Classics in a digital world

As reading habits evolve in the digital age, Makoda Gascon examines how teachers can make classical works relevant, engaging, and accessible.

Photograph: Pexels: www.kaboompics.com

Text: Makoda Gascon

As time goes on, there is a growing challenge in teaching students content about classical texts: how can you help them connect to information they can never experience firsthand?

What is a classical text?

When the words' classical text' come up in conversation, many people think of old, almost ancient-feeling texts, mostly from Greece and Rome. While this is true, the term can also be used to describe texts notable for specific periods of human history. Depending on the school's curriculum or requirements, this could range from works like Homer's Iliad, said to have been written around the 8th or 9th century BCE (Before Common Era), to a modern classical text like Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, written in 1960. With this knowledge and the range of texts that can be considered classical, one of the best ways students can connect with such media is to bring the story into a medium they understand. In most cases, these classical pieces have been retold time and time again to maintain their relevance; knowing this, a teacher must choose a method that suits their students' needs and desires to help them learn each classical text properly.

Don’t doubt the power of retellings

Before fully relying on technology, if you still want to keep your students reading, it could be beneficial to suggest they retell classic texts. A number of authors have retold Homer's epic poem The Odyssey with their own twists, such as Madeline Miller’s Circe, Stephen Fry’s Odyssey, Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad, and the graphic novel by Gareth Hinds, which retains the original title. In these retellings, each author can put their spin on the piece, making the reading process perhaps more digestible while offering more context for a classic that may be hard to understand in its own right for school-aged readers.

Expanding to new media

If your students aren’t inclined to read more, you may be able to further their understanding and engagement in another way. Many classical texts have since been adapted into movies, plays, musicals, or audiobooks. These differing methods can serve as a bridge between classical texts and the digitally focused students of today. While it doesn’t and shouldn’t fully replace the original, having experienceable versions of texts they may otherwise not interact with lends to a better, deeper appreciation for comprehension. A popular example is The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, often shortened to Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, which has been retold in a variety of new media. For movies alone, there are more than a dozen renditions, sometimes sporting completely different names and genres, such as Joseph Bologna and Renée Taylor’s rom-com Love Is All There Is or Jonathan Levine’s horror-comedy Warm Bodies. These movie versions offer a chance for classical texts to stay fresh, which is only possible when directors know the source material.

Bringing it to the real world

Overall, the purpose of showing classical texts to students may be driven by curriculum requirements. However, any teacher will realise that it is much more impactful to make it meaningful to students if it is real to them. When I was in 11th grade, we were tasked with reading a modern classic, Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Though we did a deep dive into the book and watched both movies to further that knowledge, our last step was unconventional. As a final test of our knowledge of the book, our English teacher, Mrs Lammle, asked us to conduct a mock trial for the crimes committed by many of the characters throughout the book. Some of us had to play the characters from the book, some lawyers, while everyone else played parts in the courtroom. For us, this allowed us to fully visualise and method-act the personifications of these young boys from the story we had been studying. The fact that I can still remember being a jury member so vividly, and the speeches my classmates performed, showcases how powerful and unforgettable that learning experience was.

Quick digital fixes

Finally, if you’re looking for simpler ways to help students use technology to better connect with a classical book, there are many auxiliary resources available. Students can also use their digital prowess to look up summaries, watch video explainers, or look at study explainer websites such as CliffNotes. All of these pieces mentioned, and more, can only help enhance your students' understanding of classical texts while engaging them in a way that they comprehend best.