Term
2009
Capstone
Restricted Access Thesis
Degree Name
MAESL
Abstract
Prosody, or appropriate expression, is a key element of oral reading fluency. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of a Readers Theatre program on English language learners' use of prosody in oral reading. The participants were six second-grade English language learners whose English proficiency levels ranged from intermediate to advanced. Students rehearsed and performed three Readers Theatre scripts. They received instruction on comprehension, and on the prosodic elements of timing, stress and intonation. Pretests and posttests were graded using a rubric in order to measure students' growth on each prosodic element. Results showed that all participants made improvements in prosodic reading over the course of the study and were also able to apply increased prosodic skills to new, unrehearsed material. Results are attributed to the repeated reading done during rehearsals, the instruction on comprehension and prosody, and the motivational factor of preparing for a performance.
Recommended Citation
Daly, Ann, "Teaching prosody through readers theatre" (2009). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations. 394.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_all/394