Research References for
Reader's Theater
Reader's Theater... is an approved method
of Repeated Guided Oral Reading!
There is an abundance of research supporting that “Repeated Guided Oral Reading” improves reading fluency and comprehension, especially when it includes reading role models. For a document summarizing several studies relating to Repeated Guided Oral Reading along with information as to how reader's theater fulfills National Reading Panel reading and fluency goals, click here. Research also shows four repeated readings sufficiently improve reading fluency. Most traditional texts can NOT hold students’ attention for up to four separate readings. Reader’s theater truly engages students and is the most popular form of “repeated guided oral reading.” Reader’s theater provides an easy-to-implement dramatic text that does not require memorization, props or a stage.
Improved Vocabulary & Comprehension
Plays inherently come with built-in strategies to help students read better. The acting out of story dialogue compels readers to work more closely with the text to interpret and project meaning into the experience. As a result, students show improvement in vocabulary, comprehension and retention.
Colorized Text
According to a Loyola University study, word recognition and reading comprehension improves 27% when text is presented in color compared to bold text, and 35% when presented in color compared to contrasting fonts.
"Repeated Guided Oral Reading" References |
Armbruster, B., Lehr, F. & Osborn J. (2001). "Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read." Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement.
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"Research-Based
Instruction in Reading" Dr. Bonnie B. Armbruster University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign - National Reading Panel - Elements of Reading Instruction
Phonemic awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, Text ... (Jul 28, 2003)
http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/read/rb/edlite-slide019.html
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Center For the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement. Technical Report 2-008 Fluency: A Review of Developmental and Remedial Practices. http://www.ciera.org/library/reports/inquiry-2/2-008/2-008.pdf
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Fountas, I. & Pinnell, G.S. (2001). Guiding Readers and Writers (Grades 3-6): Teaching Comprehension, Genre, and Content Literacy.
Heinemann.
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Griffith, L. W. and Rasinski, T., (2004, October). "A Focus on Fluency: How One Teacher Incorporated Fluency with her Reading Curriculum." The Reading Teacher v. 58.
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Harwell,
J. M. (2001). Complete learning disabilities handbook: ready-to-use strategies and activities
for teaching students with learning disabilities. (New Second Edition).
New Jersey: The Center for Applied Research in Education.
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McMillan,
J. H. & Schumacher, S. (2001). Research in education (fifth edition): a conceptual introduction. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.
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Samuels, S. J., "The Method of Repeated Reading." The Reading Teacher, 32: 403-408, (1979).
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Topping, K., "Paired Reading: A Powerful Technique for Parent Use." The Reading Teacher, 40: 604-614, (1987).
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Reader's Theater References |
Albert, E., (1994). "Drama in the Classroom." Middle School Journal, v. 25, p.20-24.
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Allington, Richard L. (2001) What really matters for struggling readers: designing research based programs. New York: Addison.Wesley Longman.
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Blum, I.H., Koskinen, P.S. Tenant, N., Parker, E.M., Straub, M., and Curry, C. (1995). “Using audiotaped books to extend classroom literacy instruction into the homes of second-language learners”. Journal of Reading Behavior, 27 (4): 535-564.
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Badolato, S. & Boyer,
F. (Producers) (2001).
Reader's Theater of The Three Billy Goats Gruff. [Review of the video
document]. Pennsylvania: Badolato, Inc.
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Barchers, S. I. (2001).
Enhancing reading with reader's theater. Knowledge Quest, 30, (1), 11-12.
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Busching, B.A. (1981)
Reader's Theatre: An education for language and life. Language Arts 58, 330-338.
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Busker and Wigart (2008). Effects of Readers Theater on Reading Comprehension, Accuracy, and Expression. Kennesaw State University.
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Carrick,
L.U. (2000). "The effects of Reader's Theatre on fluency and comprehension in fifth grade students in regular classrooms." Unpublished doctoral dissertation.
Lehigh University. Bethlehem, PA.
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Casey and Chamberlain (2006). Bringing reading alive through readers’ theater. Illinois Reading Council Journal, 34(4), 17-25.
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Chomsky, C. (1978). “When you still can’t read in third grade: After decoding, what?" What Research Has to Say About Reading Instruction, ed. S.J. Samuels. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
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Clay (2001). "Change over time in children’s literacy achievement." Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. |
Deahl, M. P. (2000).
"The story of Johnny's teacher: Transforming fifth graders'
oral reading fluency through reader's theater." Dissertation, Pacific Lutheran University,
MAI, 39 (02), 6200.
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De
la Cruz, R. E. (1995). Doctoral Dissertation: The effects of creative drama on the social
and oral language skills of children with learning disabilities. Department
of Specialized Educational Development, Illinois State University, Bloomington,
IL.
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Dixon,
N., Davies, A., & Politano, C. (1996). Learning with Readers
Theatre. Winnipeg, AB: Peguis. |
Education
World magazine, "Reader's Theater: A Reason to Read Aloud." September, 2003, The Reader's Theater strategy blends students'
desire to perform with their need for oral reading practice. RT offers
an entertaining and engaging means of improving fluency and enhancing
comprehension. http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev082.shtml
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Eldredge (1990). An experiment using a group assisted repeated reading strategy with poor readers. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University, Department of Education, College of Education. (ERIC Document Reporduction Service No. ED 314 721).
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Flynn (2004-2005). "Curriculum-Based Readers Theatre: Setting the Stage for Reading and Retention Curriculum-Based Readers Theatre Uses Scripts That Come Directly from Classroom Content. They Are Informing and Entertaining and Can Address Many U.S. National Standards of Learning." The Reading Teacher, Vol. 58.
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Forsythe, S. J. (1995),
It worked! reader's theater in second grade. The Reading Teacher, 49 (3),
Nov.
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Goodman and Burke (1972). Reading miscue inventory. New York: Macmillan, 1972.
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Hamons (2009). Readers Theater’s Effect on Third Grade Readers’ Fluency. An Action Research Project, Presented To the Shawnee Mission Board of Education.
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Harmon, Keehn, and Shoho (2008). A Study of Reader’s Theater in Eighth Grade: Issues of Fluency, Comprehension, and Vocabulary. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 24: 335–362.
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Hasbrouck, Ihnot and Rogers (1999). "Read Naturally": A strategy to increase oral reading fluency. Reading Research & Instruction, 39(1), 27–38.
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Hasbrouck and Tindal (1992). ORF norms: A valuable assessment tool for reading teachers. The Reading Teacher, 59(7), 636–644.
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Howe, K.B. and Shinn, M.M. (2001). Standard reading assessment passages (RAPS) for use in general outcome measurements: A manual describing development and technical features. Eden Prairie, MN: Edformations.
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Hoyt,
L. (1992). Many ways of knowing: using drama, oral interactions, and the visual arts
to enhance reading comprehension. The Reading Teacher, 45 (8), April.
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Ignoffo (1994). "Theater
of the Mind: Non-conventional strategies for helping remedial readers
gain control over their rading experience." Journal of Reading, 37 (4),
December 1993/January 1994.
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Kuhn and Stahl (2000)." Fluency: A review of developmental and remedial practices," p.24. (CIERA Rep. No. 2-008). Ann Arbor, MI: Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement.
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Johns and Berglund (2002). Strategies for content area learning. Dubuque, IA:
Kendall/Hunt.
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Johnson, Kress and Pikulski (1987). Informal reading inventories. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
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McCormack, Rachel L., and Paratore, Jeanne R. (2002). "After early intervention, then what? Teaching struggling readers in grades 3 and beyond." Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
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Millin, S. K. (1999).
"Some Benefits of Reader's Theater Participation for Second-Grade Title
1 Students." Reading Research and Instruction, 39 (1), 71-88, Fall 1999.
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Orton, Lesley (2010, April). Increasing Reading Fluency Through Reader’s Theater. Master of Arts in Teaching. Sierra Nevada College.
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Page,
A. (1983). Children's story comprehension as a result of storytelling and story dramatization:
a study of the child as spectator and as participant.Doctoral Dissertation,
University of Massachusetts, University Microfilms International.
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Pikulski and Chard (2005).Fluency: Bridge between decoding and reading comprehension. The Reading Teacher, 58, 510-519.
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Pinnell et al. (1995). "Listening to children read aloud." U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Washington, DC.
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Podlozny,
A. (2000). Strengthening verbal skills through the use of classroom drama: a clear
link.Journal of Aesthetic Education, 34 (3-4), 239-276, Fall.
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Postlewaite and Ross (1992). Effective Schools in Reading. The Hague: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement.
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Prescott (2003). Scholastic
Instructor magazine, "The Power of Reader's Theater." February, 2003. Studies showed 1-3 years growth in reading fluency in just
10 weeks of using Reader's Theater in the classroom (struggling readers
gain the most). http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/instructor/readerstheater.htm
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Rasinski (1990). Effects of repeated reading ad listening-while-reading on reading fluency. Journal of Educational Research, 83, 147-150.
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Rasinski,
T (2003) The Fluent Reader: Oral reading strategies for building
word recognition, fluency, and comprehension.Reader's Theater,
pages 104-109. New York: Scholastic Professional Book.
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Ratliff, G. (1985). "Reader's Theater: A Basic Approach to Teaching Literature." Teaching English in the Two-Year College, v. 12: 48-51.
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Ridel, S. J. (1975).
Thesis: "Investigation of the effects of creative dramatics on Students."
Florida State University.
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Rinehart, S. D. (1999).
"Don't think for a minute that I'm getting up there: opportunities for
reader's theatre in a tutorial for children with reading problems." Reading-Psychology;
20 (1), 71-89, Jan-Mar.
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Robbins,
B. quoting Hoetker, J. (1969)."In dramatics and the teaching of literature." Cited in ERIC DIGEST, Creative
dramatics in the language arts classroom; ED297402 (2000).
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Roser, et al (2001). Collaborative literacy: Lessons learned
from literature. Reading Teacher, 55, (2), 102-112.
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Shepard,
A. (1994). From
script to stage: tips for reader's theater. The Reading Teacher, 48 (2),
Oct.
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Smith and Elley (1997). "How children learn to read: insights from the New Zealand experience." Longman, Auckland, New Zealand. |
Strecker, S. K. (1999).
Dissertation: The effects of instruction and practice through reader's
theater on young readers' oral reading fluency. The University of Texas
at Austin, DAI, 60 (09A), 3278.
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Strecker,
S., Roser, N. L., & Martinez, M. (1999), "I never thought
I could be a star": a reader's theater ticket to fluency. The Reading
Teacher, 52 (4), Dec.
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Strickland, Ganske, Monroe (2002). Supporting struggling readers and writers: Strategies for classroom intervention 3–6. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
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Trainin and Andrzejczak (2006). Readers’ Theatre: A Viable Reading Strategy? University of Nebraska.
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Wolf,
S. A. (1993). What's in a name? labels and literacy in reader's theater. The Reading
Teacher, 46 (7), April.
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Worthy and Broaddus ( 2001-2002). "Fluency beyond the primary grades: From group performance to silent, independent reading." The Reading Teacher, 55(4), 334-343. |
Young, C., & Rasinski, T. (2009, September). Implementing Readers Theatre as an Approach to Classroom Fluency Instruction. The Reading Teacher, 63(1), 4–13. doi: 10.1598/RT.63.1.1
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"Repeated and monitored oral reading most effectively improves reading fluency and overall reading achievement."
Put Reading First (Second Edition) - Fluency Instruction
U.S Department of Education |
"Reader's Theater provides readers with legitimate reason to reread text and to practice fluency. Reader's theater also promotes cooperative interaction with peers and makes the reading task appealing."
"Put Reading First: The Research Building
Blocks for Teaching Children to Read"
U.S. Department of Education |
"Fluency is the crucial bridge between word recognition and comprehension. And repeated oral readings are a key method for building fluency in all students."
"Teaching Children to Read"
The National Reading Panel |
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State Standards Met With Reader's Theater
As an educational tool, Playbooks® provide a
dynamic and effective addition to the classroom that meets numerous
educational standards. Teachers find that the Playbook® format
augments their existing instructional materials in a manner that allows
children to increase skills while concurrently having fun. The concept of "enjoyment and entertainment" provides students with a
needed diversion from existing instructional materials.
The shift
in educational focus from "instructional" to "fun" is the very concept
that enhances the student's ability to learn, gain new skills, and create a love of reading. The use of Playbooks® in the classroom
stimulates a profound opportunity for students to increase their read-aloud
skills and their desire to read.
Click below to see the Language Arts Standards that are met in your state when reading a Playbook® in the classroom.
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