READERS’ THEATER Educational Initiative Sharon Kleinerman Orot Girls School Bet Shemesh

1. READERS’ THEATER Educational Initiative Sharon Kleinerman Orot Girls School Bet Shemesh Principal: PirchiaNachmani MorimYozmim Hebrew University 5772-5773 Coordinator: Dr. Adi Ben David

2. FROM A RECENT REPORT OF THE U.S. NATIONAL READING PANEL: (Washington, DC, 2000) “TEACHING CHILDREN TO READ” Repeated oral reading procedures that included guidance from teachers, peers, or parents had a significant and positive impact on word recognition, fluency, and comprehension across a range of grade levels...

3. Readers’ Theater is a style of theater in which the actors do not memorize their lines. Rather, they read from their scripts. When used in schools it is highly motivating and fun. It helps develop reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills.

4. Extra benefits for ESL Students • Helps ESL build their familiarity with standard English pronunciation • Comprehension improves as they take on the feelings of characters • Helps students learn to communicate with an audience • Excellent for less confident readers • Provides strong motivation for re-reading text until they become fluent in reading it

5. Adaptations for Non-native ESL learners • Special scripts adapted from stories for non-native speakers • Process: Emphasis on vocabulary acquisition, accent as well as oral reading skills • Start on short simple plays with performances to younger grades • More emphasis on costume, props and scenery in final performance than with native speakers • Use in “Partani “hours.

6. Targeted population • First semester – Grade 5 students, two groups of 6 students each. • Second semester- Grade 4 students, two groups of 6 students in each

7. Feedback from the staff The English language gains made by the Hebrew speakers through the preparations for the play and the play itself were very significant. PirchiaNachmani, Principal The rehearsals for the play helped raise the girls’ self confidence in speaking in English. In class, the girls who were to be in the audience learned the text before the performance, so that the whole class came out enriched.English teacher The girls were happy and developed a positive association with the language. ..Their teacher never stopped encouraging them. And girls who are generally bashful, who might have a lack of confidence reading in a foreign language, read their parts with courage. Fifth grade homeroom teacher

8. Feedback from the students "When it is the day for Readers’ Theater, I become very excited and I run fast to class” "I think, Wow! I must go to school, today we have theater with Mora Sharon” “I feel proud that I know how to read and I am excited that I am getting better.” “I am proud when the teacher adds new words and I am happy when they make fun plays.” It is fun being in a small group – everyone gets attention”"

9. Measurements of success • Kids loved it !!!! • The students were always waiting, no one ever missed a session • Vocabulary retention: the performers retained the vocabulary words that were presented in the play. • The students were able to explain the goals of the program clearly • Every student from grades 4 - 6, both native & non-native speakers, in some way participated as a performer or as an observer