By Siobhan Clarke
In a primary school classroom in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, one teacher is changing the way students view Shakespeare in education.
Garin Clarke, recipient of the 2025 World Teacher’s Recognition Award from the Teacher’s Guild of NSW, starts introducing the world of William Shakespeare to his students in Years 5 and 6.
Clarke provides a practical approach to student learning, many of his students demonstrating excellence in English and History with his belief that “there is strong evidence of language development and expansion of vocabulary”.
“I don’t think there is any harm in an early introduction to Shakespeare’s work,” he said. “There is such a wide variety of plays, and therefore scenes, to choose from.”
For nearly 450 years Shakespeare’s writing has been a cornerstone of English literature, and Clarke is introducing his works to a new generation of learners.
Though Shakespeare is not mandatory for NSW school students until Stage 5, he said there are multiple benefits such as “learning collaboration skills, building confidence, expanding literacy and vocabulary, problem solving and broadening creativity”.
“It also prepares them for what lies ahead in high school and beyond,” said Clarke.
With recent film adaptations such as Hamnet and The Tragedy of Macbeth, it is no wonder that Shakespeare’s popularity continues to grow both inside and outside the classroom. More family friendly adaptations like The Lion King, Gnomeo and Juliet, and West Side Story make his plays highly accessible to younger audiences.
There is also more incentive for primary school-aged students to study Shakespeare with Sydney Catholic Schools Eisteddfods holding a specific category for Ensemble Speech & Drama, demonstrating a “wider push to encourage younger students to explore his work,” said Clarke.
“They’re plays, written to be performed on stage in front of an audience. That way the language flows and can be seen in context with the action.”
Shakespeare’s works will continue to evolve with the times and audiences, but one thing is true for every generation.
“Everyone loves a ripping yarn,” said Clarke.
Featured image: Shakespeare’s plays adorned with Yorick. Photo: Siobhan Clarke
