1. A Dramatic Impact on English Language Learners
Reader’s Theatre
A Dramatic Impact on
English Language Learners

2. ESL- English as a Second Language
Why?
Cultural Diversity in the U.S.
276 Ethnic Groups
400 Languages
4 Million ELLs
Students must be served but teachers must has resources.
RT is inexpensive and fun.
ELLs are underserved

3. What is Reader’s Theatre?
Holistic- integrates reading, speaking, listening, and thinking
Interpretive practice and performance of scripted reading.
“bring characters to life through their voices and gestures” (Tyler, 2000)

4. First Things First- Vocabulary
Syntax
Fluency- ability to read orally with speed accuracy, and proper expression. – National Reading Panel (Moran, 2006)
Text + Performance = Maximum Fluency
&
Chunking words into phrases with correct intonation, stress, and pauses. – National Assessment of Educational Progress (Tyler, B., 2000)

5. Fluency Speed = Comprehension
Generation of fast readers who understand very little
Assisted reading
Repeated reading
Daily
Fluency
(Rasinski, 2009)

6. What is Reader’s Theatre?
Developed during WWII from speech and drama fields (Moran, 2006)
First developed for adults (Moran, 2006)
Interpretive reading where students use voices to bring characters to life.
No props needed.
Goal: Audience can visualize story through effective reading of script by actors. (Martinez, 1999)
Can be regular activity during instructional time.

7. Students read rehearsed scripts instead of memorize or cold reads.
(Parker)
Communication Second Language Learning
Characteristics of Communication- expressions, gestures, volume, tone, word meaning, emotions
DRAMA/RT
(Colangelo, & Ryan-Scheutz,. 2004)

8. History of Reader’s Theatre
Introduced originally in ESL classrooms to support learning of communication skills. (Patrick, 2008)
RT History: Present literature in dramatic form.

9. Reader’s THEATRE and the ELL
Opportunities to talk both verbally and physically results in building comprehension skills
Don’t teach direct language but how to use language in different situations
RT doesn’t require much English, a student can start where he/she is language wise. (Entering, 2006)
Perform without stress of memorizing (Tyler, 2000)
Allows shorts breaks between parts (Tyler, 2000).

10. Scripts offer psychological security.
ELLs can acquire language in real context instead of slices of dialogue like sentences (Patrick, 2008).

11. Who Benefits? Struggling Readers
Dysfluent readers become least interested.
Reading is a task that becomes laborious and unrewarding.
-Readers Theatre gives an opportunity for rereading which allows them extra practice.
(Tyler, 2000)

12. Motivating Students can create their own scripts Excited
Engaged and attentive when listening AND speaking.
Maintain excitement throughout year
Recognize improvement of self and others
Students begin to choose reading over other activities at home.
Performance MOTIVATES!
(Clementi, 2010)

13. Benefits

14. Vocabulary Improvement
Reading
Vocabulary Improvement
Extensive reading improves vocabulary and skills to use context clues.
Vocabulary for an ELL has to be intentional.
Speed should increase
(Tran, 2006)

15. References
Brinda, W. (2008). Engaging aliterate students: A literacy/theatre project helps students comprehend, visualize, and enjoy literature. International reading association
Clementi, L. (2010). Readers Theatre: A motivating method to improve reading fluency. Kappan, 91(5),
Colangelo,A., & Ryan-Scheutz, C. (2004) Full scale theatre production and foreign language learning. Foreign Language Annals, 37(3),
Entering stage left, the English- language learner. (2006) NEA today, 24(4),31-31.
Esslin, M. (1987). The field of drama: How the signs of drama create meaning on stage and screen. London: Methuen. Brinda
Moran, K. (2006). Nurturing emergent readers through reader theatre. Early childhood education journal, 33(5), Retrieved from ERIC database.
Spina, S. (2006). Worlds Together… Words Apart: An Assessment of the Effectivness of Arts-Based Curriculum for Second Language Learners. Journal of Latinos and education, 5(2),

16. References 2
LaCour, M. (2009). Making reader’s theatre a reality in your classroom. The Florida reading journal. 45(2),
Martinez, M., Roser, N., & Strecker, S. (1999) I never thought I could be a star: a readers theater ticket to fluency. The Reading Teacher. 52 (4),
Patrick, N. (2008). The impact of readers theatre in the classroom. Polyglossia. 14.
Prater, K. & Worthy, J. (?) I Thought about it all night: readers theatre for reading fluency and motivation. Journal?
Ransiski, T. & Young, C. (2009). Implementing readers theatre as an approach to classroom fluency instruction. The Reading Teacher. 63:1 4-13
Suranna, K. (1998). Utilizing Krashen’s Monitor Model in the Integration of the Arts in Second Language Acquisition. (Ebsco?)
Tran, A. 2006). Modified extensive reading for English language learners. Reading Improvement. 42:4,
Tovani, C. (2000). I read it, but I don’t get it:Comprehension strategies for adolescent readers. Portland, ME: Stenhouse. Brinda
Tyler, B., & Chard, J. (2000). Using readers theatre to foster fluency in struggling readers: a twist on the repeated reading strategy. Reading and writing quarterly. 12: