This class is designed for students who have never read any of William Shakespeare’s work, and who may not be very motivated to study his plays.  The play I have selected is “The Merchant of Venice”. Since this class is equivalent to only half a high school credit, it should be supplemented in some way at home.  If you have any questions about how to do this, please feel free to meet with me before or after class.  You can also e-mail me at ndenhoed@comcast.net .

 The first half of the year will be spent in reading through the text, comprehension,  and focusing on vocabulary.  During the second half of the year I will gradually introduce critical reading, summarizing, paraphrasing, and annotating, while maintaining a focus on vocabulary.  There will be frequent pop quizzes on vocabulary throughout the year.  Students will also be required to memorize at least one passage from “The Merchant of Venice” with the option of memorizing more for extra credit. If the class is open to the idea, I would also like to ask the students to memorize and act out part of a scene before an audience. A student’s progress will be determined by how well he/she is able to read and understand a passage from Shakespeare without any help.