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
Video Invasion