Inquiry-Based Teaching
I believe that inquiry-based teaching allows for much deeper thinking and does not limit learning to just a specific text but ideas that can be linked to multiple aspects of our life. For example, in my Grade 9 Romeo and Juliet unit, we looked at the bigger question of what love was and what aspects formed a healthy relationship. From there, using backwards planning, I created a variety of assignments and lessons that would lead to the final PLOs and information that I wanted students to come away with.
Technology/Games/Media (pop culture), graphic novels
Since I had to teach Shakespeare to both my Grade 9s and 11s, I found that many students were reluctant to engage in the text because of the perception that Shakespeare was boring and irrelevant. To increase motivation and interest, I believe that technology, games, media and graphic novels are effective ways to approach students. When information is framed in literacies that students understand, it is not as intimidating and more enjoyable because it activates the prior knowledge of students.
I used graphic novels of both Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet in conjunction with the original text which also reached visual learners to solidify understanding. I also created an activity where I used white out in the graphic novel text and replaced them with the corresponding line numbers in the scene and asked students in groups to translate the lines into language that they understood. This activity was one where students could use the visual cues and their prior literacies in graphic novels to further their comprehension.
I also researched this in my inquiry class using whiteboard animation and the topic of Shakespearean language. Today, many of our students have the ability to make amazing projects with their technological skills and these should not be ignored – there are so many creative ways that students can show their learning!
Games are also a great way to help students learn – I especially like the fact that it frames the information in a fun way, which many students forget about school. I used many games in the classroom including a powerpoint Jeopardy, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, a scavenger hunt in the classroom and a killer game to demonstrate themes in Macbeth. Games can be used to review learning before assessment or can even be used as formative assessment. The lesson plan for the killer game is below:
