MASON STROUSE How Does Readers Theatre Affect a Student’s Reading Fluency?

DESCRIPTION OF SCHOOL Public School in a Suburban Area teachers, 562 students, with a Student/Teacher Ratio of Title I School 290 eligible for free lunch 24 eligible for reduced-price lunch

ENROLLMENT K Students By Grade American Indian/ Alaskan Asian/ Pacific Islander BlackHispanicWhiteTwo or More Races Students By Race MaleFemale Students By Gender

DESCRIPTION OF CLASSROOM Grade 3 28 students (15 boys, 13 girls) 5 learning support students with IEPs 1 classroom teacher and 1 student teacher 1 paraprofessional to assist 1 student Only 14 students used for this study

LITERATURE REVIEW ARTICLES Enhancing Reading with Readers’ Theatre By Suzanne I. Barchers Implementing Readers Theatre as an Approach to Classroom Fluency Instruction By Chase Young and Timothy Rasinski Improving Oral Reading Fluency through Readers Theatre By Maryann Mraz, William Nichols, Safronia Caldwell, Rene Beisley, Stephan Sargent, and William Rupley I Thought About It All Night: Readers Theatre for Reading Fluency and Motivation By Jo Worthy, Kathryn Prater

“BIG IDEA” Reading fluency has once again, after a long absence, become a critical goal in the elementary reading curriculum. Although fluency is often associated with oral reading, it is assumed that fluent oral readers are fluent in their silent reading as well. Research has demonstrated a strong connection between proficient oral reading and proficient silent reading comprehension. (Rasinski, 2003).

METHODOLOGY - BEFORE Assessed students using a fluency reading passage Students who fell below the norm were part of this study What is Reader’s Theater? Model using adults in the room Students read aloud with the teacher Students were assessed Groups were assigned

METHODOLOGY - DURING What is today’s focus? What can I do to make this better? How do I “perform”? Am I ready? Scores were recorded using Oral Reading Rubric Monday – Pronunciation Tuesday – Fluency Wednesday – Expression Thursday – Projection Friday – Performance

METHODOLOGY - AFTER How did I do? Did I make something better? What did I do that helped me? What can I improve upon next time? Students were assessed again

ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCES Self-Check Performance Teacher Check Final Grade

ASSESSMENT OF FLUENCY Assessed students using a fluency reading passage as before Documented the scores and growth

RESULTS

INTERPRETATION OF DATA All the students improved their scores! Most students met their goals The class as a whole improved their scores

IMPLICATIONS Readers Theatre makes reading fun! Students don’t realize they are learning Reader’s Theatre is an effective tool for improving reader’s fluency I will continue to incorporate Readers Theatre into my instruction

REFERENCES Barchers, Suzanne I. "Enhancing Reading with Readers‘ Theatre." Knowledge Quest 30.1 (2001): Print. Mraz, Maryann, William Nichols, Safronia Caldwell, Rene Beisley, Stephan Sargent, and William Rupley. "Improving Oral Reading Fluency through Readers Theatre." Reading Horizons 52.2 (2013): Print. Worthy, Jo, and Kathryn Prater. "“I Thought about It All Night”: Readers Theatre for Reading Fluency and Motivation." The Reading Teacher 56.3 (2002): Print. Young, Chase, and Timothy Rasinski. "Implementing Readers Theatre as an Approach to Classroom Fluency Instruction." The Reading Teacher 63.1 (2009): Print.