"Edusites English has been a game-changer for my classroom, providing expertly crafted resources that make teaching complex texts straightforward and enjoyable." "The revision guides and practice papers have given my students the confidence they need to excel in their exams, with noticeable improvements in their results." "Edusites English saves me so much time with its comprehensive lesson plans and study guides, allowing me to focus on what matters most—teaching and supporting my students." "The diverse range of materials, from text analysis to creative writing resources, keeps my students engaged and inspired in their English studies."

Secrets and Allusions in Macbeth by Grainne Hallahan

Secrets and Allusions in Macbeth by Grainne Hallahan

Do You Know What You Don’t Know, And Know Why You Need To Know It?

It’s a family dinner. We’re talking about the new CCTV cameras that have been installed by the bus stop. ‘Remember, Big Brother is watching,’ warns my dad. My little sister gives him a stare. ‘I didn’t know you watched Big Brother dad?’ she asks. My sister isn’t one for reading. She has watched Big Brother, and enjoyed it, without ever connecting it to the Orwellian dystopian novel. She enjoys the television show, she can follow it, she is entirely unaware of all of the references to the different parts of the novel that are referenced in the programme.

How can we be expected to know what we don’t know? The whole point is, we don’t know it.

There are definitely things that surprise me when I discover students don’t know them. I was doing some one to one work with a student in year eleven. We were recapping Act One of Macbeth. We had just had Easter week, and I knew she was a practising Catholic. The school was Roman Catholic. I was quietly confident that she would get the Golgotha reference.

Blank expression. A bit like when a cartoon squirrel is thinking about where the nuts could be.

Secrets and Allusions in Macbeth by Grainne Hallahan

Access this article now

Register now for our subject updates and FREE instant access to this article.

We’d love to send you exclusive offers and the latest information from Edusites by email. We’ll always treat your personal details with the utmost care and will never sell them to other companies for marketing purposes. Please check the box if you are happy to receive occasional emails from Edusites.

Email
Forgotten your password?


Login

Already registered? Login below to continue reading this article.