Being an English teacher is not easy. And as far as I know, teaching Shakespeare to students is Achilles heel for many teachers out there as the complexity of the language makes it difficult for students to understand.
While every teacher has his or her methods to teach Shakespeare, I like to create an interest around the world’s greatest playwright by sharing some funny ( not offensive or irreverent) memes about him with my students. Internet is filled with tons of memes on Shakespeare and sharing them while teaching Shakespeare helps in breaking the ice with the students. Kids love memes as they are exposed to them through social media. I think it is a great idea to introduce memes into classroom as it grabs the students’ attention right away.
Apart from the usual assignments and essays about Shakespeare’s plays, I like to promote creative thinking by asking students to generate memes of their own that exemplifies what they learnt about Shakespeare and his work. It is a fun exercise for kids and a great way for teachers to assess the understanding of students. However, teachers need to set the rules clear warning students to steer clear from offensive memes or abusive language.
As I start teaching Shakespeare to a new set of students tomorrow, I wish to sign off with some of my favorite Shakespeare memes:
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