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Dateline: 12th March, 2010
Active Shakespeare Anita Butler reports on a new Shakespeare initiative from the Qualifications & Curriculum Development Agency. All children attending a state school from ages 11 to 14 follow Key Stage 3 (KS3) of the National Curriculum with English - and Shakespeare - a compulsory element. On Wednesday, the reconstructed Shakespeare's Globe on London's Bankside welcomed the launch of Active Shakespeare: Capturing Evidence of Learning, new guidance materials devised by the government's Qualifications & Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA). Paul Wright, QCDA English Programme Manager, introduced a panel that shared a genuine passion for instilling a love of Shakespeare in young people: Diana Johnson, Schools Minister and MP for Hull North; Fiona Banks, Head of Learning at Globe Education; Jacqui O'Hanlon, Royal Shakespeare Company Director of Education, and Siobhan Redmond, stage and screen actress, and the Globe's 2008 Titania/Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night's Dream. The initiative seeks a more positive and embedded presence for Shakespeare at KS3, thereby keeping young (and old) engaged in the universal themes and literary and cultural heritage that his plays provide, and complements ongoing projects by Globe Education, and the RSC's Stand up for Shakespeare (2008), a campaign that encouraged 'doing Shakespeare' on one's feet, seeing it live, and starting young. Shakespeare wrote for performance and although much joy lies in the text, evidence suggests that students are better engaged by taking the words off the page and performing them, as actors do in rehearsal. And youth seems to be key: it was generally agreed that you are never too young to be put off Shakespeare for life. We need to 'act it out' and the initiative gives official recognition and mandate for teachers who have known for some time that practical approaches work, with trials suggesting that the worlds of the classroom and the 'rehearsal room' can be bridged whilst maintaining robust evidence of learning. Joyous, concrete evidence was supplied at this launch by eight students from Rye College, Sussex, who performed As You Like It in ten stages, a condensed version from their informal and formal participation in the scheme, using teaching methods that will shortly join those for The Tempest and Romeo and Juliet on the QCDA website. Students report that these drama activities give everyone a chance to participate, direct, edit, and explore textual characters in a physical way. Group work is encouraged and all goes toward achieving target levels for final assessments. As Fiona Banks commented, this was an important day in the history of teaching Shakespeare. And, what better setting than one that provides an ongoing celebration of Shakespeare's heritage, with visitors welcomed daily from around the globe? Later in the afternoon, a special 90-minute schools-only performance of Macbeth was punctuated by fever-pitched excitement throughout, proving how Shakespeare's kings, queens, ghosts and witches can thrill a young audience. Shakespeare is for all ages but, just as for learning a language, we need to start young. N.B. A separate, full-length production of Macbeth runs from 23 April to 27 June as part of this year's 'Kings and Rogues' Globe season (23 April to 3 October 2010). Anita Butler
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