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…

This journal issue deals with the ways in which elements of a literary text specify the manner in which an oral interpreter will present the text to an audience. After an introductory statement, four poems by a contemporary poet are presented as sample texts. Four commentators discuss the ways these poems might be interpreted to an audience, and…

Defninig rhetorical analysis as a means of studying writer/audience relationships allowing both intrinsic and extrinsic analysis, the author discusses the three sections of Levertov's poem, "From a Notebook: October '68--May '69." Section 1 is the speaker's personal comparison of her associations with life and death, comparison of…

Over the last few years, YOUTH SPEAKS after-school poetry workshops have helped turn hundreds of student writers into poets. Intended to be a resource for teachers who wish to transform their poetry lessons into a dynamic learning environment, this book focuses on some of the secrets of the success of YOUTH SPEAKS. Utilizing student examples from…

Ideally, the act of performance involves the whole body of the performer. The solo performer of any poem (defined broadly to include all types of literature) becomes the poem; the poem takes flesh in the form of the reader. In this situation, the reader gives the audience a close-up, in which small gestures and minimal movements assume massive…

Suggests that the best method of understanding a poem is to experiment with reading it aloud rather than simply discussing the poem. (DF)

The four articles in this journal explore various aspects of empathy and its application to oral interpretation of literature. The first article examines the concept of empathy, discusses measures of it, and includes an "accurate empathy exercise" and an empathy scale. The second article discusses the way in which the writings of Dylan…

The teacher can stimulate an appreciation of poetry in his students by selecting, reading aloud, and discussing only those poems to which he himself responds strongly. He can also develop students' enjoyment of poetry by encouraging them to bring in their own poetic discoveries and by alerting them to the many possible interpretations of a poem.…

This volume of the Michigan Speech Association curriculum guide presents a seven-unit course in oral interpretation as the technique of communicating the contents of a printed page with such skill as to "create in the listeners the illusion that an experience is being enacted in their imaginations." Each unit is outlined in terms of…

Eight coaches of oral interpretation from colleges across the United States were asked to tape record the coaching sessions that brought eight novices to tournament readiness. All of the students used the same three-poem program on the general theme of animals and children, but each student was required to write the introduction and transitions.…

This journal issue presents teaching ideas based on the city of Chicago and the literary works of its citizens. The first article describes a combined social studies/English course based on the study of Chicago's influence on literature and history. Included is a course outline with required readings, class activities and assignments, an…

Designed to help students respond in a positive way to poetry, poetry theater integrates dramatic technique with various aspects of reading, writing, analyzing, and reciting poetry. Poetry theater presentations require approximately five class periods to complete, allowing 45 minutes per class. The first class period should be devoted to choral…

This book provides teachers, children, and parents with knowledge about children's literature and the oral interpretation of it. The procedures, suggestions, and resources in the book are intended to develop oral interpretation skills in the young reader and to assist the adult reader in improving his own skills. The content is divided into five…

Using verse choir increases students' confidence and helps them appreciate the joy of literature. (HOD)

This study assesses the role of oral interpretation in a comprehensive theory of discourse and suggests how oral interpretation may be integrated with the study of literature. Oral interpretation is thought to be useful to the student of literature because: (1) the analysis may lead to a valid interpretation of the work; (2) focus is placed on the…