Readers Theater
Jennifer Partrick
Nov 02, 2009
Readers Theater is a wonderful way to help create fluent and enthusiastic readers. Readers Theater scripts can be found at all different levels to support readers along the reading continuum. Students enjoy acting out the story. Acting out the story brings the characters to life and supports comprehension. Players also have the opportunity to give their characters depth and personality by adding mannerisms they think the character possesses which supports reading between the lines or using context clues. Students should also be encouraged to create scripts from well loved stories that they can act out for their classmates. This gives them the opportunity to add other things they think the characters would say or do. As students practice their lines they are working on fluency which is a critical component of comprehension. Students practice which words or phrases need more emphasis whic h will support them as they read for themselves. If classroom teachers embrace Readers Theater, they can adapt scripts and assign scripts to fit all levels of readers to that all students are immersed in reading. Because students must practice reading their lines, this gives all levels of readers the time to perfect what they read. Here is an example of a script that could be used for all levels of readers. More proficient readers can read the narrator's part with more lines and less proficient readers can read characters with fewer lines. Doing this supports all readers without fear of intimidation.
Jack and Jill (Script by Jennifer Partrick)
Characters: Narrator, Mom, Jack, Jill
Narrator: Once upon a time in a land very far away lived a pair of twins, Jack and Jill, who lived with their mother in a little house next a big hill.
Mom: (in her kitchen, calling to her children) Jack! Jill! Come here, I need you to help me!
Narrator: Jack and Jill run into the kitchen together.
Mom: Would the two of you go up the hill and fetch some water for me? I need to wash some clothes.
Jill: Sure Mom, we can do that.
Jack: I'll go get the pail.
Narrator: Jack goes to get the pail.
Mom: You are your brother are the best children in the whole world.
Jill: Thanks mom!
Jack: I have the pail. Let's go Jill.
Narrator: So Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water.
Jill: I'm tired. It's so hot today and rain has made the walk slippery.
Jack: Whoa!! I almost fell!
Narrator: Jack and Jill finally made it up the hill and Jack placed the pail on the rope and lowered it into the well.
Jill: (looking down in the well) It sure is dark down there!
Jack: (pulling up the pail full of water) This is a heavy pail.
Jill: You better be careful going down that hi ll.
Narrator: So Jack and Jill went back down the hill, but about halfway down.
Jack: Oh no! I'm falling and I can't stop myself! Help!
Jill: Oh no! Help!
Narrator: Jack fell down and broke his crown (head) and Jill came tumbling after.
Jack: Oh no! My head! It hurts!
Jill: Let me help you up. Lean on me and we'll walk home together.
Jack: Ow! Ow! I don't feel so good!
Jill: It will be alright.
Narrator: So up Jack got and home did trot as fast as he was able.
Mom: Goodness me! What happened to Jack?
Jill: He slipped on the hill and fell. He bumped his head on the pail.
Mom: Let me look at that! It needs a little vinegar on some brown paper. I'll just bandage that to his head.
Narrator: So Jack's mom mended his head and put him to bed with vinegar and brown paper.
Mom: Well, I guess I won't be washing any clothes today. Jill, why don't you sit with y! our brot her. Read to him until he falls asleep.
Narrator: And that's what Jill did. She read to Jack until he fell asleep and their mom baked an apple pie to help Jack feel better.
Other reading and fluency resources for primary students such as this can be found in Learning to Read.
