Using Readers Theater Scripts in Summer Schooling Situations

Reading is a skill, and like any skill it needs to be practice over and over to really be mastered. When working with children in Summer Schooling Situations, a reading program should be fun and engaging, as well as authentic. Readers theater scripts are a great tool for educators to use to provide valuable reading practice, while keeping the learners engaged.

Reader’s theatre gives the students a chance to combine reading practice, with performing skills. Reader’s theatre is a program in which students read from scripts, but do so without costumes, props, or having to memorize lines. They are usually play scripts, involving entertaining storylines, memorable characters, and fun situations.

Reader’s Theatre is an excellent tool because it gives the students a chance to read aloud. Many students spend much of their time reading in their heads only, and just like in basketball how throwing a free throw is different then shooting a three-pointer, so to is reading aloud a different skill then reading in our heads. Reader’s Theatre lets students work on this skill.

It is also a great tool for developing reading fluency. We become more fluent readers by repeating and practicing what we read over several times. Reader’s Theatre scripts are practice several times by the students before they are asked to perform. This gives them time to develop fluency and confidence in their reading abilities.

These scripts can also be used in other ways. For children who are more shy, but need that reading aloud practice, they can be used as puppet play scripts. This allows the child to still practice the reading, but do so without having to be seen. Puppet plays are also a great way to tie in creativity and other cross-curricular competencies.

Summer School should be a fun, engaging and memorable experience for students attending. Make it so by including readers theatre scripts from Scripts for Schools  into your practice this summer.