How to do it?
Reader's Theatre scripts help students read and write reflectively. To create a script students must decide which information or part of a story is important and necessary.
Reader’s theatre is minimal theatre in support of literature and reading. There are many styles of reader’s theatre, but nearly all share these features:
- Narration serves as the framework of dramatic presentation.
- No full stage sets. If used at all, sets are simple and suggestive.
- No full costumes. If used at all, costumes are partial and suggestive, or neutral and uniform.
- Scripts are used openly in performance - lines are read.
*Students read a story or informational text.
* They decide which information is important and what could be left out.
* They deicde which characters they need to include or even add to tell the story
* They write a simple script using a narrator.
*They write dialogue that is simple and effective.
* They read their script to the class.
We used Reader's Theatre in a health class. The class were looking at a "Timeline of cigarette advertising in Australia."
The class were given an example of a Reader's Theatre script - which I had started writing - using the information from the timeline - I wrote the first five scenes and talked to them about it. I then had them work in pairs to complete the last five scenes. We worked through each scene one at a time and talked about what they came up with as we went.
Here is what the script looked like:
Scene One
(Mid 1950’s) Narrator
#1 : In the 1950’s advertising
showed attractive women or stylish men in business suits presenting smoking as
satisfying and health conscious behaviour.
Attractive woman: I look so beautiful with my trendy cigarettes I
am so happy and satisfied.
Stylish man : I am a very popular and health
conscious man who smokes – you could be just like me.
Scene Two
(1969) Narrator
# 2: In 1969 The government decided
that health warnings must go on all cigarette packets
Smoker : What is this on my packet? These
are fine, I won’t get sick, I never get sick.
Scene Three
(1973) Narrator #3 : In 1973 Direct cigarette advertising on the radio and television was being
phased out.
Radio station manager: We are no longer allowed to
advertise cigarettes on the radio, we get a lot of money for those ads, so now
we are in trouble and may not have enough money to run the radio station.
Narrator # 3 : In 1973 The government changed the
laws so that all cigarette packets said “Warning – smoking is a health hazard.”
Politician - We probably should tell people they can die
from smoking
Scene Four
(1985) Narrator # 4 : In 1985 Four different warnings
appeared on cigarette packets
Smoker #1 : Smoking kills
Smoker #2 : Smoking is addictive
Smoker #3: Smoking damages your lungs
Smoker# 4: Smoking causes lung cancer and
heart disease
Scene five
(1989) Narrator # 5 : In 1989 the government decided
advertising cigarettes in newspapers and magazines was not allowed.
Advertising man : Do not worry! We don’t need
magazines and newspapers. We will sponsor sporting teams! Then we will be everywhere!
Scene Six Fill out the following scenes
(1995) Narrator #6 :
Scene Seven
(1996) Narrator # 7: In 1996
Scene Eight
(2006) Narrator #8: In 2006
Scene Nine
(2010) Narrator # 9 : In 2010
(2011) Narrator # 10 :
Handy Hints:
Students require VERY clear instructions about the structure. Model the first scene or two FOR the class.
This was a very successful lesson and the students understood the text and were engaged with it.
Here is a website full of Reader's Theatre Scripts -
