How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare

I had so much fun reading this book. If you always have loved Shakespeare, or, better yet, wanted to love it but just didn’t get it, this is the book for you!

How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare is by an acclaimed playwright who hopes to provide you with the tools to help you and your children

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make Shakespeare a part of your lives. He shows you how to make Shakespeare both informative and fun. He writes:

"Shakespeare should not be an occasional visitor. He should be a permanent houseguest, living in that spare room down the hall, ready to join you for a meal or an evening whenever you crave his company. Better yet, he should feel like a part of your family...”

With passion and enthusiasm, he sets out to convince you how to do just that, with plenty of guidance.

I don’t know how well this book would work on kids, but it certainly helped me to understand Shakespeare better than I ever did, and I studied Shakespeare extensively in college.

He goes through many passages adding “translations,” as in this example:

"I have of late [recently],
but wherefore [why] I know not,
lost all my mirth [cheerfulness]”

If the speech might be particularly abstruse for modern audiences, he uses two columns, with Shakespeare’s words on the left, and a summary of their meaning on the right. He also explains the imagery and importance of the passages, and why they are considered so masterful. For example, in discussing Hamlet, he observes:

"The Ghost fills Hamlet’s ear with the details of his own murder the way Claudius filled Kim Hamlet’s ear with poison. This paradox underscores an important question: Is the Ghost lying or telling the truth? Are his words reliable or poisonous? This is something that Hamlet will spend the next two acts of the play trying to find out.”

I loved too how he demonstrates the way in which Shakespeare manipulated word length and alliteration to slow down or speed up delivery of lines for dramatic effect.

He even provides ideas for entertaining ways to encourage your children to incorporate some of Shakespeare’s bot mots into your own lives. For example, to echo Falstaff from Henry IV, Part I:

"Our daughter, Olivia, stays up past her bedtime and her mother catches her in bed with her computer.

Mom

Olivia, what do you think you’re doing?

Olivia

Why, Mom, ‘tis my vocation, Mom. ‘Tis no sin for a girl to labor in her vocation.’”

As he explains at the outset, in answer to the question “Why Shakespeare?”:

"...Shakespeare isn’t just one of the many great authors in the English language; Shakespeare is, indisputably, one of the two great bedrocks of Western civilization in English. (The other is the King James translation of the Bible.) Not only do Shakespeare’s plays themselves contain the finest writing of the past 450 years, but most of the best novels, plays, poetry, and films in the English language produced since Shakespeare’s death in 1616 - from Jane Austen to Charles Dickens, from Ulysses to The Godfather - are heavily influenced by Shakespeare’s stories, characters, language, and themes.”

Evaluation: I truly enjoyed this book; it gave me so many new insights into the wonderful world of Shakespeare, and allowed me to enjoy his work in an entirely new way. Highly recommended even without any potential pupils besides yourself!

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"How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare" by Ken Ludwig is must reading for anyone who teaches Shakespeare. The book is recommended reading for everyone else. It does not matter if you do not have children to teach or if you don’t even have an interest in Shakespeare. You are likely to develop an

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interest in Shakespeare after reading this book and want to share your new interest with others. Reading this book is like sitting with an enthusiastic mentor. Ludwig’s love for Shakespeare is contagious. His writing is a joy to read. For those who want to teach others Shakespeare, Ludwig offers a method for helping children and adults memorize key Shakespearean passages. Each chapter is a lesson. Ludwig includes numerous tips for making the lessons fun. If you do not want to teach others, use the book to teach yourself. Ludwig’s approach makes Shakespeare relevant and alive. The book’s bibliography provides a wealth of follow-up resources and the author’s enthusiastic explanation of each resource will have you wanting to become a Shakespearean authority. In summary, this book is practical, enlightening, and fun.

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Though this book is aptly named, it might also be titled "How to Teach Yourself Shakespeare" or "You are Literally Holding in Your Hands a Script Sufficient to Introduce Your Children to Shakespeare." I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and I can see how it would be extremely useful in introducing the

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various plots and writing styles associated with Shakespeare. Writing in a very conversational style, Ludwig alternates instructive prose with personal anecdotes: it is clear indeed that he has codified a system that worked well for his own children, and we are all the better for it. With the dialogue provided -- even printing out repetitions where suggested -- and access to large-scale memory aids online, this is a very thorough and accessible start. I was also thinking about how it might be adapted outward: the memorization techniques are universal, and might be applied with the same attention to detail and meaning to other poetry, scripture, "non-fiction" speeches, etc. I learned a lot already, and I would recommend it to anyone who, like myself, wishes to teach Shakespeare but lacks the confidence to design their own approach.

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When I was a young girl, I was introduced to Shakespeare when I attended several performances of the Old Vic when that theatrical company visited New York City. I enjoyed the experience – the plays I saw were entertaining. By the time I was in high school and I studied a few Shakespearean plays

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in my English class, everything seemed so different and more boring than what I enjoyed as a younger child. I was disappointed because the Shakespeare of my earlier years was engaging, not dull like what was being taught in my high school English classes. I decided to memorize a good number of passages (I can still recite them today, at age 66). This memorization was not something that was required by my teachers. I simply found it enjoyable to do (oh yeah, I was THAT kind of kid!). At first, I stumbled over the passages, but it made such a difference when I became more familiar with the cadence of Shakespeare’s writing. I went to our huge old dictionary at home, and looked up the meaning of the certain words to learn what those words meant in Elizabethan times. It definitely was not like seeing the Old Vic, but I found it better than reading the plays as if one were reading a novel (which was what my teachers instructed us to do). I knew Shakespeare’s words were written to be spoken aloud, because that was how I first heard them. And, how can anyone enjoy anything without, at the very least, knowing the meaning of the words.

Ken Ludwig’s book, How To Teach Your Child Shakespeare, deals with so much more than that … significantly more than simply some memorization of a few lines and picking up the Elizabethan meaning of several words. Ludwig’s method of learning Shakespeare makes sense because it encourages all that, plus the understanding of the history, culture, politics, and beliefs of those times, as well as the connection to the customs and mores of present day. He urges us to recognize the use of puns, word play, and imagery in Shakespeare’s language. Understanding a good double-entendre is cool especially in the work of Shakespeare, who does it so well.

Seeing a good Shakespearean production, reading his works aloud, and memorization of some passages are all great. Comprehending the historic backdrop in which Shakespeare wrote adds even more to a person’s insight, appreciation, and enjoyment. However, discovering entertainment and delight in Shakespeare is the best!

This is not a book for children-only. I think this book is terrific for all ages!

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Ken Ludwig is obviously passionate about teaching Shakespeare to his kids. I, too, would love for my kids to be excited about this subject and I've had some success but Mr. Ludwig, as playwright, has the great advantage of really knowing his Shakespeare and has already invested significant time

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helping his kids memorize portions of it.
Right from the first page, Mr. Ludwig has us memorizing lines and soaking them in, "Say it again, and really enjoy saying it, because it's good for the soul." He goes on to suggest -five passages to start with and explains the background of the various plays they come from as well as advice about rhythm and dramatic acting. There is also a section about the life of Shakespeare.
Although not written specifically for homeschool families, this would be a great resource for homeschool parents. It could also be used as a supplement to school or to liven up the conversation at your supper table. It think it could be used for children from about age 4 all through high school.

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This has shown to have some good insights both on Shakespeare as well as general learning. I don't have many gear wow moments yet as I left this book at home when we went on vacation, but I have seen some things work quickly The author's passion as well as experiences applying this practically are

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great differentiators with this book. I wish my high school English teachers would have had a book like this. I other reviewers mention it would be good for self-learning, home school, and several other places. I think they’re 100 percent correct. Moreover, it is applicable for any other topics, and is a great resource for anyone doing teaching or training,

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Awesome resource for memory work from Shakespeare! I will definitely be using this for homeschooling my girls, probably starting in 3rd or 4th grade.

This gem is a book built to help introduce your children to Shakespeare, but it would work as an introduction for adults as well. It’s also a great way to dive deeper into the world of Shakespeare even if you’re already a fan. I felt like I learned quite a bit while reading it, because it

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isn’t dumbed down for kids, it’s just simplified.

Ludwig's passion for Shakespeare is infectious. He finds joy in the work and beautifully explains how to make that joy accessible to anyone who reads the Bard. He makes you appreciate each lovely line while giving an overview of the plays, Shakespeare's life and the depth of his work.

“… Shakespeare was fearlessly true to life. Throughout his plays we see not only comedy and not only tragedy but also, always, the truth.”

Ludwig breaks down some of Shakespeare’s most famous plays to make them accessible. He focuses quite a bit on memorization, but that’s just one aspect of the book. He explains plots and language, the difference between prose and poetry, provides character break downs, and walks us through beautiful speeches and what they mean. He explains the way Shakespeare used the cadence of the language to help the actors pace their performances.

He takes some of the famous soliloquies, especially from Hamlet, and breaks them down in a side-by-side comparison. He gives the reader Shakespeare’s words next to his own paraphrase in modern language. It’s incredibly helpful for adults as well as kids. It helps readers understand the full meaning behind some of well-known lines.

One of my favorite things Ludwig does in the book is offer a context for Shakespeare’s work. He looks at the author’s life, England during that time period and the order in which the plays were written. Understanding that The Tempest was written later in life and The Taming of the Shrew was an early work helps readers understand the increased tone of gravitas n even his comedies.

At the end of the book he also includes an extensive bibliography of both books and films to further your children’s or your exploration of Shakespeare. I love that in addition to listing the books and movies he gives some background and his opinion of them.

BOTTOM LINE: Beautifully written and incredibly accessible, this book is sure to ignite a love of Shakespeare in anyone who is interested!

*The book covers the following plays: Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Henry IV, As You Like It, Henry V, and The Tempest.

“Shakespeare’s plays, like all great works of art, are open to interpretation. That is the hallmark of art that has real value. If a work is static and never changes, then it can never tell us very much about how we change over our lifetimes, and how mankind changes over centuries. As Hamlet says, it is the artist’s job to hold the mirror up to nature.”

“Toward the end of his life, Rossini said of Mozart: ‘He was the inspiration of my youth, the despair of my middle years and the consolation of my old age.’ We want Shakespeare to be all those things for your children.”

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Even though I don't have children at home, I found this book very useful. I enjoyed learning Shakespeare and it was simple and easy. Great book for anyone young or old wanting to learn about Shakespeare's plays.

How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare presents a difficult concept in surprisingly easy terms. Memorization is given as a primary method to help children (or anyone) understand the nature and feel for Shakespearian rhythms and cadence. With two small children myself, I look forward to being able

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to introduce them to the Bard through this helpful technique.

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How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig is a unique user friendly book. By breaking the phrases down, and emphasizing the importance of word building, the works of Shakespeare come within the reach of everyone. I used the principles on my learning disabled daughter and she began to

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memorize Shakespeare! I highly recommend the book How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare for any educational program of all age levels.

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I received this book through the Early Reviewers program and although I thought it might be hard to read at first, I found it to be an absolute delight. As others have said, the author loves Shakespeare and knows his stuff. My children are all grown and I'm not likely to memorize Shakespeare

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myself, but even so the book is a trove of interesting, valuable information about Shakespeare's time, his plays, and his genius, and is well worth the read for anyone who is interested in knowing more about the bard. I haven't read a lot of Shakespeare but now I'm in the mood to try more of his plays!

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from LIBRARYTHING EARLY REVIEWERS

HOW TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN SHAKESPEARE by Ken Ludwig

I've found this book to be an excellent book to read whether you have children you want to teach about Shakespeare or would simply like to learn more about the Bard, yourself. The idea is to introduce your

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child/children to the genius of his plays by helping them to memorize lines from different plays, at the same time learning about the play itself. Also included are short pieces of history about the author, himself, Heminges and Condell who saved many of the plays from extinction, a lot of interpretation of lines included that might otherwise remain confusing to readers, chapters on rhythm, imagery, interesting background about the plays, characters, themes, etc. That is what makes this book a treasure. There is also a system for memorizing lines. I enjoyed the book very much. It is easy to read and learn from for any age.

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I don't have kids, but I love Shakespeare and I teach high school English, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Ludwig's passion for Shakespeare is infectious, and his commentary on the passages he selects is insightful but accessible. Even as someone who has read and reread and studied each

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of the plays he explores in this book, I found myself learning new things, seeing passages in a new light or from a fascinating new perspective -- which probably speaks to the richness of Shakespeare as much as to Ludwig's talents as an author and a guide. Ultimately, when I put the book down, I wanted nothing so much as to pick up Hamlet or MacBeth and reread them for the nth time... which I think speaks very strongly to the success of this book.

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I have long despaired over how I would teach my own children to appreciate if not even have a love for Shakespeare. In school we are taught some of the plays, but always with the driest of voices and none of the depth and interest that is really present. Imagine my surprise when I read this book!

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Finally a way for me to show my kids Shakespeare in a meaningful fashion! I am so excited, I can hardly wait to begin....

I received a copy of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.

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I received How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program.

Author Ken Ludwig, a successful actor and playwright, presents 25 passages, mostly from A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and Hamlet, for a program of directed memorization. His choices are

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appealing -- and for those of us who can't get enough, he has listed 60 more speeches in the appendices. But this book is not just a list of citations: Ludwig provides clarifications, context, and personal memories and associations that help bring Shakespeare's words to life.

Ludwig is not shy about his pedagogical strategy: "With Shakespeare, memorizing is the key to everything." (p. 6) I agree that this is a good way to make sure that the student is focusing on the words, and I think he's right to add that an assortment of memorized Shakespeare can be an advantage in, for example, a scholarship interview. Parents who read this book first will be well prepared to help their children understand what they're saying. For example,

And there the snake throws her enameled skin,
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in.
(A Midsummer Night's Dream, II:1:263-264)

makes more sense if we "note that the word weeds in Shakespeare's time meant garments in addition to unwanted plants." (p. 28)

What's less clear is how to win the willing participation of one's children. I tried this on my own children, who are pretty well academically inclined, but they were anxious to be excused. We had much better success last night, however, on a half-hour car trip, and both kids (11 and 8) memorized Ludwig's first couplet

I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows...
(A Midsummer Night's Dream, II:1:257-258)

and were able to repeat it today. I look forward to trying a few more passages in the days to come!

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This book is fascinating. I would recommend it as a homeschool curriculum on Shakespeare or to anyone interested in learning/memorizing Shakespeare. The approach to memorization is one I've not seen before, but it worked! This book is sure to increase your enjoyment of Shakespeare, and perhaps

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poetry in general.

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Mr. Ludwig and I share a passion for Shakespeare and a belief that memorization matters. His choices of passages for children are idiosyncratic but not inappropriate. I found the text weighed down, however, with unnecessary fluff while remarkably light on the particulars of practical application.

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For those seeking an open-and-go approach, this is not it, but it does provide some delicious food for thought.

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Ken Ludwig's "How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare" is one part curriculum, one part reflection on the Bard's importance in English-language literature, and one part love letter to theatrical performance. Taken together these parts form a delightful guide to walking children through some of

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Shakespeare's most important passages and instilling a love for language and the stage. I look forward to using this book with my own kids.

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I was pleasantly surprised with the ease and enthusiasm with which I was able to read this book. The author LOVES Shakespeare, and his admiration and love of the subject transcends the page. He gives great tips on how to introduce children to the world of Shakespeare, and shares that he himself has

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introduced his children at a very young age. The book has a wealth of information and background as well as commentary on several of Shakespeare's plays. A huge component of Ludwig's method is to have children memorize portions of Shakespeare's plays. All in all, it was an enlightening and encouraging book. Teaching Shakespeare does not seem so intimidating, and I look forward to utilizing some of his methods and commentaries in my homeschool.

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When I first received Ken Ludwig’s “How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare,” I was intrigued but also a little skeptical. It seemed like something idealistic to strive towards, but I was convinced that there would be a catch involved. After reading the book, I am happy to report that my

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concerns did not come to fruition. Instead of offering an overly complicated system or providing a model that seems too good to be true, Ludwig provides a straightforward method for helping children (or anyone) learn and appreciate Shakespeare. At the core of Ludwig’s suggestion is memorization, a pedagogical technique that has fallen out of favor because of fears of children simply parroting back ideas without comprehending them. However, Ludwig eschews rote learning by also emphasizing that the participants should also understand what they are saying and why the language is so important and effective in Shakespeare. To aid with this, he offers quotation pages that make the passages less foreboding. Additionally, after the first few chapters in which he outlines his suggested method, the rest of the book is dedicated to deconstructing, explaining, and exploring the selected passages (which include selections from Henry IV, The Tempest, and Macbeth). All in all, the result of Ludwig’s work is a system that champions the importance of Shakespeare and the idea that children will not only be able to understand the Bard’s work but also revel in it.

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“If we can’t all be Shakespeares, it doesn’t make us less in the world; the understanding makes us more.”

“I want your children to be inspired by Shakespeare for the many years to come when they believe that they can do anything as long as they work hard enough at it”.

The above quotes

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are both from the epilogue, and they both fitting conclusions to an extraordinary book. Ludwig’s love of Shakespeare is evident and he makes us want to learn more and to develop a deeper understanding of Shakespeare’s works. I feel myself more knowledgeable in terms of Shakespeareana after having read it.

Personally, I adore Shakespeare.

You can read the rest of this review on my blog.

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