Readers Theater is a presentation by two or more participants who read from scripts and interpret a literary work in such a way that the audience imaginatively sense characterization, setting, and action. Traditionally, the primary focus of readers theater is on an effective reading of the script, not on a dramatic presentation. The scripts in…

After more than a decade in print, "Readers Theatre for Beginning Readers" continues to outsell all comparable books on Readers Theatre. "More RTBR" capitalizes on both the popularity of "Readers Theatre for Beginning Readers" and the emphasis on fluency due to the recommendations of the National Reading Panel.…

This Ohio model competency-based arts program connects the four arts (dance, drama/theater, music, visual art) with educational, historical, personal, and social contexts in order to bring relevance and understanding to all students. The document is intended to provide guidance to local Ohio school districts in creating their own arts programs.…

Improv? In a business classroom? The goal was to find out how these tools might enhance learning. This article describes the authors' journey exploring using improvisational forms in a business class. The article describes the three primary learning objectives that the authors hoped to accomplish using improv tools, a detailed account of how the…

Narrated by actor Kadeem Hardison, this documentary videotape presents arguments and examples for using Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) in today's classroom. Experts in education examine how individuals currently use technology and suggest how people can use technology better in the future to augment and improve education. Many programs are…

Discipline-based art education has received increased respect as a valuable component of the core curriculum. The arts integrate active learning, encourage non-linear thinking, and provide interdisciplinary connections. The National Standards for the Arts present clear, realistic levels of achievement and provide benchmarks of skills. Students…

This elementary core curriculum is written to communicate what students are expected to know and be able to do in dance, music, theater, and visual arts in the state of Utah. The curriculum provides the basis for professionalism and accountability for teachers, and defines the expectations and achievement standards for students. The Utah core…

Ten recommendations are discussed for implementing comprehensive arts education and integrated arts-in-education programs in Connecticut's public schools. The recommendations are as follows: (1) Connecticut students should receive arts instruction that ensures an understanding in all of the arts; (2) Connecticut school districts should provide…

While the capacity to recognize and appreciate beauty may be inborn in all of us, participation in the arts as an audience or artist usually involves a learning process. What is the relationship between childhood and early adult experiences with the arts and later participation? In 1982, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the…

Describes a classroom program in which students adapted and then produced a play based on the adolescent novel "The Chocolate War." Notes group improvisation strategies for adapting internal monologue to dialogue. Argues the advantages of such a project over class discussion and book reports. (JG)

This booklet sets out the state standards for students in Wyoming public schools for succeeding in the Fine and Performance Arts in grades K-12. Five standards are defined for benchmark grades 4, 8, and 11: (1) creative expression through production; (2) artistic perception; (3) aesthetic valuing; (4) historical and cultural context; and (5)…

This performance guide is designed for teachers to use with students before and after a performance of "Tales from the Brazilian Jungle" with storyteller Antonio Rocha. The guide, called a "Cuesheet," contains four sheets for use in class. The first, "About the Performance," prepares students for understanding…

This document is used in a collaborative project that engages children and adolescents in alcohol, tobacco, and drug prevention activities through the arts. The project offers an innovative teaching resource that uses the universal language of the arts for drug prevention. By creating murals with drug prevention themes, elementary and secondary…

Emphasizes the educational benefits derived from research in dramatics arts. Cites research indicating that role playing has a positive effect on oral language, moral reasoning, and self-esteem. Points out that teachers and administrators do not include dramatic instruction in their curriculum, and offers ways to make dramatic arts more appealing.…

Argues that theater students must be encouraged to keep competition in perspective. Points out that too often program growth and support are dependent upon the number of honors that participants receive. Emphasizes that competition should be engaged in for its positive learning potential or should be abandoned as a student activity. (KO)