READER’S THEATER: Improvement Upon Fluency

Alex Krajniak and Damon Brown

Defi nition/Example

The well-rehearsed reading of scripts, with feeling

and expression, in front of an audience without

memorization, costume, etc. (Graves, 2011)

Example• Short skits involving familiar short stories• Using student’s own ideas and words to create

scriptsGraves, Michael F., Connie Juel, Bonnie B. Graves, and Peter Dewitz. Teaching Reading in the 21st Century: Motivating All Learners. 5th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2011. Print.

Purpose of Reader’s Theater

Increase student’s performance in:• Fluency• Comprehension• Word Recognition

Helps with student’s to express and explore the affective

responses of reading.

Allows students to promote group reading and social

interaction through scripts and performance.Trainin, G., and N. Andrzejczak. N.p.. Web. 24 Oct 2013. <http://cehs.unl.edu/artslinc/researchandevalutation/files/publications/ReadersTheatre.pdf>.

Imp lement ing Reader ’ s Thea ter

1.Familiarize students with the script in a mini-

lesson1. Served as think-aloud’s and modeling for fluency

and comprehension.

2.Allow student’s to choose their roles1. Promotes desire and interaction.

Chase , Young. n. page. <http://readerstheatre-fun.wikispaces.com/file/view/readers theatre article.pdf>.

I m p l e m e n t i n g R e a d e r ’ s T h e a t e r ( c o n t i n u e d )

Identify any difficulties with meanings, words, etc.

Practice over scripts to improve fluency during

performance• Promotes repeated word recognition, fluency

Perform scripts by groups or as a class

Chase , Young. n. page. <http://readerstheatre-fun.wikispaces.com/file/view/readers theatre article.pdf>.

Assessment Check l i s t f o r Reader ’ s Theater

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/printouts/30698_rubric.pdf

Best Method Of Implementat ion

Small Groups

Whole Class

Any setting where student’s interact

with both the classroom and other

students

Applying Reader’s Theater

Scripts of familiar stories• Should interest the student or contain sections to

allow the reader to express emotions

Class presentations• Whole class• Small groups

Advantages

Helps develop student fluency and comprehension

Develops both verbal and non verbal communication skills

Encourages active listening

Provides multiple intelligences by simultaneously

addressing all aspects of learning.

Develops interpersonal relationships and social interaction.

Etc…..

Refl ection

We believe that reader’s theater is not only an appropriate tactic

but and effective way to promote fluency and comprehension.

Reader’s theater not only helps develop the whole student in a

mini aspect of skill development, but provides a fun and

interactive way to promote student learning through different

learning processes. All information found on reader’s theater

provided more and more support to our decision and we hope to

promote this strategy even more so that everyone can benefit it’s

development of the student and their reading abilities.

Resources

Graves, Michael F., Connie Juel, Bonnie B. Graves, and Peter Dewitz. Teaching Reading in the 21st

Century: Motivating All Learners. 5th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2011. Print.

Kariuki, Patrick N., and Sarah A. Rhymer. "The Effects of Readers' Theatre-Based and Tradition-Based

Instruction on Sixth-Grade Students' Comprehension at a Selected Middle School." The Effects of Readers'

Theatre-Based and Tradition-Based Instruction on Sixth-Grade Students' Comprehension at a Selected

Middle School (2012): 1-29. ERIC. Web. 30 Oct. 2013. <http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED537896>.

Ratliff, Gerald L. "An Introduction To Classroom Performance." Reader's Theater (2011): 1-11. Web.

Trainin, G., and N. Andrzejczak. N.p.. Web. 24 Oct 2013.

<http://cehs.unl.edu/artslinc/researchandevalutation/files/publications/ReadersTheatre.pdf>.

http://readerstheatrelp.blogspot.com/2008/03/benefits.html

http://readerstheatre-fun.wikispaces.com/file/view/readers theatre article.pdf

Adams, W. (2003). Readers theatre: A practical guide for school, theater, and community. San Diego, Ca:

Institute for Readers Theatre.

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/printouts/30698_rubric.pdf