Through extensive research and feedback from teachers who have attended RSC courses, we know that that using rehearsal room approaches to teaching has a very tangible positive effect on children and young people. Below are some quotes from teachers about the impact of developing these methods with their students: 

• 'It has had a surprisingly radical impact on the students’ attitude to Shakespeare.'
• 'But you can get to shape and develop the work with the students in a learning together way which empowers them and so it is very good in that way.'
• 'Historically when somebody said that we are studying Shakespeare maybe the response would have been a grunt but now it is greeted enthusiastically.'

Student voice

Through our TALE research we identified some key benefits of using RSC rehearsal-room approaches. 

• Improved well-being, self-belief, confidence and resilience
• Understanding
• Raised aspirations
• Appreciation of difference and diversity
• Development of a sense of belonging

Here are just a few quotes from children and young people about the impact these approaches has had on them:

• 'I feel like if we opened up a drama club a lot of people would have more confidence, not just in English but pretty much everything.' 
• 'It may sound strange but it has changed me.'
• 'I never thought I’d be able to do that.' 
• 'When you act something out, you can put your own interpretation and you can see what kind of feelings that character is feeling. When you’re not really acting it out it is hard to picture where that character is coming from.'
• 'Whereas I used to quite hate it, now I don’t cause I understand the text, I understand what he is trying to get across which is really good'
• 'It’s meant to be acted out, isn’t it? It’s not meant to be sitting down in a class, reading, where you’re annotating it.'
• 'You have to see the emotion and the passion and you can’t get that just by reading it.'
• 'When you do it with the RSC you are in it instead of being separated from the story.'

• RSC CPD will help to you develop skills, expertise and confidence in the teaching of Shakespeare – we have proven that there is no reason to fear the teaching of Shakespeare!
• You will work with theatre and pedagogy experts in workshops that are teacher-focused, not ‘actor-focused’. 
• Many of our practitioners were teachers themselves, and fully understand the school landscape, including the expectations of teachers and the pressure they are under.
• It's a great forum for sharing best practice with other teachers. 
• You can use CPD experiences with us to count towards further training. For e.g. attending 3 INSET days would qualify you to joint the RSC Certificate in Teaching Shakespeare at Intermediate level (LINK). 
• Following the courses we encourage you to reflect on their impact in your classroom and stay in touch with us - we love to hear what you are doing in your schools and greatly value any feedback you give us. 
• Our CPD provides you with excellent opportunities to explore cross-curricular links, helping to develop a rich and inclusive arts environment across your whole setting. 

We have a vast evidence base gathered from extensive research with schools and young people over more than a decade. This research suggests that young people get the most out of Shakespeare's plays when they experience our rehearsal room approaches. Click here to find out more.