Dramatic Success with Readers' Theater

Dear Educator,

Every time I work in our exhibit booth, teachers get excited about our Readers' Theater scripts. Teachers know what a good tool this is for getting students reading and re-reading, but it is hard to find low-level scripts suitable for first and second grade. I'd like to share some Readers' Theater ideas and resources with you this month, for use in your primary classroom.

Launching our new newsletter has been a great adventure this year; thanks to all of you who have checked us out. If you have ideas for future topics, please send them along. We want this to continue to be a useful resource for you in your busy day.

Best wishes,

Rosalind Iiams, Editor
editor@primaryconcepts.com

Want to get your students reading more, and more involved with reading? Readers' Theater may be just the ticket. Research shows that Readers' Theater improves fluency, comprehension, expression, and pleasure in reading. And the good news is, it's easy to get started. Unlike putting on a play, Readers' Theater doesn't involve collecting props and costumes, or a lot of preparation. All you need is a set of scripts appropriate for your students' reading level. Scripts can be purchased, or obtained online. Students practice their parts, and perform their script by standing and reading at the front of the classroom, using their voices and facial expressions to "act out" the story. So simple, yet so effective.

Why Use Readers' Theater? Because most students love to pretend, playing a "part" in a Readers' Theater performance engages their imagination and motivates them to read and re-read. With each re-reading of their script as they practice their part, students are developing fluency and expression in their reading. In addition, their involvement in the story increases comprehension. Because they are performing, they naturally read with greater expression and intonation. Finally, you can use the performance as an opportunity to assess your students' progress in fluency, expression, and working as part of a group. Some teachers record the performances to compare students' progress over time.

The Scripts: You can create your own scripts from familiar children's books, download scripts online, or purchase scripts from publishers. An interesting script will encourage your students to get involved in their parts. Familiar folktales and stories work well. Scripts can be selected to match a classroom theme: poetry or nonfiction (holiday stories), for example. A good script is one that is fun, has good dialogue, and has roughly equal parts for the different readers.

Getting Started: Teachers who use Readers' Theater in their classrooms say it's best to start small. Begin with modeling expressive reading for your students during read-alouds. You can have students practice expressive reading with choral readings or round-robin script readings. When you are ready to do your first Readers' Theater readings, begin with short scripts. Allow students time to practice their script, encouraging them to read with expression and "act out" the story with their faces and voices. This will give them confidence and help build reading fluency and expression.

The Performance: Many teachers simply have children stand in a row at the front of the classroom. Others use chairs or stools for their performers. Once you have set up your "stage," simply have the children read their parts in turn. If you are using short scripts, you can put on two or three performances in succession.

The Payoff: Teachers and researchers have found that Readers' Theater not only improves reading scores, but also helps students develop a sense of mastery and joy in reading that encourages them to continue reading for pleasure. Readers' Theater is a great way to add energy and fun to your reading program, and turn your readers into stars.

Get your young students reading with these three
Readers' Theater Scripts.

Sources: Primary Concepts Readers' Theater titles Nursery Rhymes, Chants, and Poems.

These engaging Readers' Theater scripts are taken from classic children's literature: nursery rhymes, chants, poems, and folktales. We have specially designed these books for the very youngest readers, in Grades 1 and 2. Students take parts and work in small groups of two to four children to practice and perfect their readings. The parts have been carefully developed so each child has a roughly equal amount of reading time, ensuring that all your students get the reading practice they need. At the end of each book are special notes and tips for teachers. Available read-along CDs model proper phrasing, articulation, pacing, and expression.

May specials, online only!
Nursery Rhymes, Chants and Poems Complete Set (3859) Regularly $79.95; Special $72.00	Folktales Complete Set (3858) Regularly $115.00; Special $103.00

Have you found a great source for Readers' Theater scripts online, or a particularly useful article? Send it to us and we will share it in our next newsletter.

According to Robert Hillerich, "Just three words I, and, the account for ten percent of all words in printed English." Learning sight words doesn't have to be boring! Join us next month for interactive, interesting sight word ideas.

One thing life has taught me: if you are interested, you never have to look for new interests. They come to you. When you are genuinely interested in one thing, it will always lead to something else.

– Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 - 1962)