THE MERCHANT OF VENICE Teacher’s Introduction
The Specification for Junior Cycle English focuses on the development of language and literacy in and throughout the three strands: Oral Language, Reading and Writing.
These strands aim to promote active engagement with the texts for students. The aim of this edition of The Merchant of Venice is to explore the play in a way that helps to engage learners, while also focusing on the following key objectives:
1. Communicating as a speaker, reader and writer, 2. Exploring and using language, and 3. Understanding the content and structure of language.
This edition of the play is designed to facilitate exploration by including strategies and activities that encourage active engagement and interaction with the play. The overarching aim is to encourage students to see the play as a dramatic script to be explored and performed. While there are many activities and exercises included throughout the play text and the portfolio, it is not expected that all will be completed. It is hoped that these will be suggestions to complement the teacher’s own approach to the play, bearing in mind the uniqueness of each class group.
