This presentation covers the following areas of Readers' Theatre: 1. Definition 2. The value of RT in ELT 3. The value of RT for developing literacy skills 4. The value of RT for education 5. How to prepare an RT performance a) Procedure b) Selection of Materials c) Scripting d) Creating self made scripts e) Staging f) Rehearsal g) Performance

1. Readers’ Theatre:
An Alternative to the School Play
Susan Hillyard B.Ed (Hons)

2. What d’ya Know Joe?
 What is Theatre?
 What is Drama?
 What is Reading?
 What is Readers’ Theatre?

3. What is Readers’ Theatre
Readers’ Theatre is the
process of reading a
script aloud, in parts,
using dramatization
techniques.

4. The World is Ours
We’re riding along We`ll do the hailing
On the crest of the wave While all the ships
And the sun is in the sky Are on the sailing
Like a big red football We’re riding along
All our eyes On the crest of the wave
On the distant horizon And the world is ours
Look out for passers by Oi!!!!!!

5. Choral reading

6. Minimal Theatre

13. Comparison of Theatre and RT
Greater Lesser
Learning lines Use scripts
Stage Any space
Costume Minimal
Make up No need
Set No need
Props Minimal
Lighting For focus only
Blocking Rows or minimal
Rehearsal Minimal or more
Stagefright Far less.

15. Exercise
Jack and the Robbers
Presented by
YOU!

16. The Value of RT in ELT
General Specific
Cooperation Structures
Gesture Vocabulary
Facial gesture Pronunciation
Eye contact Emphasis/Stress
Turn Taking Volume /Pitch
Lowering affective filter Pace/Rhythm
Self esteem building Pausing/Silences
Confidence building Fluency
Presentation skills Expression

17. The Value of RT for developing
Literacy Skills
Enhances reading skills:
 reading fluency and sight-word vocabulary,
 improving reading comprehension
 interpret dialogue and communicate
meaning,
 a context for purposeful reading
 responding to and interpreting literature
 multiple readings of one text

18. Some Quotes
 Reader’s Theater "succeeds in giving the
same suggestive push to the imaginations in
the audience that the act of silent reading
gives to the imagination of the perceptive
silent reader".
 “Out of this spirited speech can come
meaningful, flavourful language, worth the
time and effort of writing and rewriting,
phrasing, rehearsing, and reading aloud."

19. 'Readers Theatre
brings texts to life'.

20. The fun they have draws them into reading.
It helps introverted pupils to overcome their
inhibitions because it is not threatening.
Readers’ Theatre introduces the element of drama
into literacy learning and magically transforms
the classroom into a stage. During Readers’
Theatre time, the reader is at centre stage, totally
absorbed in reading. The reader is a star.

21. The Value of RT for education
 Involves the WHOLE person
 Teaches communication skills
 Teaches thinking skills
 Teaches creativity and use of the
imagination
 Teaches critical thinking and self
assessment
 Teaches control and cooperation in group
work

22. SPICE
 S- Social development
 P-Physical development
 I-Intellectual growth ( Cognitive )
 C- Creative development
 E- Emotional Development

23. How to Prepare an RT Performance
 Selection of Materials
 Scripting
 Creating self made scripts
 Staging
 Rehearsal
 Performance

24. Selection of Materials
 Ready-made RT Scripts (net)
 Scripts/texts from seen or unseen materials
 Usually literature: poems, chants, raps,
rhymes, stories, plays, dialogues, songs
 Factual pieces
 Negotiation/voting with class
 Imposition by T

25. Creating Self-Made Scripts
 Transformation from one mode to another
(see handout ……story to RT Script) by T or
Sts
 Original material written by T or Sts

26. Scripting to RT
 Familiarise Sts with the text/make meaning
 Read at home/silently/in groups/ T reads aloud
 Discuss plot, characterisation, gestures, lineup
 Visualise through drawing or storyboarding
 Pay attention to punctuation: colour code
1)characters’ dialogue, 2) narration
 Make agreements as whole class or in groups
 Allocate parts:
appropriateness/willingness/standard

27. Staging
 Focus and concentration
 No corpsing
 Voice production: volume, tone, expression, pace,
rhythm, timbre
 Gesture: facial, limbs, whole body,
synchronisation, meaning making
All or group?
 Arrangement of lineup
 Scripts in folders/ on clip boards/ music stands
 Decisions re: costume, lights, props, make up,
sound effects

28. Rehearsal
 Agree times and dates
 Make a timetable and post it
 Agree on timeline
 Decide on format: straight in or warmers?
 Name tags/scripts/pens
 Director and student assistant
 DYB. DYB. DYB….. DOB. DOB. DOB.
 Feeling/emotion/passion/energy

29. Reader’s Theatre is "theatre of the
imagination". It involves children in
understanding their world, creating their
own scripts, reading aloud, performing with
a purpose, and bringing enjoyment to both
themselves and their audiences.

30. "Everyone needs to talk - to hear and to play
with language, to exercise the mind and
emotions and tongue together. Out of this
spirited speech can come meaningful,
flavourful language, worth the time and
effort of writing and rewriting, phrasing,
rehearsing, and reading aloud."

31. Performance
Just
Do
It
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!