Introduction    |    How to Use Read'n'ACT    |    Value of Read'n'ACT    |    Extending the Learning

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Introduction

Early work with the Read 'n' ACT scripts began in a Montessori school. The initial intent of these scripts was not to put on full dramatic productions, but rather to get students interested and excited about reading. Working in small groups, students were introduced to the scripts by having them just read them to each other. They talked about with what intent the characters were expressing through the dialogue. A great discussion ensued among the students.

The students were excited about the possibilities they had with the variety of interpretations they could give the characters. They ended up performing the scripts for the class and a great sense of accomplishment was obvious. It became evident that these small scripts had more flexibility than a full play. The short scripts proved to be so popular that they were introduced them into the full classroom.

The scripts were introduced at circle time by reading a few of them aloud with the students. The scripts were then put on the shelf for the students to use at their leisure. The rush began. Soon students who wouldn't read on their own began to pick up the scripts and read them over and over again.

Time was regularly set a side in the classroom for presentations. This time was used for students to present work they had done in class, a drawing, story, piece of math work, etc.--something they were proud of. With the introduction of the scripts into the classroom, students began doing surprising things. At first a few students would take the scripts and stand before the class and read them. The response to these early readings was overwhelmingly positive. The students were mesmerized during these short performances and the laughter and applause after each reading was creating an event even the shy students couldn't avoid. 

Even though some of the younger students were still just beginning to read they would team up with a better reader or take the scripts home to get help from their parents. Then the interpretation moved to another level. Students began to memorize the dialogue and bring in costumes for presentation day. None of this activity was encouraged, the students did all of it on their own.

The PARENT/TEACHER script was one of the first to have a performance with costumes. The gender of the characters was never an issue since each character could be either male or female, the case with all of the scripts. Two girls did the first costume reading of this script. Both wore dresses and high heels and used a student desk and chairs for the set. They had the scene memorized and had developed very funny characters.

The scene lasted a little over a minute and the audience was taken. It will be a minute of learning the two girls will never forget. Needless to say many of the other scripts were performed in the same fashion with costumes and memorization. Even the shy students felt comfortable presenting with the accompaniment of a classmate.

One of the funniest scenes that was was when two boys, a fourth and fifth grader, dressed up in tutus and presented TWO BALLERINAS before 43 other students. They all thought it was a hoot.

One of the most magical qualities of the scripts is that the teacher doesn't have to do anything to encourage student participation. There are many more stories of the effect these scripts had on students’ reading. Perhaps one of the most surprising developments that occurred was when students began writing their own scripts.

This is the highest level of development to be hoped for. Not only are students  because not only are students reading and performing the scripts but now they are composing their own works.

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How to Use Read 'n' Act

Generally these are the steps that students follow as they begin working with the scripts.

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The Value of Read 'n' Act Scripts

The Read ‘n’ ACT scripts actively create opportunities for experiencing language at the highest cognitive level by requiring personal contact with others in the roles of reading partner and audience member if the student wishes to perform the scripts. The interaction of the two students listening and reading for interpretation demands the participants to analyze the language for meaning and synthesis the dialogue into an active evaluation of it's meaning. Drama can be seen as the quintessence of language in action. If language can be approached at its core, which is communicating verbally with one another, then we have a priceless tool for teaching reading and an powerful example which students can use to pattern their own writing from. Encouraging students to write can be a difficult task. After working with the Read ‘n’ ACT scripts, many students have written their own scripts without any prompting on the part of the teacher. Writing scripts has a immediate application and intrinsically rewarding experience when they are performed which provides a more tangible rewarding experience than simply writing a story, essay or book report.

The scripts break through the boundaries which are inherently exist with books. Scripts demand an active participation and have immediate feedback to the reader. It is fun to read the scripts and this is the essence of their success.

In this time we have seen an exponential growth in the ways in which language is used. Television, movies, and the computer have become primary influences of how language is brought the classroom. Teacher, whose job is challenge and motivate students, have an awesome task before them. Students by and large want to share to their abilities with whoever has a moment to listen or watch. They are very attracted to the characters they see, many on a daily basis, on the television, movie screen and computer. They often try to emulate these characters in play.

The Read ‘n’ ACT scripts fill the void that exists between wanting to pretend but not having tools to realize this in a written form. The scripts offer the student the chance to read aloud with interpretation being at a premium. Interpreting the written word is the key to successful reading. The scripts give the student experience in critical thinking by deciding "what is this character saying and how does he or she mean it."

It's just exciting to have the scripts in the classroom or at home because growth in students can be easily seen without the sometimes painstaking work of developing a passion for reading. 

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Extending the Learning

Teachers can extend the learning and work for students by allowing them to video the performances of the scripts and then showing them as short movies. Now not only are they reading, writing, memorizing and performing, but they are also editing, organizing and producing short movies. They can even plan and hold mini student film festivals to show their work.

Students can also be encouraged to add music to their productions which they find or may even write themselves. The possibilities for learning by extending the use of the scripts into other types of media is almost endless. It allows students’ learning to be expressed immediately in forms of expression that are familiar and enticing in the culture they are immersed in today.

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Hardware Needed

Digital Video Camera with microphone
Computer for capturing Digital Video from camera
Hard drive with enough storage for video and audio editing

Software to Use

Mac Software:
iMovie
Garage Band for music
iDVD

PC Software:
Adobe:
Adobe Premiere Elements

Ulead:
MediaStudio Pro 8