Readers Theatre

Readers Theatre:A Shared Reading

Celebration!

Presented by:.Linda.Amira.Zayani.Hidayah.

What Is Reader’s Theatre?

Readers Theatre involves children in oral reading through reading parts in scripts. Unlike traditional theatre, the emphasis is mainly on oral expression of the part.

Neill Dixon, Anne Davies, Colleen Politano,

Learning with Readers Theatre, 1996

What Is Readers Theatre? (cont’d)

Readers Theatre is “theatre of the imagination.” It involves children in understanding their world, creating their own scripts, reading aloud, performing with a purpose, and bringing enjoyment to both themselves and their audiences.

Neill Dixon, Anne Davies, Colleen Politano, Learning with Readers Theatre, 1996

Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre

Reader’s Theatre Research Proven to Develop

– Reading fluency– Reading comprehension– Oral language– Vocabulary– Listening skills– Positive attitude– Cooperation

Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre

Why Reader’s Theatre?

Readers Theatre:• provides a Real purpose and context for reading;• makes reading an Event, a celebration that can be shared

with an Audience;• enhances student learning by Doing ;• promotes a learning Environment that is social, active,

creative and supports risk taking…FUN!• involves Rehearsal… students have multiple opportunities to

practise their reading and speaking;• improves literacy Skills.

Readers Theatre and Boys

“Boys often enjoy working with readers theatre scripts, which allow them to feel like active participants in a story.”

p.22

Readers Theatre… Step by Step 1. Immerse students in the Readers Theatre text form.

2. Select an engaging story or script.

3. Read the story aloud (or a portion of the story).

4. Identify and highlight different character voices.

5. Read aloud to make final edits.

6. Adapt the story to script form.

7. Assign roles and rehearse!

8. Perform for an audience.

9. Reflect on your experience.

Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre

Reader’s TheatreProcedure

Group is orientated to the script

Students practise reading all of the script, perhaps with audio

support as a group, in pairs, or alone

Parts are allocated. Practice

continues at school or at home

Group presents to audience

Scripts are allocated to

group/s

Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre

Reader’s Theatre Factors That Make a Difference

Audio support for:• Model• Support• Non-threatening practice • Motivation• Increase in reading “mileage”• Exposure to texts that may not have otherwise

been accessible

Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre

Reader’s Theatre Factors That Make a Difference

• Scripts are written specifically for Reader’s Theatre

Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre

Reader’s Theatre Factors That Make a Difference

Scripts –are multi-levelled with parts that are on, above and below level so students can work in mixed ability groups, learning with and from each other.

Reader’s Theatre classroom

suggestion: All the world’s a stage.

Session1• Teacher models fluest and

expressive reading by reading aloud .• Focus on some of problematic

pronounciation . Eg: Schwa sound, consonant clusters, suprasegmentals.• Students will read silently • Discuss the meaning and the

content together.

Session2•Divide students into groups .• Time to concentrate on different role.• Each students reading aloud a different

role every time.•Circulate among the groups, teacher

will coach and give advice.

Session3•Have students divide up the parts.• Students will work on their own

parts(role) •Begin to prepare for their performance.

SESSION 4Reading and Rehearsal Stage• Read and rehearse their parts with group

members• At the end session, they make character

nametags and plan any necessary movement

• Decide where groups will stand during their turn

SESSION 5Performance Stages

• Perform for the class / audiences

SESSION 5Improvement for future

endeavours• May have learners assess themselves and

their group members’ effort leading up to the reading. o Ask learners to respond to statements

“Next time, to improve my reading fluency, I plan to,”

“ To achieve my goal, I will”

SESSION 5Improvement for future

endeavours

• To encourage self- or peer reflection• Provide a checklist of statements grouped

into the following categories :

Put a check mark next to the areas you feel you/ your partner did well:

1. Phasing / Fluency

(I/My partner) paid attention to the author’s language

(I/ My partner) read longer phrases.

(I/ My partner) has good expression.

2. Pace

(I/ My partner) used good speed when reading.

(I/My partner) did not pause too much.

3. Accuracy

(I/ My partner) could read the words easily.

(I/ My partner) read quickly, but

(I/ My partner) words sounded meaningful.

CONCLUSION

Why the method of RT was developed???

• Old fluency-building techniques have been neglected- time constraints, teacher philosophy, and misuse of techniques

• To help struggling readers improve their fluency, accuracy, and comprehension

• As a necessary preparation for silent reading

• To strengthen readers’ skills and self-confidence

• To encourage L2 learners to enjoy reading and to practice the skill more frequently

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