British Council
William Shakespeare
After watching a three-minute video detailing the life of William Shakespeare, scholars take part in several activities designed to show what they know about the famous writer. Learners read a series of eight sentences and put them in...
TED-Ed
"All the World's a Stage" by William Shakespeare
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players" ... and so begins one of English literature's most quoted plays. Scholars watch a visual interpretation of William Shakespeare's poem "All the World's a Stage" from As...
TED-Ed
Why Should You Read Shakespeare's "The Tempest"?
Why should you read a story about a magician, his daughter, a slave, a monster, a sprite, a witch, and a prince? Find out what William Shakespeare's The Tempest all about and why it is still a worthy read, despite being written over...
TED-Ed
Why Should You Read "A Midsummer Night's Dream?"
Set the stage for a study of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream with an engaging animated video that is sure to stoke the interest of readers as it gets to the bottom of the key themes of the comedy. The narrator's arguments...
British Council
Stratford 2: The Lost Years
Before Shakespeare moved to London, he found inspiration in Stratford. Part of a thorough series on Shakespeare, an intriguing video describes the Bard's early years in Stratford when he was newly married and had three young...
British Council
London 2: A Penny for the Yard
Shakespeare's Globe stands out as one of the greatest theaters in history. A video and tasks from the compares the original performance space to its current recreation in London. Activities focus on key vocabulary words related to...
British Council
The Tempest 2: Greed, Wrath and Lust
A magician strands a group of people on a deserted island and The Tempest begins. A video introduces English learners to Shakespeare's dramatic—and final—play. After listening to a summary of the plot and analysis of one of the...
British Council
The Tempest 1: Bigger Than Me
William Shakespeare's work speaks to everyone, regardless of race, gender, or social class. A short video discusses key aspects of the Bard and his craft, including his use of iambic pentameter. Activities accompany the video to...
British Council
Stratford 1: Shakespeare, Glove Maker
Shakespeare did not go to university, and that may have been the best decision he ever made. A video, part of the Shakespeare English exercises series, describes the famous playwright's early years in Stratford-Upon-Avon, sharing details...
Crash Course
Shakespeare's Tragedies and an Acting Lesson: Crash Course Theater #15
Who doesn't love a play where most of the characters die? Such deaths are a defining characteristic of many of Shakespeare's tragedies, the topic of an informational video on the Bard and his works. Along with outlining the plot elements...
British Council
Much Ado 2: Fun to Play
Audiences around the world love Shakespeare. A video and set of accompanying tasks, part of the Shakespeare English Exercises series, discusses how audiences in Japan react to Shakespearean plays. The exercises after the video help check...
British Council
Much Ado 1: A Beautiful Trick
Two people hate one another, and then fall in love. The common romantic movie formula first appeared in the play Much Ado About Nothing. As part of the Shakespeare English Exercises series, a video uses the popular play to help teach...
British Council
London 1: Piece by Piece
How has London changed since the time of Shakespeare? Using a video and series of activities, part of the Shakespeare English Exercises series, English language learners discover a bit about the town that inspired Shakespeare's...
British Council
Lady Macbeth 2: Unchecked Ambition
Can unchecked ambition, as is the case in MacBeth, have disastrous consequences? A video and accompanying activities, part of the Shakespeare English Exercises series, discusses the topic while also teaching key English skills. The...
British Council
Lady Macbeth 1: Top Dog
Who wears the pants in the Macbeth family? Many would argue it's not the Thane of Cawdor, but his wife, Lady Macbeth. As part of the Shakespeare English Exercises series, a video and connected lessons discuss the power and influence...
British Council
Juliet 2: Feisty, Funny and Determined
One of the reasons Romeo and Juliet remains popular over time is the fact that teenagers relate to the main characters. A lesson, part of the Shakespeare English Exercises series, discusses the character of Juliet. While watching the...
British Council
Juliet 1: Falling in Love
Shakespeare's timeless tragedy Romeo and Juliet has many lessons to teach youth today. As part of the Shakespeare English Exercises series, a video and set of activities help English learners connect with the popular play....
British Council
Hamlet 2: A Bad Death
Hamlet's experience with his father's death rings true for those who have experienced the death of their own fathers. A video and set of activities, part of the Shakespeare English Exercises series, provides a unique perspective on...
British Council
Hamlet 1: His Father's Ghost
The lessons in Shakespeare's Hamlet transcend language and culture. An actor describes his view of the play in a short video accompanied by tasks, part of the Shakespeare English exercises series. While listening to the video,...
Crash Course
English Theater After Shakespeare: Crash Course Theater #17
Shakespeare may have been one of the greatest playwrights of all time, but many masterful dramatists came after him. An interesting video describes English theater after the Bard, particularly focusing on the works of Ben Jonson and...
Crash Course
Straight Outta Stratford-Upon-Avon - Shakespeare's Early Days: Crash Course Theater #14
Who would've guessed that a boy from the sleepy town Stratford-upon-Avon would grow up to become one of the greatest playwrights of all time? Scholars only know a few details about Shakespeare's early life, but that information is the...
Crash Course
Comedies, Romances, and Shakespeare's Heroines: Crash Course Theater #16
As a writer, Shakespeare took the genre of comedy to a new level. An informational video outlines the characteristics of Shakespeare's comedies and romances and explains how the plays differed from others during the period. Additionally,...
Lit2Go
Romeo and Juliet
"Oh Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" The classic play by Shakespeare goes digital through a version that contains audio and PDF versions of the text. Additionally, each act and scene displays the Flesch-Kincaid readability level...
TED-Ed
Why Should You Read "Macbeth"?
All is fair in motivating readers. And something wickedly wonderful comes from using a short introductory video to double readers' enjoyment of Shakespeare's tragedy about the ambitious Thane of Glamis. It is a tale told by a genius.