Lights, Camera, Action, reading from a script is not just for actors and actresses. Reader’s Theater is a fun way to involve students in reading aloud. Reader’s Theater promotes reading aloud and developing fluency. Students perform by reading scripts created from reading-level books and stories. Reader’s Theater offers an entertaining and engaging means of improving fluency and enhancing comprehension while empowering a student’s confidence.
The goal of RT is to enhance student’s reading skills through reading with a purpose. Fluency research validates the need for repeated reading. Without fluency, there is usually minimal comprehension.
Builds Confidence
I know, your child is great at reading and doesn’t need extra help. I hear this expression all the time, and is there such a thing as being perfect? RT provides fluent readers with the opportunity to discover characterization and genre. Scripts are not memorized and props are not usually used, so the reader learns the expression in their voice is bigger than the props. Young scholars are not just reading the story; they become a part of it.
RT is not just for beginning readers, preschoolers are even capable of reading a script. The amount of words has no bearing on the script. A preschool script may have two words per reader. Preschoolers build academic and emotional confidence on the stage.
Parents your children have stolen the show. Now it is your turn to model reading at home in your own Readers Theater.
