Extending Readers
Theater
What a Long Strange Trip It Has Been
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Discussion One
S What is your experience with Readers Theater?
S Are you familiar with the underlying research that supports
the use of Readers Theater?
Elocution
According to Hyatt (1943):
Reading fluency began as
elocution instruction for the
purpose of pleasing oral
discourse.
Humble to Hopeful
Goodman’s Miscue
Analysis
S
Goodman (1964) conducted a
linguistic study on the cues and
miscues of 100 primary school
readers; he observed an interesting
phenomenon. Natural intonation
came from comprehension of the
text, and was portrayed through
oral reading. Although many
processes were in play, stress, pitch,
and juncture manifested with
meaning.
Automaticity Theory
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According to Laberge and
Samuels (1974) automaticity of
word recognition is a prerequisite
of comprehension. Automaticity
frees cognitive resources used in
lower level processing for the
higher level cognitive processes
necessary for comprehension.
Neglected No
Longer
Fluency: The Neglected
Reading Goal (Allington, 1983)
Discussion Two
S What other methods do you or teachers you have observed
used to improve Reading Fluency?
Readers Theater Research
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Tyler & Chard (2000)
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S Natural Link to Repeated
Griffith & Rasinski (2004)
S Passionate
Readings
S AvgGE 5.80
S 93% At Risk On Level
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Martinez, Roser, & Strecker
(1998/1999)
S Motivation
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Young & Rasinski (2009)
S 20% gain in prosody
S 65 WCPM gain (35 expected and
29 previous year)
S Speed Does Matter (Rasinksi, 2000)
Implementing Readers
Theater
Video
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Enhancing Authors’ Voice Through
Scripting (Young & Rasinski, 2011)
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Mentor Text
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S Voice Variation of Billy
Parody
S Sophia Finds a Turtle
Goats Gruff
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Scratch
S King Kong vs Second Grade
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Take it a Step Further with
SPMS
Student Produced Movies
(Young & Rasinski, in press)
S Phase 1: Grouping
S Phase 2: Idea Development
S Phase 3: Script Treatment
S Phase 4: Storyboard
S Phase 5: Scripting
S Phase 7: Filming
S Phase 8: Post-Production
Phase 1: Grouping
S Students groups are selected based preferred genre.
S How does this phase connect to literacy?
Phase 2: Idea Development
S Students choose method for creating scripts: mentor, parody,
or scratch
S How does this phase connect to literacy?
Phase 3: Script Treatment
S Students choose method for creating scripts: mentor, parody,
or scratch
S Assign roles
S How does this phase connect to literacy?
Phase 4: Storyboard
S How does this phase connect to literacy?
Phase 6: Scripting
S As students create their scripts they are analyzing the
original text from the point of view of the writer. What did
the author do to make his or her writing so engaging? How
can we incorporate those features into my script?
S Students practice their lines.
S How does this phase connect to literacy?
Phase 7: Production
S The student director runs the production of each scene, with
input, of course, from other members of the production
(and me). The director carries the storyboard and script,
leads the class to filming locations, makes sure all props and
materials are ready, and directs characters’ actions and
assists with their lines.
S How does this phase connect to literacy?
Phase 8: Post-Production
S Students learn how to upload the movies into the software,
drop clips into the editing line, delete unused takes, reorder
and cut clips, configure special effects, utilize transitions,
add music, and create title and credit sequences.
S How does this phase connect to literacy?
Sophia Finds a Turtle
SPM Written and Produced by Second Graders
Genre: Comedy. Method: Parody
Video
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SPMs and Literacy
S Students reflected on their reading preference, identified
different genres, composed summaries, drafted sequences,
used their knowledge of story structure to deconstruct text
and turn it into a new creation, rehearsed the script focusing
on expressive and meaningful reading, proficiently wielded
multiple technologies, and offered their unique
understandings of text.
S They had a purpose.