Esguerra, Noemi R.

November 9, 2019

Outline for EDE

TOPIC: Impact of Reader’s Theater to English Learners on Fluency and

Comprehension Skills

TITLE: Reader’s Theater

I. Introduction:

A. Thesis Statement: This essay will define the usefulness of Reader’s Theater by exploring on

its impact in alleviating the increasing number of students who still

have poor-reading fluency and comprehension skills.

B. General Definition: Reader’s Theater is minimal theater in support of literature and

reading. (Shephard, 2004)

II. Body:

A. ED 1: Reader’s theater was developed as an efficient and effective way to present literature

in dramatic form, as a key tool for creating interest and skill in reading and has been

found effective not only for language arts but for social studies as well.

(Shephard, 2004)

B. ED 2: Reader’s theater is a transformative and influential instructional tool for reading with

far reaching benefits for all students like increase in word recognition, fluency,

vocabulary and comprehension development. (Rasisnski, Stokes and Young, 2017)

C. ED 3: Reader’s theater is a familiar literacy strategy for children who can read

independently but also with younger children who have not developed independent

reading skills.(Moran,2006)

D. ED 4: With the stimulation of reader’s theater activities students could be motivated to be

engaged in appreciating English books and obtained meaningful experiences from

the characters in the plot. Teacher could foster student’s cooperative learning

through group work and enhanced the student’s interest in learning. (Lin, 2015)
 E. ED 5: The earliest use of the term Reader’s Theater dates back to 1945 when a professional

group in New York who called themselves Reader’s Theater, Inc. During the sixties,

RT became popular within college theater department and from there spread into

secondary English education and later on moved into middle and elementary

schools.(Coger and White,1973)

III. Conclusion:

A. Summary: Reader’s Theater is minimal theater in support of literature and

reading developed as an efficient and effective way to present literature

in dramatic form, as a key tool for creating interest and skill in reading and has

been found effective not only for language arts but for social studies as well.

The earliest use of the term Reader’s Theater dates back to 1945 when a

professional group in New York who called themselves Reader’s Theater, Inc.

During the sixties, RT became popular within college theater department and

from there spread into secondary English education and later on moved into

middle and elementary schools.

Reader’s theater is a transformative and influential instructional tool for

reading with far reaching benefits for all students like increase in word

recognition, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension development as a

transformative and influential instructional tool for reading with far reaching

benefits for all students. However, this literacy strategy is not only for

children who can read independently but also with younger children who have

not develop independent reading skills and could foster student’s cooperative

learning through group work and enhanced the student’s interest in learning.

IV. References:

1. Coger, L. I. and White, M. R.(1973). Readers theater handbook, a dramatic

approach to literature. Revised Ed.Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman and Co.

2. Lin, Y. F. (2015). Using readers theater as a facilitator in elementary school English

training. Journal of education and learning, 4(2), pp. 43-52.

3. Moran, K. J. K. (2006). Nurturing emergent readers through Readers Theater. Early

Childhood Education Journal, 33(5), 317-323.

4. Rasinski, T., Stokes, F., and Young, C.(2017).The role of the teacher in reader’s

theater instruction.Teaxa journal of literacy education,5(2), pp.168-174.

5. Shephard, A.(2004). Resources for reader’s theater (or readers theater),with tips,

scripts, and worksheet.Readers on stage. http://www/aaronshep.com/rt/whatis.html

Esguerra, Noemi R.

November 22, 2019

PST Draft 1

Adaptation of English language (L2) to the English Learners dilemma of every

educators

Now a days, mastery of the English language is considered as an outstanding skill of a person,

for it manifests self-confidence and greatness in terms of expressing one’s well- ordered idea by

speaking it fluently. But, what if the adaptation of English language to the English learners becomes a

dilemma of every educator? Difficulties specifically linked to the teaching of second or foreign

languages include issues related to the use of the mother tongue and code switching at lessons of a

foreign language, to the attitude toward the ratio of fluency. (Komorowska, p.89). Most learners show

anxiety in communicating themselves using L2 during recitation, reports, or simple school interviews,

even taking simple conversation with their classmates and teachers as well. That is why this essay

intends to distinguish the different dilemmas encountered by teachers in the adaptation of L2 to the

learners and to help resolving the issue.

Adaptation of English language is now a dilemma faced by teachers. Written vs. Spoken

Language is more likely the first major conflict. It is the most difficult for most of the L2 learners to

compose sentences which are grammatically correct and construction wise because of the first

language and the second language is literally unlike, so the basis of these two is surely different as

well, for they found it hard achieving the correct structure of the sentences and correct positions of the

tenses. A lot of educational technology has been introduced now, where learners can adapt,

understand and learn easily but a few cannot especially those learners in public schools which

becomes a hindrance to the smooth flow of L2 learnings for ignorance about technology occur for lack

of continuity. Another form of complication faced by teacher in teaching L2 effectively is the

heterogeneous nature of classroom, where fast learners are mixed to average and slow learners which

resulted to boredom for the fast learners, for they possess the abilities or capacity to understand the

English language easily while others still have a hard time to develop their language skills especially

those who lives in remote areas or villages. Another problem is students tend to use other languages
when they have a hard time communicating with their classmates or friends, basically they use the

mother language. Probably, the major problem is lack of interest and fear to the English language. The

being timid of the learners every time ask to recite after the lecture in the classrooms restrict them

from talking and expressing themselves with other students and interacting with teachers. They didn’t

show any interest in studying the English language because of fear and discomfort in conversation

with the other students and also interacting with the teacher is set aside and the worst case is self-

confidence is not being developed. (Adil, 2019).

With these, educators are trying to resolve the issues by creating and implementing different

strategies to make the learners cope up and adapt English language easily. Making the proper

schedule and following the syllabus benefit both the learners and teachers, through this it is made

easy for the learners in terms of repeating and learning the new language skills if there is proper

transition of lessons or activities. With the use of multimedia, it introduces the learners with the latest

techniques in learning the L2 through educational video clips, documentation and other e-learning

apps which help the learners widen their knowledge with the English language. Indeed, many teachers

used the multimedia or interactive media in teaching the English language today because teachers

need to bring and blend the learners with the fast pacing technology. Aside from that, educators come

up with creative learning strategies which include creative writing that is critical in teaching the L2

that pushes the learners to their limitations to express and produce a well -written paper. Exposing

the students to unfamiliar words helps them to expand their vocabulary for it is essential in learning

the language, this can be made easy through educational games like cross word puzzle, scrabble, word

factory, guess the word, etc. Another effective solution is through give-and -take approach where

teachers practise the learners to communicate or converse in English by processing a literary form to

the learners for reading and then make their own opinion about the documents provided. In doing so,

learners feel comfortable and confident in talking with their group mates or classmates. Lastly, which

is probably the most effective technique is the classroom educational competitions where teachers

organize a debates play in building the mental and oral skills of the learners teaching them to justify

an issue and express their ideas and opinions using the English language. Through this technique help

the students to address group of people easily, improve their skill in terms of reasoning and boost

their self-confidence if win the competition. (Adil, 2019).

 Thus, the adaptation of English language to the leaners pose a serious dilemma to every

educators in terms of poor capacity level of learners to speak fluently in English, that is why this essay

intends to distinguish the different problems encountered by teachers in teaching the L2 like written

vs. spoken language, ignorance about technology, heterogeneous nature of classroom, using other

languages and the lack of interest and fear to activities are really the hindrances for the full adaptation

of English language to the English learners. However, educators never give up in giving their best to

help and produce better learners. Instead, they always think of good interventions to improve the

educational system in terms of adapting the L2 by making the proper schedule for learning, use of

multimedia, through creative learning techniques, educational games, through deep conversation in

English lesson and classroom educational competitions where if these are well executed or

implemented indeed there will be progress in a learner’s life in the aspect of learning.

Educators and parents can work together to tackle this problem and so improve the learner’s

adaptation of the second language easily. These suggested techniques can only have impact if given

attentions or importance in achieving progress.

References:

Adil, Muhhamad, 2019. Problems faced by English teachers in teaching English language (Deep

Analysis). https://adilblog.com

Komorowska, Hanna , (2016). Dilemmas in language teaching and teacher education. SWPS

Uniwersytet Humanistycznospołeczny hannakomo@data.pl. p.89