While Shakespearean language can pose a challenge for students, Suzanne Hamilton at Arthur L. Johnson High School in Clark finds that translating the language into modern English helps her students to better understand the text.
When it comes to tackling difficult scenes, the students in Hamilton’s class work in small groups to create their own versions of that scene. Students are encouraged to make the language more modern and to use colloquial language to communicate between characters. Students may change the names of the characters and the setting as well.
This activity helps students to develop a stronger appreciation for Shakespeare’s content as they begin to master his language on their own terms.