Readers Theater
There were times when my reading groups were falling behind on a trade book and I would make a script out of the last few chapters. The students loved this. I also did the “Who’s on First” skit with some of the older students and they had a blast.
This strategy is great for reluctant readers. It helps them to develop fluency which in turn aids in comprehension. Readers Theater is similar to a play except that you do not need a stage or costumes. Students will have a script which you can make from a story with lots of dialog or you can get pre-made scripts either based on real books or scripts made specifically for this purpose. This activity is best done in small groups and students should not memorize the script but actually read from it during their performance.
-Teachers should choose a script (either self made or pre-made is fine)
-Help students to choose parts ( it may be beneficial to have students highlight their parts)
-Have students practice their part repeatedly. Depending on how much time you have alloted they can do this over a few days both in class and at home.
-Students then perform in small groups in front of the rest of the class
An Internet search will bring up many free scripts for example https://www.dramanotebook.com/plays-for-kids/scripts-based-on-childrens-books/ (I have no affiliation with this linked site. I stumbled upon it and clicked a few links and it seems to be a good resource.)and there are also many paid options.
If you liked this post, have any questions, or would like a certain strategy highlighted on my blog please make sure to leave a comment!