Courtney Hall

Stephanie Moore
Eng 300
Brian Rejack
Group Presentation
Pick up a Book, Put down the Phone
When bringing up the topic of new technology to most people of the age of 50, they
would most likely give a negative response. Kids never look up from their phone. They need
to find something to do, get a job Theyve got too much time on their hands. While our
current millennial generation was not born into this technology, the newest generation was.
Teenagers, college students, and adults, are using technology that includes smartphones and
computers with a faster capacity for information; and understanding with more years of practice
and ease. Teenagers look more to their phones than they do their world around them. Because of
the newest technology being at their fingertips, this becomes not only a toy for entertainment but
also one for learning.
Going back to negative thoughts on technology seniors may rant about; while some may
shake their heads and brush the comment off as a harmless rant, others decided to look more into
the issue. According to a study done by Anette Svensson where five high school classrooms were
examined for effects on technology and students: Reports show that young people demonstrate
a decrease in reading habits, reading comprehension, and reading abilities. Moreover, Current
research shows that Swedish youth spend much of their recreational time using (reading, playing,
watching, etc.) fictional texts (Svensson, 2014).
New multimedia devices are becoming more available for young people working on their
understanding of the world. This includes tv, movies, smartphones, video games, computers, and
other electronics. Keeping the above in mind, texts in school (whether on a laptop or not) try to

challenge students. One of the most challenging texts students encounter in the classroom are
those by William Shakespeare. In particular, older texts and classics seem to be particularly
difficult for students to read, according to the participating teachers experience (A, B, C).
Teacher C further explains that, when it comes to the classics, the students have misconceptions
that what is written by the great authors is heavy and boring and deadly serious and very
difficult. Teacher C goes on to say that I dont really believe that it is the ability, that is, I mean
the ability to read, but it is rather the ability to take the time, sit down, do something that is yet a
slow form of art. (Svensson, 2014)
With the quickness and ease of using a smartphone and other technology, the ability to sit
and navigate a difficult text becomes more difficult for the student. While one might argue that it
is not the reading that needs to be understood so much as the information through an audiobook
or movie, teachers argue When it comes to the function of printed fictional texts in general,
Palm (2009, p. 281) claims that there is a specific value that comes from the production and
consumption of fictional texts. Storytelling is an aesthetic form of art that appeals to both reason
and emotion. Aesthetic value can, of course, appear in numerous nuances and can therefore not
be fixed (Palm, 2009, p. 283). In this form of art, there is a complex, highly combined force, or
energy, referred to as literarity (2009, p. 291, my translation). This energy has a specific value
that is often associated with reading printed fictional texts, predominantly novels. Reading is a
value-making activity, Palm claims (2009, p. 283), and a persons ability to create value of a
fictional text is based in his or her understanding of what that text is (Palm, 2009, pp. 286287).
The value of fictional texts is connected to the value and status of reading, which, in its
traditional form of reading printed text, has been the focal point of two recent reports. These
texts are also used to improve students language competence, according to three teachers (C, D,

E). These texts function as examples of how to use adjectives in descriptive texts, teacher C
comments and continues, they can also function as a basis for grammar and how to use
grammatical constructions, etc. She further states that a fictional text can be used as a basis for
vocabulary, because that is something that the students need to practice very much today.
Concerning vocabulary, teacher C wants her students to not only translate or find synonyms to
the word absurd but to see it in its context. (Svensson, 2014)
Based on the above information, we believe that although students reading abilities have
been compromised because of a link to technology, Shakespearean literature should still be
considered, and taught as, important to the basis of literature. While we would prefer it to be
taught through a written book, the challenge of the new generations limitations require a new
way to teach and study Shakespeare for teachers.
With this rise in a connection between technology and the younger generations
preference toward learning through different mediums, one may begin to wonder why schools
even bother to include older writers like Shakespeare in today's curriculum. Mentioned
previously are many reasons as to why it is still so important for students to learn how to work
with older more difficult printed texts as well as newer forms of distributing knowledge. While
studies are showing that there is a decrease in not only reading comprehension, but reading
habits in general, teachers and school systems still see a big importance in working with printed
texts, even the ones that are viewed as old and difficult. One of the teachers in the previously
discussed study said, reading of traditional literature has been a basis for how fictional texts in
digital media, TV series, and film are used and understood (Svensson 2014). It is important that
students can pick out information from printed texts before even trying to find the significance of
a text in other forms.

Students begin encountering Shakespeare as young as elementary school. If there are so

many different older writers that could be studied, why is it that Shakespeare is the only one that
nearly every student has interacted with before? His works use difficult language, and hard
themes/concepts, so why is he still so relevant? Especially in a time when students are leaning
away from learning through reading printed texts, and leaning toward newer forms of gaining
information such as film, TV series, computer games, etc. Shakespeare was such a dynamic
writer, the things he wrote about can transcend generations, what Shakespeare was writing about
is still happening in some ways today. Along with his relatable themes and characters, one can
see Shakespeare's influence throughout history. His work can be viewed and understood through
the many adaptations, and different forms or mediums in which the stories have been told. That
being said, one can begin to understand why in the generation where new media forms are better
received, an old writer like Shakespeare is still studied.
The question of whether or not Shakespeare is an important figure to study is rarely
posed. It is almost as if everyone knows he is important, but not many people really understand
why, so they have nothing to question. We agree that Shakespeares work is still important to
study,and we want to discuss some of the things that make him and his work so relevant, even
hundreds of years after being published. Author of the essay Why Teach Shakespeare? A
Reconsideration, Robert F. Willson, JR. agrees with us that Shakespeare is still important in a
classroom, He is after all, the major writer among major writers, the strongest link in the British
Survey chain. He is also a shining star in the cultural firmament, especially in American society
(Willson 1). One could argue that Shakespeare is a pioneer of literature, his stories, ideas,
characters, and other elements are seen in not just written text, but film, TV series, and more

throughout history. Not only has he influenced literature and stories today, he is also a huge
cultural symbol. Shakespeares themes fit with all cultures, classes, and time periods.
One of the biggest reasons why reading Shakespeare is still so relevant even in a society
that spends more time looking at a screen than at a book, is the fact that he is so common in
society. His stories have been adapted and re-told in nearly every medium style there is. When a
teacher brings up Shakespeare chances are it will be a name that children have heard before, not
just inside, but also outside of the classroom. He is also likely to be the only dramatist whose
work students have seen performed. Many students simply do not go to the theatre; their highschool experience with theatrical productions tends to be particularly limited. Although the kind
of excitement generated by students over the mounting of A Midsummer Nights Dream in the
recent film Dead Poets Society (set in 1959) clearly dates the action of the film, productions of
Shakespeare are still the most available theatrical experiences for our students (Willson 1990).
While it is true that children and teens experience with the theatre is often limited, chances are
they have the highest probability of seeing a Shakespeare play, or something influenced by or
adapted from a Shakespearean piece. On top of his plays being so popular, Willson also mentions
another reason similar to this, for keeping Shakespeare in the curriculum, that is, his centrality
to film studies (Willson 1990). Common themes seen throughout stories/movies today are all
themes that can be seen in Shakespeare's plays. Forbidden love, jealousy, good versus evil,
loyalty, revenge, these are just a few of the many themes that can be seen throughout both
Shakespeares plays and films being produced today.
Anette Svenssons study found that today's generation of learners would rather learn
through different media forms other than reading printed text. However, teachers still feel that
learning to analyze and gain knowledge from printed texts is the stepping stone for learning how

to gain knowledge through other media forms such as film, TV, and computer games. For this
reason, Shakespeares work makes for the best option of older texts and writers to be taught in a
classroom. If nothing else, students discover that Shakespeare has inspired other great
entertainers whose work can be replayed and studied for years to come (Willson 1990). After
reading a play by Shakespeare, and working through the themes as a class, students may begin to
see the many similarities the text has with movies or shows they already love. A few well known
examples of this are, She's the Man (2006), a film following a similar story to Shakespeares
Twelfth Night, The Lion King (1994), an animated film that is most often compared to
Shakespeares Hamlet. These similarities are not just seen in films, but TV series as well, for
example fans of the TV series Breaking Bad often compare the main character, Walter Whites
story to that of Shakespeares Macbeth. Being able to first get the themes from Shakespeare's
original text, and then finding its equal in a film or show they really enjoy, will further enhance a
student's understanding of a play and its key concepts and themes.
Not only can students further their understanding of a play by viewing their modern day
counterparts, but they can also get a visual and better understanding of Shakespeares plays by
watching the actual film version of a play. So rather than watching a film that is based in the
same roots as a play by Shakespeare, students can find, for most of Shakespeares plays a film
version. Some of the most common play to film adaptations being, Buz Luhrmanns Romeo &
Juliet (1996), starring Leonardo Dicaprio and Claire Danes and Julie Taymors Titus Andronicus
(1999). While these are not direct translations from play to film, they are not pretending to be
something else the way that The Lion King or Shes The Man do. Instead these films try their best
to be as close to the plays as possible, creating a new medium in which one can interact with the
plot.

What makes Shakespeare so great is that he can be interacted with through so many
different mediums. However, Svensson and others do not want the fact that Shakespeare can be
experienced in so many different ways to take away from the importance in first sitting down and
reading Shakespeare's original text. There is a danger if you show them [the students] all the
time that you can acquire this text by watching the movie, or watching these pictures, or listening
to this music, so maybe you lose the fact that acquiring a text initially requires a certain amount
of work, and if you avoid that work, you will not learn to acquire texts (Svensson, 2014).
Shakespeare is still relevant, and should continue to be taught in school because students can
interact with his work in both the new and the old ways of gaining information. They get the
building blocks for reading and analyzing Shakespeare's printed texts, and then are able to
further their understanding of the plot and themes through newer mediums which the younger
generation responds to better.
Speaking from personal experience, studying Shakespeare at any age can be a difficult
task. During both of our experiences in Shakespeare classes, we gained insight on how to
navigate the text but are now beginning to understand his importance outside of the classroom.
Our insight mixed in a media studies context allowed us to gain a new perspective and
appreciation for Shakespearean literature. Our two favorite texts from our separate classes were
Richard the III and Titus Andronicus. Regardless of how Shakespeare is taught, he deserves to be
taught. While we would prefer him to be taught in a literary and written form, students may not
be willing or able to connect with the text on a non-media based level. This fear of the students
losing the ability to acquire texts, particularly novels, connects to the struggle all the teachers
have with the students not being used to or willing to read longer printed fictional texts today.
Although there is an expressed concern for the dangers of watching too much film, it is the

media form that the teachers use the most apart from printed texts and also the media form they
report that the students prefer the most. (Svensson, 2014)

Work Cited:
Svensson, A. (2015) New technologies and old values: The function of various text and
media forms in literary studies. Educare - Vetenskapliga skrifter, (1): 117-138
Willson, Robert F. Why Teach Shakespeare? A Reconsideration. Shakespeare Quarterly 1990:
206, JSTOR Journals. Web. 7 Nov. 2016.