Bored by the Bard

Shakespeare may have been part of the popular culture in the eighteenth century but today the Bard of Avon is finding little favour amid students in Britain, thanks to the teaching methods in schools. The Royal Shakespeare Company demanded an overhaul of the way the Bard is taught in schools today, warning that children were being put off for life by "boring" lessons.

The famous actors’ company said too many children were denied the chance to see Shakespeare’s plays performed live and were limited to studying "a script on a page".

The RSC’s director of learning Maria Evans said children should perform scenes themselves in class and undergo some kind of "practical" assessment during examinations.

All pupils should have the chance to see at least one Shakespeare play performed in full during their time at school, she said.

"Stop your average young person in the street, ask them what they think about Shakespeare and ‘Boring’ will be a fairly common response," Evans was quoted by the Daily Mail, as saying.

"Shakespeare remains the only writer studied by every young person in Britain, but many leave formal education determined never to come into contact with the Bard again," she added.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education and Skills said, "Shakespeare is a vital part of our literacy heritage and always will be — it’s vital that pupils learn the great classics."

"The best teaching is based on a creative, in-depth approach leading to understanding and this is what schools are already delivering. — ANI

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