Shakespeare in schools

The Leeds Meets Shakespeare project aims to use Shakespeare plays in the classroom to raise the attainment of Year One pupils who have English as an additional language.

Led by Dr Claire Chambers, the project was piloted in six Leeds primary schools with large numbers of British-Pakistani and -Bangladeshi pupils, and has been so successful that it is now going citywide. Research shows the majority of pupils involved in this kind of work make significant average gains in both vocabulary and grammar scores. The project also raises pupils' confidence and engagement.

Teaching packs

Our free packs are available to all, and include lesson plans and activities ranging from 10 to 30 minutes that can be applied directly in the classroom.

Our packs feature The Tempest and The Winter's Tale. Use our teaching packs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND0Etey0hYU&feature=youtu.be

Watch this video to see the project in action in the classroom.

Why Shakespeare?

Shakespeare's plays capture the imagination. Their characters, settings and stories provide enormous scope to explore important themes and ideas in an exciting context.

The plays also speak to timely issues including caste, class and colour prejudice, pressure around marriage choices, and social mobility.

Contact us

If you have any questions, get in touch with Claire at: claire.chambers@york.ac.uk