Multiliteracy pratices based on the works of William Shakespeare

Abstract

William Shakespeare is one of the most well-known English authors, and his works are used frequently in educational contexts. In a world of sizable and fast technological change, it is necessary to think of strategies and methodologies that approach the students’ inner worlds, and that can awaken their interest. Multiliteracy, as defined by Cope and Kalantzis (2000), seeks to use different means of communication, and cultural and linguistic differences in pedagogical practices. This concept, when combined with Shakespeare’s dramatic works, can lead to activities that are significant to the students. Multimodal activities relate to the Rehearsal Room Approach, an approach created by the Royal Shakespeare Company (2023) and the Globe Theatre (2023), which treats the classroom as a rehearsal room, in which students and teachers are actors and directors, using the text as a script. In this context, this article aims to discuss the ways in which Shakespearean works are being brought to six public schools of basic education from Curitiba by extension projects, proposed by undergraduate students of English Language and Literature from a public university, and the different resources, channels and themes that can be utilized against the backdrop of active approaches based on multiliteracies. Through the workshops proposed and experiences, it can be seen that Shakespeare’s pieces and the themes explored by the author remain relevant and arouse interest in students, especially when explored in creative and contextualized manners.