"Directed Dramatics"
Actors perform narrator-prompted actions and reactions and sounds effects as the story is read aloud.
The teacher/narrator reads a "creative dramatics script" or just guides the children through the story using suggestions.
This technique is based on my work as a children's librarian, where books are re-enacted after we read them using creative "directed" dramatics.
The teacher has a story "script" with dramatic directions, such as
- Start stepping out of the boat just like Peter did, but freeze when your toe touches the water.
- What's going through your mind right now, Peter!
- One by one I might say, "Go ahead and take your next step and show us how thrilled you are to be walking on water. Walk three steps and stop so the next Peter can go."
And so on through the story. Individuals can act out different parts, or sometimes the entire class together is every character in the story.
The children do not have scripted lines to read, so they can focus on remembering the story they have internalized rather than on reading words off of a page.
Tips:
Don't over-dramatize every point, keep the pace moving so the students are fresh when you want to take a little extra time on something important in the story, such as, "what are you thinking now Peter as you sink the waves?"
Not everyone has to act out every part of every scene. If a student doesn't act something out very well, suggest something to them or invite another student to also follow your direction.
Some actions/reactions are just for fun. "What sound do you think Peter made as he went under?" "Peter, give us your best sound of relief when Jesus reached down to save you."
I usually create my dramatic reading teacher's script starting with scripture straight from the Bible. I then modify the text with kid-friendly grammar, words, and clarifications.
In the story, look for actions, dialog, sounds, and even "people and things in the background not mentioned in the story but you can imagine they are there" to come up with a variety of "things to act out" in your script.
I sometimes use this technique with puppets instead of human actors -- the children are sometimes more free and creative when they are not personally "on stage."
