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****A "CENTRAL TEXT" IN NEW YORK STATE'S COMMON CORE CURRICULUM****
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Want to try reader's theater but don't know where to start? Or have you tried it but want to find ways to bring it more to life? Or are you just looking for a fun, easy way to lure young people into reading fluency, cooperative effort, effective communication, and love of literature?Â
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"Readers on Stage" is a collection of resources for scripting, directing, and teaching reader's theater, primarily to ages 8 and up. Part 1 offers three sample scripts to learn from and enjoy: "The Legend of Lightning Larry," "Peddler Polly and the Story Stealer," and "The Baker's Dozen." Part 2 highlights each major aspect of reader's theater -- scripting, staging, and dramatic reading -- offering tips and tricks you're not likely to find elsewhere. For instance, you'll learn how young readers can easily create their own scripts!Â
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Part 3 provides all the plans, notes, handouts, and worksheets from actual reader's theater workshops, ready for copying. Use them to start with reader's theater tomorrow in a classroom or library, or to lead your own workshop for adults. Finally, Part 4 gives listings of additional resources.Â
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Whether you're working with young readers, training teachers, or directing a professional company, you'll want this unique, detailed guide.
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Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of numerous children's books and magazine stories, as well as three books on reader's theater, "Stories on Stage," "Folktales on Stage," and "Readers on Stage." He spent five years as a professional actor in reader's theater, performing in schools and conducting workshops for teachers, librarians, and students. He now hosts Aaron Shepard's RT Page, the Web's most popular reader's theater destination, with visits by thousands of teachers and librarians each week.
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"At last! If you've been looking for a complete resource for teaching and using readers theatre, look no further. From scripts, to implementation strategies, to materials for workshops, Readers on Stage has it all. Aaron Shepard draws upon decades of work to provide a practical, well-organized, and reader-friendly book. Don't miss it!" -- Dr. Suzanne Barchers, author, "Readers Theatre for Beginning Readers," and publisher, Storycart Press
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"Aaron Shepard skillfully envelops us in the wonderful world of readers theatre. His new book melds the how-to-do-it with engaging, entertaining scripts. This is a welcome contribution to the field." -- Dr. Shirlee Sloyer, professor, Hofstra University, and author, "From the Page to the Stage"
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"For more than a decade, Aaron Shepard has been recognized nationally as an innovative, skilled, highly successful practitioner of readers theatre with emphasis on support of literature and reading, especially for teachers at elementary and middle-school levels. His latest book gives concise, clear, and practical tips for scriptmaking and staging, along with useful scripts and work materials." -- Dr. William Adams, Director, Institute for Readers Theatre
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"Readers on Stage solves the instructor's problem of how to cover all aspects of readers' theater for the drama student. Even a person experienced in theater has much to learn from Aaron Shepard's insightful book." -- Dr. Rebecca Saunders, Professor of Drama, Lesley University
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