In order for students to learn how to construct meaning from text, teachers must apply instructional strategies that will help readers transition from simple decoding of words to fluent word identification. This article will provide an overview of the literature related to the role of fluency in reading; explain research-based recommendations for…

This study investigated the impact of Readers Theater on eighth-grade students, the majority of whom were reading below grade level. Over six weeks of a short story unit, one class participated in Readers Theater. The comparison group of like-ability students received more traditional literary and vocabulary instruction. Quantitative measures…

The art of reading refers to the act of representing and interpreting text through oral dramatic reading. To the dismay of many teachers, reading is becoming a "lost art." Students are expected to apply specific literacy techniques rather than use their imagination to learn to enact text. Based on a study of the reading perceptions of natural oral…

The purpose of this article is to enunciate some principles and techniquea of oral interpretation and to suggest their possible application in the elementary classroom. (Author)

Stressing the communicative aspects of oral reading, the author suggests ways to make oral interpretation more than a gauge of word perception. (MM)

This lesson plan contains poetry-related activities that aim to help students read and interpret English poetry, and write their own poems. The activities are introduced in each of the following parts: talking about poetry, understanding poetic devices, interpreting poems, using poetry for language acquisition, writing original poems, performing…

Discusses metafiction (contemporary fiction) and the new relationship between subject and reader that challenges traditional practice of point of view in fiction. Suggests ways for the interpreter to deal with the performance of metafiction. (JMF)

Explains steps in teaching students from grade 8 to read a selection orally with interpretive skill. (MKM)

Studies indicated that a single experience of retelling a story after listening produced a small improvement in kindergarten children's comprehension and that this effect could be increased by frequent practice and guidance in retelling. Appended are a story reading and retelling guidesheet for students and directions for guiding retellings for…

Recommends a return to the solo interpretive reading performance as a base for teaching oral interpretation principles and explains how to plan and organize such a performance. (SW)

Sample critique sheets are included. (RD)

The author declares, The play is the thing. As a tool for teaching, it's incomparable. It can painlessly teach reading, reciting, reasoning and writing." She describes techniques for class study. (Author/JB)

The author explains how she changes folk tales into simple two-actor plays geared to the oral reading ability of her remedial reading students. Two of her plays are included in this article: "A Halloween Tale" and "The Three Wishes." (SJL)

Describes an experiment confirming the prediction that readers exposed to an explanation of the dramatistic approach to oral interpretation form more detailed and complex initial impressions of the literature than do persons not exposed. Whether this exposure produces better oral performances, however, is a question that should be further…