Have you ever wondered why a person might wear their heart on their sleeve? Or why the world is your oyster? These literary expressions – and hundreds more – that still feature in everyday conversations are the invention of one of the greatest writers and the subject of a new OU/BBC series, Shakespeare Speaks.
20 short animation episodes developed by BBC Learning English in this pioneering partnership with The Open University will be available on the BBC Learning English website. Each episode, starting on Friday 22 January 2016, focuses on a specific phrase to tell a story, with the characters developing and their lives intertwining over the 20 weeks. Real-life examples of the phrases in modern and popular use give additional context, and millions of learners of English around the world will be able to learn about his contribution to the language through activities, quizzes, and social media interactions.
The series marks the 400th anniversary of the death of the great playwright and is one of a number of programmes on the BBC in a season celebrating Shakespeare and his achievements.
Senior Lecturer in Applied Linguistics at The Open University, Philip Seargeant, who was the academic consultant for this series, said:
For learners of English, the series will be a fascinating insight into the way that Shakespeare’s work has permeated the English language, as well as giving a humorous but informative introduction to his plays.
Head of Broadcast and Partnerships at The Open University, Caroline Ogilvie, said: “The Open University is delighted to be working in partnership with BBC Learning English for the first time. We’re very excited about our Shakespeare series which will help explain and bring key Shakespearian words and phrases to learners across the wold.”
Each new episode will go live every Friday and will be available online with interactive activities and learning opportunities.
BBC Learning English is part of BBC World Service and is a world leader in using international broadcasting to teach English. Millions of users connect with BBC Learning English via the website, its partner sites, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
