During the 1950s, when it first began, Readers Theatre was textual in its emphasis; it involved the group reading of literature and the staging of poems and poets' stories, essays, and scenes. In its second stage, during the sixties, Readers Theatre became a directors' art; it was the director who adapted and arranged the literature and whose…

A University of Texas, Austin, French course that uses dramatics as a focus for language practice and cultural awareness is described. Relaxation, movement, group dynamics, and interpretation of the text area are all seen as contributing to the language-learning experience. (MSE)

This paper advocates the use in the college reading classroom of Readers' Theater (a medium in which two or more oral readers, without memorization, special costumes, lighting, props, or sound effects, through creative oral reading cause an audience to explore drama, prose, and poetry). Sections in the paper discuss: the definition of readers'…

Examines the styles and themes of Chicano literature and cites specific examples of fiction and poetry that may prove challenging for students of Oral Interpretation. (MH)

The ability to communicate the imagery of a literary selection is difficult for beginning students in undergraduate oral interpretation classes. Awareness of indirect sensory images must begin with direct awareness of self. The sensory self-description of how one looks, sounds, smells, tastes, feels, and moves is a means of stimulating…

Defines and illustrates language techniques used by Black authors writing to and for Blacks in the 1960s and 1970s. Suggests how language and theme barriers of such literature might be overcome in a contemporary integrated oral interpretation classroom. (PD)

Proposes a greater emphasis on the oral expression of literature in English classrooms and English teacher education curricula. Examines the three main oral problems encountered by students--persona, emphasis, and pace. (RL)

Discusses the role of oral history in the documentation and interpretation of family history. Gives information for constructing and managing information in interviews. Stresses that oral history permits analysis of materials in terms of shared conceptions. Emphasizes ways family histories can be used in research projects and classroom teaching.…

Defining readers theatre as a form of aesthetic communication that encompasses ensemble or group oral interpretation including dramatic production of literature, this annotated bibliography emphasizes traditional theory and practice. The 34-item bibliography cites material from the following types of sources and topics: (1) books and journals; (2)…

A theory of interpretation developed from the composition scholar's reading and revision of literary theory can effectively serve as a core theory in writing across the curriculum programs. For example, recent composition theory, with its emphasis on close study of students' texts and the process of their writing, provides the writing teacher with…

Teachers should be making every effort to use approaches for teaching literature that encourage students to discover the meaning of a text for themselves, using the language of the text and without unnecessary teacher intervention. Therefore, rather than having the students be led by the teacher/interpreter through a work they encounter the first…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 19 dissertations deal with a variety of topics, including the following: the impact of Konstantin Stanislavski's ideas on motion picture acting in the United States and their significance for oral interpretation; the empathic…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 15 titles deal with the following topics: (1) a taxonomy of educational objectives in acting; (2) contemporary musical theatre in Utah; (3) applying management concepts to educational theatre operations; (4) creative drama and…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 16 titles deal with the following topics: (1) children's theatre activities at Karamu House in Cleveland, Ohio; (2) the development, implementation, and significance of story theatre as a theatrical art form and performance…

The 33 essays that make up this volume examine the history of literature in performance from five perspectives: (1) language, (2) popular culture, (3) teaching, (4) theory, and (5) entertainment. The essays in the first section explore the basic perspective of oral performance as a factor in the development of languages themselves and their…