Tuesday, 1 May 2012

Module I: How to use ICT to Enrich the Teaching of Shakespeare


The plays and sonnets of William Shakespeare are often approached by secondary English students with apprehension due to their anxiety and uneasiness regarding the language of Shakespeare’s time. In order to overcome students’ apprehension ICT tools can be implemented by teachers to encourage enthusiasm for Shakespeare and to ensure students feel confident when dealing with his texts. An example of an ICT tool to enrich students’ study of Shakespeare is ‘Virtual Macbeth’ which is accessible through the program Second Life. In Second Life students can create an avatar and explore certain islands such as ‘Virtual Macbeth.’ Second Life is installed quickly and without difficulty. To ‘transport’ to the ‘Virtual Macbeth’ island students who have downloaded Second Life can do so by searching for the island and clicking on the link called ‘Foul Whisperings, Strange Matters.’ For someone new to Second Life it the ICT tool is fairly difficult to work out, after some time I figured out how to move my avatar around and could click on objects to bring up information about Macbeth.  An example of a portion of a ‘Notecard ‘ I found is below. Each ‘Notecard’ contains a variety of activities for students to complete. I think that this tool could be effective in the Secondary English classroom for students who have some knowledge and ability to navigate their way around Second Life. I could use this ICT tool to encourage students to investigate themes, context, technique characters, dialogue and more. This tool could be used in class in general, with students discovering Macbeth through their own exploration of the island, or with the teacher (who is confident in using Second Life) guiding learning. This tool could also be used for assessment with students completing the questions on one ‘Notecard’ that they discover during their exploration of the island. Students can also interact with each other through the island and work collaboratively on completing the questions in a ‘Notecard.’ This tool would appeal to students who prefer to learn through visual and auditory aids. Students would find this exciting due to the technology and gaming nature of the program. A screenshot is below to demonstrate the visual and game-like features of this ICT tool. All in all this seems like an effective tool that I could use in y secondary English classroom once I develop a better understanding of how to navigate around the ‘Virtual Macbeth’ Island.
Object: Statue of Macbeth

Themes and keywords: Poetic License

Alternative outcomes; choices in real life; playwrights choices; reflection on the specific character of Macbeth, notions of leadership & authority.

*Poetic license is also known as artistic license or dramatic license.
Discuss examples in Macbeth where Shakespeare has taken ‘poetic licence’ with the historical sources to enhance the drama.
*When have you had to convince some-one to do something they didn’t want to do? What happened? Did you succeed?
*Do you believe in the occult? Witches? Magic?
*Have you ever had your fortune told?


*The Elizabethans believed in the existence of witches. Why does Shakespeare begin the play with the witches?
*The first scene with the witches demonstrates Shakespeare practice of poetic license when it comes to word usage and meaning - where the language choice is based not only on creating meaning but meeting the demands of the verse structure. What verse structure is Shakespeare using in this scene? And why?

Network

*Why do the characters sometimes speak in prose? What is the dramatic effect of Macbeth switching from verse to prose (and visa versa) when he meets with the murderers in Act 3, scene 1 ?

*Discuss this dialogue between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

MACBETH: If we should fail?

LADY MACBETH: We fail?
But screw your courage to the sticking-place
And we’ll not fail.
Act 1, Scene 7
Lines 59 - 61

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