 2021 Shakespeare in its standards. However, in recent years the acceptance of Shakespeare in the classroom was highly discussed. In a survey, hold by Isolde Schmidt in 2004, more than hundred students, attending an English Leistungskurs, were asked about their acceptance with Shakespeare. Surprisingly, a large number of students expressed a positive association with Shakespeare, emphasizing the great importance of the author for the international cultural heritage. However, a lot of students were dissatisfied with the applied pedagogical teaching approach.
Based on this decline of motivation related to the applied pedagogical teaching approach, the teaching of Shakespearean sonnets is complicated by the fact that the teaching of the genre poetry brings along its own challenges for the classroom. The resentment to poetry has also risen from the “one-sided teaching approach” in which the main focus is set on the “formalistic and analytic interpretation” gearing towards finding the right meaning. To prevent the total loss of motivation and interest of the students the focus of teaching should be shifted to creative approaches. With the implementation of innovative student-centred, process- and task-based methods using different media and referring to the environments of the students, traditional teacher-centred methods can be superseded and thus students’ motivation can be awakened and maintained.
In order to show that the teaching of Shakespearean sonnets has not only to be limited to formalistic and analytic interpretations, this paper will demonstrate creative methods for teaching Shakespearean sonnets. The paper is divided into two parts. The first part deals with the theoretical background on teaching sonnets. Since sonnets belong to the genre of poetry, I will first outline the role and benefits of teaching poetry. Afterwards, I will address the potential and challenges of teaching Shakespeare. [...]
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: Shaking up Shakespeare
2. Theoretical Background: Creative Approaches to Teaching Shakespearean Sonnets in the EFL Classroom
2.1 The Role and Benefits of Teaching Poetry
2.2 To Teach or Not to Teach? - Potential and Challenges of Teaching Shakespeare in the EFL Classroom
2.3 Creative Approaches to Teaching Shakespearean Sonnets
3. Critical Analysis of the Teaching Unit to Sonnet 116 in Green Line Oberstufe
3.1 Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare
3.2 Critical Analysis of the Teaching Approach to Sonnet 116 in Green Line Oberstufe
3.3 Application: An Alternative Creative Lesson on Sonnet 116
4. Conclusion
5. References
Objectives and Topics
This paper aims to overcome student demotivation in the EFL classroom regarding Shakespearean sonnets by moving away from strictly formalistic and analytic teaching methods towards more creative, student-centered, and task-based approaches.
- The role and pedagogical benefits of incorporating poetry into language lessons.
- Challenges and potentials associated with teaching Shakespeare in secondary education.
- Evaluation of existing textbook materials for Sonnet 116 regarding their creative potential.
- Implementation of the PWP (pre-reading, while-reading, post-reading) approach for creative literature teaching.
Excerpt from the Book
2.3 Creative Approaches to Teaching Shakespearean Sonnets
Considering the challenges of poetry and Shakespeare in the classroom, teaching Shakespearean sonnets in the classroom pose a triple barrier for many EFL students. With poetry being already a “problem genre” in the language classroom, the historical and the cultural distance as well as the Early Modern English language with its complex allusions and imagery make the teaching of Shakespearean sonnets even harder for students to understand. (Volkmann, 2014, p.17) However, creative approaches can awake students’ motivation for Shakespearean sonnets.
A lot of times creative approaches are rather used as a “spielerisches Plus” in the classroom, where at the end of studying a literary text, students can “recover” from the textual work and have some fun at last. (Nünning & Surkamp, 2010, p.67) Nünning & Surkamp (2010) point out that creative approaches can also make a huge contribution to the process of text comprehension and text analysis, if they are used from the beginning. (p.67) Here, it is important creative approaches should not only be applied on production-oriented methods where students solely do creative writing but also on task-based-learning methods which develop students cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills. The use of authentic materials and different media can support a more creative way of teaching. (Nünning & Surkamp, 2010, p.67 f.)
The PWP approach, which consists of the three stages of text reading, namely pre-reading stage, while-reading stage and post-reading stage is an effective strategy to get students to engage with the text. (Thaler, 2008, p.117) In the following we will have closer look at some creative approaches for Shakespearean sonnets categorised by the stages of text reading. Due to space limitations of this paper, only some creative approaches can be presented.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Shaking up Shakespeare: This chapter highlights the declining student motivation for Shakespeare in the German curriculum and proposes a shift towards creative pedagogical approaches.
2. Theoretical Background: Creative Approaches to Teaching Shakespearean Sonnets in the EFL Classroom: This section details the benefits of teaching poetry and addresses the specific challenges of Shakespeare, arguing for the implementation of the PWP model to foster engagement.
3. Critical Analysis of the Teaching Unit to Sonnet 116 in Green Line Oberstufe: This chapter analyzes current textbook materials and proposes a new, creative, and student-centered lesson plan for teaching Sonnet 116.
4. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes that while Shakespearean poetry is challenging, a "methodischer Pluralismus" that balances traditional and creative methods can effectively maintain student interest.
5. References: This section lists all academic sources and teaching materials cited throughout the paper.
Keywords
Shakespeare, Sonnet 116, EFL Classroom, Poetry Teaching, Creative Approaches, PWP Approach, Student Motivation, Literary Competence, Green Line Oberstufe, Task-based Learning, Pedagogical Methodology, Literature Education, Secondary Education, Language Learning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this academic paper?
The paper examines the decline in student motivation regarding Shakespearean sonnets in German secondary schools and explores how to revitalize these lessons through creative and student-centered pedagogical methods.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The central themes include the integration of poetry in foreign language education, the challenges of Early Modern English, the pedagogical potential of Shakespeare's themes, and the transition from formalistic analysis to creative task-based learning.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to demonstrate that creative, task-based approaches (specifically the PWP model) increase student engagement and understanding of Shakespearean sonnets compared to traditional, one-sided analytic methods.
Which scientific method is utilized in the analysis?
The paper employs a critical analysis of current textbook materials (specifically "Green Line Oberstufe") and synthesizes pedagogical theory from experts like Thaler and Nünning & Surkamp to develop an alternative, improved teaching unit.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers the theoretical benefits of poetry, the specific barriers of Early Modern English, a critique of current textbook tasks, and a detailed, step-by-step alternative lesson plan using multimedia and interactive group work.
Which keywords characterize this study?
Key terms include Shakespeare, EFL Classroom, Poetry Teaching, Creative Approaches, PWP Approach, and Student Motivation.
What is the significance of the PWP approach in this paper?
The PWP (pre-reading, while-reading, post-reading) approach serves as the structural framework for organizing lessons to ensure students are psychologically prepared, actively engaged during reading, and reflective after reading.
Why does the author criticize current textbook approaches to Sonnet 116?
The author argues that existing textbook tasks are too focused on solitary, written, and formalistic textual analysis, which lacks the creative methods necessary to sustain student interest and curiosity.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2020, Shaking up Shakespeare. A Creative Approach to Teach Shakespearean Sonnets in the EFL Classroom, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1170278
