Download Readers Theatre

Achieving Fluency in Reading
For all
Students,
Using
Reader’s
Theatre
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Presented by:
Meryl-Lynn Pluck
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M.Phil (Specialising in Reading Difficulties)
Trained by Marie Clay
Classroom Teacher
Resource Teacher of Literacy
Author of Rainbow Reading Programme
Author of Speak Out Reader’s Theatre
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Fluent reading …
why is it desirable?
According to the students …
“When your reading’s not fluent it’s
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slow
full of mistakes
got no meaning
got no ‘spression!
boring and hard work
kind of jerky
shameful”
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
What is fluent reading?
According to the experts …
• Fluent reading is:
– accurate
– effortless (free of word identification problems)
– appropriately phrased
– well paced
– smooth
– expressive
– well understood by both reader and listener
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Fluent Reading …
why is it desirable?
• Fluent reading is:
– an indicator of present and future skills in
reading
– a reliable indicator of the development of
reading skills
– a strengthener of present and future skills in
reading
– a builder of confidence and motivation in
reading
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
What Instructional Strategies
Foster Fluency?
• Explicit instruction (teaching phrasing, expression
and attention to punctuation)
• Modeling of fluent reading for students to emulate
• Practice with a variety of different text types
• High interest books that foster expressive reading
• Texts at an appropriate level of difficulty
• Repeated readings
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
What Other Instructional Strategies
Foster Fluency?
• Supported reading practice
• Positive performance readings (with feedback)
• Opportunities to respond orally and/or in
writing to text
• Opportunities for ongoing assessment and
monitoring that is documented
• Opportunities to develop an awareness of
fluency and an ability to monitor it (metafluency)
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre
Research Proven to Develop
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Reading fluency
Reading comprehension
Oral language
Vocabulary
Listening skills
Positive attitude
Cooperation
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
What is Reader’s Theatre?
Reader’s Theatre is repeated oral
reading of scripts that are
practised and “performed” to an
audience as a group reading
presentation. Students rely on
their voices, rather than on
acting, costumes and props, for a
successful presentation.
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre
What, how, when and where?
• Students work in small groups; one group,
several groups or whole class
• They practise alone and together
with audio support if available
and where needed
• Flexible scheduling
• 20 – 30 minutes daily
• They present to an audience
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre
Procedure
Students’ reading levels are established
Students practise at their instructional reading level
…which is achievable but challenging
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre
Procedure
Scripts are
allocated to
group/s
Group is orientated to
the script
Students practise reading all of
the script, perhaps with audio
support as a group, in pairs,
or alone
Group presents
to audience
Parts are allocated.
Practice continues at
school or at home
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
Audio support for:
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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 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.
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre
Factors That Make a Difference
• Scripts have
glossaries
for
vocabulary
building
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre
Factors That Make a Difference
• Aligned to the NZ curriculum
- Speaking and listening
- Reading and writing
- Presenting and viewing
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre
Factors That Make a Difference
• Scripts are written by a variety of authors
including NZ authors writing about a
variety of topics including NZ contexts
• Scripts comprise fiction, legends and nonfiction with curriculum links to Maths,
science and
social studies
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre
Factors That Make a Difference
Reading is enjoyable and achievable and
students experience success
• Scripts are short and interesting so
students can repeat readings
• Students read parts at their instructional
reading level
• Students are set up to succeed during
orientation
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre
Factors That Make a Difference
Students are motivated to read, to practise and to
collaborate
• Scripts are of high interest to students whose
interest levels may exceed their reading levels
and are presented in an interesting manner.
• Incentive to practise for presentation to
audience.
• A successful presentation is contingent on
everyone doing well.
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre
Factors That Make a Difference
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Demonstration scripts
Support for ELL students
Home-school links
Fluency assessment sheets for
teacher, student and peer
assessment
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre
Factors That Make a Difference
• Writing: inspiration for young writers by
award winning authors who guide students
in how to write their own scripts for
Reader’s Theatre
“While Reader’s Theatre has a lot of power on its
own, the power is greatly increased when kids
prepare their own scripts – they are truly
integrating reading, writing, and thinking skills.”
(Prescott, 2003 The Power of Reader’s Theatre: An Easy Way to Make
Dramatic Changes in Kids’ Fluency, Writing, Listening and Social Skills” in
the Scholastic Instructor,” 2003)
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre
Factors That Make a Difference
Practical Teachers’ Guides
Providing
• An easy to follow classroom programme
• Research evidence for Reader’s Theatre
• Guidelines for supporting struggling readers
and students learning English
• Reproducible “Tips” for students
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre
Factors That Make a Difference
Accent on reading (fluency and
and comprehension) with
activities that are optional and
meaningful, for consolidation
enrichment and extension of
skills learned.
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre
Factors That Make a Difference
Students self-monitor, control and take
responsibility for their learning.
• Students are encouraged to make decisions
about their progress (decide on next steps)
and to develop meta-fluency.
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre
Students who will benefit:
• Reader’s Theatre is for all students
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Students reading at expected levels
Students reading below expected levels
Students reading above expected levels
Slow, non-fluent readers
Students lacking in confidence
Students learning English
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre
Research Proven to Improve:
• Reading fluency
• Reading comprehension
• Oral language
• Vocabulary
• Listening skills
• Positive attitude
• Cooperative group skills
AND
• Writing (when there’s a writing component!)
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Reader’s Theatre Research Evidence
“…an authentic, entertaining and
educationally powerful way to read and
communicate meaning … Reader’s Theatre
yields improvements in … word
recognition, fluency and comprehension.”
(Rasinski, Timothy V. (2003). The Fluent Reader: Oral Reading
Strategies for Building Word Recognition, Fluency and
Comprehension. New York: Scholastic)
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
How Can Audio-assisted
Reader’s Theatre Promote Fluency?
• Explicit instruction during Orientation and
Conference
• Audio for modeling of fluent reading for students
to emulate
• Variety of authors, genre and text types
• High interest books that foster expressive reading
• Texts at an appropriate level of difficulty
• Repeated readings
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
How Else Can Audio-assisted
Reader’s Theatre Promote Fluency?
• Audio for supported reading practice
• Positive performance readings (with feedback)
• Opportunities to respond orally and/or in writing
to text with written activities and discussion
• Opportunities for ongoing assessment and
monitoring that is documented
• Opportunities to develop an awareness of
fluency and an ability to monitor it (metafluency)
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Why is fluent reading desirable?
Leaving the last word to the students …
“When your reading is fluent it’s
– got rhythm and flow
– kind of like talking
– got meaning
– interesting
– a lot cooler that’s a cert!
– easy
– like getting your training wheels off”
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre
Contact
Meryl-Lynn Pluck
Director
Rainbow Reading Programme Ltd
South Pacific Press
PO Box 561
Nelson
[email protected]
www.rainbowreading.co.nz
Ph/Fax 03 54 86587
Achieving Reading Fluency with Reader’s Theatre