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Reader’s Theater
A Pathfinder
by Barbara Hildenbrand, Librarian
Are you looking for a novel way to encourage children to enjoy reading? You may want to try Reader’s Theater. Reader’s Theater is a way to involve children in reading aloud to encourage them to enjoy reading. Children read aloud from xeroxed scripts, usually without costumes or props. My first introduction to Reader’s Theater was at a seminar, “The Best Children’s Books of the Decade and How to Use Them in Your Program (Grades K-6)”, given by Children’s Literature Consultant, Judy Freeman. The workbook from this seminar contains a ready to use script for CLAY BOY by Mirra Ginsburg (Grades 1-2). This pathfinder will discuss more sources of Reader’s Theater scripts for use with children.
Books
Articles
Databases
Websites
Here are some useful Subject Headings to search for materials:
Reader’s Theater
Children’s plays
Stage adaptations
Tales-Study and teaching (elementary)
Fairy tales-Parodies, imitations, etc.
Reading (Elementary)
Oral Reading
Language Arts
Books
Presenting Reader’s Theater.
Bauer, Caroline Feller.
The HW Wilson Co. 1987.
The author advocates reader’s theater as a way of making reading fun. She offers poems and plays that most seven-to-twelve year olds will be able to read. Contains tips for using reader’s theater and working toward a performance level.
Frantic frogs and other frankly fractured folktales for Readers Theatre.
Fredericks, Anthony D.
Teachers Ideas Press, 1993.
Contains 20 reproducible scripts with an emphasis on humor for grades 4-8.
Show Time at the Polk Street School.
Giff, Patricia Reilly.
Delacorte Press, 1992.
The author has written short, easy to perform plays from her Kids of the Polk Street School Series. Plays include: The Candy Corn Contest, The Secret at the Polk Street School and Fancy Feet.
The Herbie Jones Reader’s Theater.
Kline, Suzy.
New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons. 1992.
The author has created twenty-one funny read aloud scripts from the first four Herbie Jones books. Offers tips on dramatic reading.
Tell it Together, Foolproof Scripts for Story Theatre.
McBride-Smith, Barbara.
Little Rock: August House Publishers, Inc. 2001.
School Librarian and storyteller Barbara McBride-Smith presents twenty-three story scripts for ages nine to twelve. Some scripts are appropriate for teens. The author explains that Story Theatre is Reader’s Theatre “on steroids”.
Readers Theatre for Children, Scripts and Script Development.
Laughlin, Mildred Knight.
Englewood Col., Teachers Ideas Press. 1990.
Defines Readers Theatre and its value. Contains scripts of classic children’s books for use with elementary school students. Contains a readers theatre program featuring Betsy Byars. Offers script writing tips.
If you browse the stacks, try these call numbers:
372.4—Elementary Education
372.676—Elementary Education
398.2—Folklore
792.022—Stage Presentations
808.545—Rhetoric and collections of literature
812.54--Drama
“The power of reader’s theater: an easy way to make dramatic changes in fluency, writing, listening, and social skills.” In Instructor. Jennifer O. Prescott. Jan-Feb. 2003 v. 112 p. 22(7) (3195 words)
For articles about Reader's Theater, see OCPL’s Online Databases. Here you can access magazine and journal articles, newspapers, and reference books 24 hours a day using your OCPL library card.
For in-library use of the online databases, please see a librarian.
http://www.aaronshep.com/rt/
Reader’s Theater Editions contains free scripts adapted from stories written by Aaron Shepard and other authors.
Editions are free scripts for reader’s theater (or readers theatre) adapted from stories written by Aaron Shepard and others—mostly humor, fantasy, and world tales from a variety of cultures. A full range of reading levels is included, with scripts aimed mostly at ages 8–15. The scripts may be freely copied, shared, and performed for any noncommercial purpose, except they may not be posted online without permission.
http://www.suzykline.com/
Contains reproducible reader’s theater scripts from the author’s Herbie Jones books.
http://www.timelessteacherstuff.com/
Contains reproducible scripts, which Rick Swallow has collected in 25 years of teaching. Scripts are appropriate for elementary school students.
http://scriptsforschools.com/
Commercial source of reader’s theater scripts for schools
http://www.lisablau.com/freescripts.html
Downloadable scripts for each month of the year
http://www.literacyconnections.com/ReadersTheater.html
Guides for implementing readers’ theater, books with readers’ theater scripts and readers’ theater scripts online