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Speak Out Readers Theater

"In only ten weeks, I saw positive results."

"It's like getting the training wheels off your bicycle."

(Seven-year-old Erin quoted in Martinez, Miriam, Roser, Nancy L., and Strecker, Susan (1999). "'I Never Thought I Could Be a Star': A Reader's Theater Ticket to Fluency". The Reading Teacher, vol. 52 no. 4, p. 328.)

"… the written page becomes fun…"

(L. I. Cogner quoted in Martinez, Miriam, Roser, Nancy L., and Strecker, Susan (1999). "'I Never Thought I Could Be a Star': A Reader's Theater Ticket to Fluency". The Reading Teacher, vol. 52 no. 4, p. 333.)

"The most important change is that our class is (now) passionate about reading."

(Lorraine Wiebe Griffith quoted in Griffith, Lorraine Wiebe and Rasinski, Timothy V. (2004). "A Focus on Fluency: How One Teacher Incorporated Fluency with Her Reading Curriculum". The Reading Teacher, vol. 58 no. 2, pp.130 and 136.)

Speak Out Reader's Theatre is now available!

Find out more about Speak Out and Rainbow Reading

Speak Out Reader's Theatre is a reading programme that increases oral fluency, reading comprehension, word recognition and vocabulary - as well as writing - for competent and struggling readers and English language learners (ELLs), while also promoting cooperative interaction with peers (Rasinski, 2003 1; Put Reading First, 2001 2 ).

The Speak Out Reader's Theatre programme contains informational and fiction scripts with audio support and reading parts that cater to a range of independent reading levels. Informational scripts cover subjects linked to the curriculum content areas of mathematics, science and social studies.

Students using Speak Out Reader's Theatre will:

  • Become more fluent and expressive readers
  • Improve their reading comprehension
  • Improve their word recognition
  • Increase their vocabulary
  • Write their own Reader's Theatre scripts
  • Develop their silent reading skills
  • Improve their listening skills
  • Develop cooperative group skills.

At each grade, a teacher's resource book provides:

  • An easy-to-follow classroom programme
  • The research evidence for Reader's Theatre
  • Assessment rubric for teacher, student and peer assessment
  • Student writing activities for writing their own Reader's Theatre scripts
  • Support for ELL students and struggling readers.

Speak Out Reader's Theatre features scripts and advice on writing from world-renowned writer Joy Cowley.

Speak Out Readers' Theater Grades 2, 3, 4 and 5 were developed by South Pacific Press for Pacific Learning, and were launched in the United States in 2006. Click here to read more or order

At each of four Grade levels, the American edition of Speak Out! Readers' Theater includes: 

  • Ten engaging multi-levelled and high-interest scripts
    • Five informational text scripts (six copies of each script)
    • Five fiction scripts (six copies of each script)
  • A CD featuring fluent readings of all scripts
  • A Teacher's Guide 
  • Joy Cowley's or Don Long's advice on writing Readers' Theater scripts
  • Storage box.

        

The European edition, Speak Out Play Readings, is developed for Years 3, 4, 5 and 6, and is distributed by Kingscourt/McGraw-Hill. 

Kingscourt/McGraw-Hill Play Readings sets include:

  • Six engaging multi-levelled and high interest scripts with curriclum links to maths, history, science, and geography, as well as traditional stories (six copies of each script)
  • A CD featuring fluent readings of all scripts
  • Teaching Notes
  • Joy Cowley or Don Long's advice on writing Play Readings scripts
  • Storage box.

The Australian edition of Speak Out Reader's Theatre is developed for Years 3, 4, 5 and 6, and is distributed by Lioncrest Pty. 

The Australian Reader's Theatre sets include:

  • Eight engaging multi-levelled and high interest scripts with curriclum links to maths, society and studies of the environment, as well as traditional stories and specific Australian titles "Crossing the Continent", "Flying Rescue", "What's a Platypus" and "Bushfire!" (six copies of each script)
  • A CD featuring fluent readings of six scripts
  • A Teacher's Guide
  • Joy Cowley or Don Long's advice on writing Reader's Theatre scripts
  • Storage box.

The New Zealand edition of Speak Out Reader's Theatre is developed for Years 3, 4, 5 and 6, and is distributed by Rainbow Reading Ltd. 

The New Zealand Reader's Theatre sets include:

  • Eight engaging multi-levelled and high interest scripts with curriclum links to maths, social studies and science, as well as traditional stories and specific New Zealand titles: "Matariki", "Mihimihi", "The Voyage" and "How the Kiwi Lost Her Wings" (six copies of each script)
  • A CD featuring fluent readings of six scripts
  • A Teacher's Guide
  • Joy Cowley or Don Long's advice on writing Reader's Theatre scripts
  • Storage box.