The pedagogical principle of experiential learning embodied in the oral interpretation of literature through Readers' Theater provides an avenue to accomplish a seemingly daunting task. Students' participation in reading, interpreting, discussing, writing, assessing, and performing their own creative responses to a literary work promotes a…

Affirms the value of liberal arts in educating the mind. Examines the literature of oral interpretation and theatre arts from 1960-82, discussing themes, research problems and needs, trends and directions. Notes, among other conclusions, that the nature of classroom practices in oral interpretation and theatre arts needs study. (PD)

Examines reasons why those who engage in performance and direct performances take up the burden. Considers performance an authentic, primary experience; a way of knowing; and also a way of knowing what is worth knowing. (PD)

Directors of plays can make rehearsals interpretively productive, but they must first reject directorial approaches such as beginning rehearsals without analyzing the script, projecting images of the play as it is read, and using the script merely to summarize meanings, static themes, morals, and nothing more. Making rehearsals interpretively…

This survey of publications in speech and theatre interpretation briefly discusses current trends in the various publishing formats. An annotated bibliography is included, citing recent books, dissertations, and periodicals. Also included are tabulations of 1978 and 1979 speech and theatre publications interpretation activities offered at Speech…

In this periodical, six respondents from various colleges and universities provide brief commentaries on the subject of genre study in the field of oral interpretation. According to the pamphlet's editor, all of these critics affirm the importance of literary study and genre study to performance, intimate some dissatisfaction with the terminology…

This study concluded that judges' critical responses to interpretation performances reflect a view of interpretation as primarily a performing art rather than a communicative act or literature study. (PD)

Suggests areas of future research for oral interpretation scholars: (1) the effects of performance on classroom audience and performers, (2) performance in nonacademic contexts, (3) the functions of nondramatic performance, and (4) the history of performed literature. (PD)

How teachers can help students overcome resistance to the language of Shakespeare. (CH)

This book contains papers presented at an "Interactive Research Conference" held in June 1996 at the University of Central England. The conference focused on the pioneering work of Professor Dorothy Heathcote in the field of drama in education. Twenty-three different countries were represented at the conference. The book has three…

Suggestions for teaching oral interpretation in English and speech courses. (CH)

This document presents a rationale for using reader's theatre in the classroom. It briefly discusses some of the conventions that distinguish reader's theatre from traditional theatrical productions, including direction of voice and action to the audience, and the use of scripts. The major portion of the paper offers seven exercises on the…

This book presents a concise history of the first 100 years of development of the school of speech at Northwestern University (Illinois). Following an introduction that provides an overview of the school, the first chapter focuses on both the efforts of Robert McLean Cumnock to found a school of oratory on the principles of elocution and the…

Composing oral poems and storytelling are two exercises that speech teachers can use in oral interpretation courses. Conducting the oral poetry exercise early in an introductory interpretation course allows students to become acquainted with each other and to encourage each other while sharing something of themselves with the entire class. This…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The seven titles deal with the following topics: (1) the effect of relaxation training on anxiety for the poetry recitation tasks among elementary school children; (2) musical theatre in higher education; (3) developing faith…