My name is Olga Conway, founder of Discovering Drama based in Wexford. Along with my initial drama undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications I also hold a Postgraduate Award from the University of Warwick and the Royal Shakespeare Company in ‘Teaching Shakespeare to students and young people’.

Since starting drama teaching in 2002, I have explored various Shakespearean scenes with students and found that they understood the objective and language more readily when the veil was lifted off the text/narrative, while working through a physical approach.

This year I am offering secondary schools the opportunity to participate in a new and innovative forum which allows the exploration of Shakespeare in a physical way.

‘Hands on Shakespeare’ is a practical workshop for secondary school students delivered with the assistance of a group of trained actors and trained drama teachers. The aim of the workshop is to remove the ‘fear’ that accompanies the study of Shakespeare through a ‘hands on’ method, which engages students of various abilities and allows them ‘a way in’ to the world of the play in a fun and innovative way.

The workshop will take place in the YOUR school is approximately one and a half hours in length. To make a booking please call the number below. The cost per student is €10. The final number of students booked must attend or the equivalent amount paid on the day.

Hands on Shakespeare is a practical workshop for secondary school students delivered with the assistance of a group of trained actors and trained drama teachers. The aim of the workshop is to remove the ‘fear’ that accompanies the study of Shakespeare through a ‘hands on’ method during an intensive 1.5 hours.

Hands on Shakespeare is based on a ground-breaking professional development platform for teachers, developed by the Royal Shakespeare Company and the University of Warwick. Its success is based upon knowing that young people get the most out of Shakespeare's plays when they approach them in the way that RSC actors do; on their feet, actively exploring the text and unlocking its meaning.

It also allows the students to draw a parallel between the work they do in the Hands on Shakespeare workshop and the exam that they will be sitting, hence the emphasis of the questions on the actual papers in the workshop.

Each intensive 90 minute Hands on Shakespeare workshop is specifically devised to meet the curriculum needs for 3rd and 5th year students. It is also suitable for 2nd and 6th years or as a method to introduce 4th years to various plays in preparation for their forthcoming leaving certificate course. The programme can be tailored to allow your students to gain the most through their timetable.

Examining the actual Leaving and Junior Certificate questions, the Hands on Shakespeare proposal allows the exploration of the following headings set out by the Department:

• Characters
• Themes
• Open Questions
• Style questions