The Effects of Readers Theater on Fluency

1. The Effects of Readers Theater on Fluency Julie Duncan First Grade Casar Elementary

2. Background • I have wanted to use a strategy to help my average readers read more fluent and not word by word. “Reading fluency, the ability to read accurately, at an appropriate rate, and with meaningful expression and phrasing has been shown to be associated with reading comprehension for students in the intermediate grades.” (Rasinski, T). Modeling fluent reading in my read-aloudshasn’t helped. ( Rasinski, Blachowicz, & Lems,2006, p.87) • I have wanted to explore the Readers Theater strategy after a teacher’ssuggestion.

3. Research Questions • What are the effects of using Readers Theater on the reading fluency of my first grade students? • Can Readers Theater improve their prosody, expression, and reading rate? • What effects will Readers Theater have on reading levels?

4. Methods Participants • I chose six of my average students to form a small group. All students needed help with expression, prosody, and automaticity with text. Instruction • We met M-Th from 8:30-9:00am and presented our scripts on Fri. • We used a small storage room across from our classroom to have more privacy and not disturb the other students who were doing silent reading.

5. Methods I chose scripts from different websites to make each reading experience different. Some were fiction and one was nonfiction. Our scripts were: The Three Bears http://www.fcrr.org/Curriculum/pdf/GK-1/F_Final.pdf Which Shoes Do You Choose? http://www.aaronshep.com/rt/RTE22.html The Great Big Enormous Turnip http://www.mrsmcgowan.com/reading/readerstheater.htm Around the Water Cycle http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/400.html My lesson plans included: • Monday- I introduced and read the script whole group. Then, I had the students read the script independently to themselves, asking for help with words they didn’t know. • Tuesday- Paired students and had them read scripts out loud to each other, alternating parts. Then, I assigned roles and let students read through their scripts once. • Wednesday- Read through the script out loud. Teacher echo read with students and gave ‘mini lessons’ on fluent reading. Sent home scripts for more practice. • Thursday- Read through script a couple times and tape recorded. • Friday- Presented Reader’s Theater to the class.

6. Methods Independent Reading Partner Reading Whole Group Reading

7. Data Collection / Data Analysis • For my baseline data I used the January oral reading fluency assessment from DIBELS and January Star reading scores. • I took notes during our lessons and after each script I assessed again using DIBELS. This was tape recorded. • I Star tested at the end of project. • I listened to the recorded data and using a 0-2 point scale I assessed indicators of fluency for each student. Scores were averaged in each category. (see example below)

8. Results Indicators of Fluency

9. Results DIBELS ORF Words per minute * Student moved schools – this is 2 week data

10. Results Star Reading Levels

11. Discussion • Fluency Indicators • Overall gains made in pausing • Overall gains made in expression • Confidence made with each script • Automaticity gains ( except 3rd script ) • Accuracy gains ( except 3rd script ) • DIBELS • All made progress • Zachary scored less wpm on last week than January benchmark • He did make gains on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd weeks • Kendal made most gains overall- 29 wpm gain! • Star Reading Levels • All students increased about a book level- All above 2nd grade

12. “Around the Water Cycle”

13. Future Directions • I would like to take stories and make them into Readers Theater scripts. This way I can control the reading levels of text. • I would like to explore having the students write their own scripts. • I would like to use Readers Theater for teaching Integrated Studies.

14. Resources • Aaron Shepard's Reader's Theater http://www.aaronshep.com/rt/index.html Scripts and Tips for Reader’s Theater • Storycart Presshttp://www.storycart.com/ Storycart® Press offers a variety of products to support the use of Readers Theatre in the elementary classroom or reading resource room. • Reader's Theater Scripts and Plays http://teachingheart.net/readerstheater.htm Plays and scripts to print and read. • Reading Ladyhttp://www.readinglady.com/Readers_Theater/Scripts/scripts.html A great site with over 40 scripts that you can download in either Microsoft Word or Adobe format. • Classroom Theaterhttp://www.fictionteachers.com/classroomtheater/theater.html

15. References • A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF READERS' THEATER ON SECOND AND THIRD GRADE SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS' FLUENCY GROWTH. By: Corcoran, Carol A.. Reading Improvement, Summer2005, Vol. 42 Issue 2, p105-111 • Bringing Reading Alive Through Readers' Theater. By: Casey, Shirley; Chamberlain, Rachel. Illinois Reading Council Journal, Fall2006, Vol. 34 Issue 4, p17-25 • Carrick, L. (2001, July/August). Internet resources for conducting Readers Theater. Reading Online, 5(1). Available: http://www.readingonline.org • DIBELS (n.d.).DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills). Retrieved March 2009, from http://dibels.uoregon.edu/dibelsinfo.php/ • Rasinski, T.V. (2000). Speed Does Matter. The Reading Teacher, 54,146-151 • Rasinski, T. V. , Blachowicz, C. & Lems, K. (2006) Fluency Instruction: Research Based Best Practices. New York: The Guilford Press. • Rasinski, T. Guided Fluency Instruction: Moving Students to Independence. Scholastic, 3, 1-8.