Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in an EFL Life Science Course

Content-based EFL courses are thought to interest students which will then activate intrinsic motivation for language learning. However, not all subjects innately appeal to students, particularly Life Science. A film version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was watched in class in order to teach a wide range of biological concepts. In order to determine whether or not the film was well received, students answered surveys followed by semi-structured interviews of exceptional and unexceptional students. The film was found to hold and indeed pique interest, for both exceptional and unexceptional students, more effectively than a text or power point presentation could. It seemed unexceptional students found the film stimulating as it did not feel like a forced academic exercise.