








































Teaching Technique 
 

 

Karen M. Kristensen, Graduate Student in Special Education, Department of Literacy and Special 
Education, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA; email kkriste1@my.westga.edu. 
 

Utilizing Readers’ Theatre and 
Role-Play to Engage Young English 
Language Learners 

GATESOL Journal 
2022, Vol. 32(1), pp. 71–75 

doi:10.52242/gatesol.130 
ISSN: 2331-6845 

 

 
Karen M. Kristensen 
University of West Georgia 
 

Abstract 
Students whose primary native language differs from the language taught in their school 
require specialized instruction and creative teaching strategies. Readers’ theatre is an 
evidence-based practice that builds language skills in English language learners. This 
technique was used in a diverse kindergarten classroom to increase oral fluency and 
vocabulary. Social and literacy skills were also targeted. This paper examines the benefits of 
using role-play and specifically readers’ theatre as an approach to teaching English language 
learners. 
 
Keywords 
language learners, readers’ theatre, role-play, fluency, vocabulary, social skills, literacy skills 

 
Background and Classroom Context 
Readers’ theatre was implemented in a public-school kindergarten classroom in Atlanta, Georgia. 
The purpose was to build language skills for English language learners (ELLs). Learners in this 
class included 13 students who were ELLs and 11 whose first language was English. Three 
students in the class had learning accommodations through an individualized education program 
(IEP). One student with an IEP had limited English proficiency (LEP). The students requiring 
language support were from Central and South American countries as well as Asian countries. 
Expressive and receptive language skills varied among all students. For example, a few ELLs in 
the class had more exposure to spoken and printed English. Most students lived in households 
where Spanish or Bengali were the primary spoken languages. These students had limited exposure 
to the English language. The approach of using readers’ theatre and role-play was found to have 
positive benefits for the ELLs. 
 
Rationale   
Role-play is appropriate for PK–2 classrooms across the globe. This technique has been utilized 
in many early learning settings (Banerjee et al., 2015). Students with LEP require effective 
instruction to allow them to achieve the same learning standards as their peers whose native 
language is English. High-quality strategies are necessary for these students to access the 
curriculum (Gonzalez et al., 2011). According to Owens (2020), classrooms in Georgia serve the 
eighth-highest number of ELLs in the United States, driving home the need for this specialized 
instruction. 

The technique of role-play can be used with many learning activities for primary students. 
This strategy is not exclusive to solely ELL or primary students. All learners can benefit from role-
play. Villafuerte et al. (2018) implied that learners practicing language skills with role-play are 

mailto:kkriste1@my.westga.edu


72 GATESOL Journal 32(1)  
 

more willing to participate in cooperative learning. The literature suggests that learning through 
play is an integral part of early learning development. However, in practice, teachers do not allot 
adequate time for play (Keleş & Kalıpçı-Söyler, 2013). Step into any primary classroom and one 
will find when students are presented with material that is engaging and fun, they are learning.  

Oral fluency is a language goal that should be addressed with students learning a new 
language. Expressive language is often challenging among young learners making it more difficult 
with young ELLs. One effective way to ensure student success is to have a clear and posted 
objective in the classroom. Students need to understand what their learning target is. This is 
achieved by reading the objective. It is also helpful to have the students repeat or read the 
objective(s) as well. Upon closing the lesson, the teacher should review the learning target by 
giving a formative assessment. This can be done by discussing what they learned or asking students 
to explain what they learned on an exit ticket. Objectives should align with state or local content 
standards (Himmel, 2012).  
 Vocabulary development is considered crucial for students who are learning a second 
language. Hunt and Feng (2016) stated ELL students need direct instruction in vocabulary. The 
reading strategy of using context clues alone to determine the meaning of a word may be 
inappropriate for students with LEP. This is due to the high number of new words they are reading. 
Hunt and Feng also link vocabulary knowledge to an increase in listening and reading 
comprehension. Before reading occurs, a teacher may pre-teach vocabulary with a picture walk. 
One new word can be focused on using the Frayer model, which provides a definition, example, 
non-example, and picture—a method that has been shown to assist with vocabulary growth (İlter, 
2015). Students need explicit vocabulary instruction, such as discussing new words as they arise 
during reading. After this direct instruction, teachers can provide opportunities for using the new 
words. Students can sing, dance, and reenact scenes to build their fluency. Multimedia is a way to 
increase vocabulary as well. Audio and visual clips that focus on newly learned vocabulary can be 
utilized to support retention (Hunt & Feng, 2016).  

Social skills can be increased with the use of role-play. Social stories, often used with 
students with autism (Crozier & Sileo, 2005), can be utilized for students with LEP. Both types of 
learners have deficits in language, though students with LEP have language deficits caused by lack 
of exposure. Using a social story that incorporates role-play with an ELL serves to increase 
language skills during social interactions. This in turn will help build confidence during 
spontaneous interactions and boost oral fluency. One can also draw the conclusion that students 
with LEP who may be exhibiting behavioral deficits could benefit from this strategy as well.  

Furthermore, literacy skills are targeted during role-play. This domain of learning is 
considered critical for ELLs as teaching and learning occurs in English. The discrepancy in 
achievement for students with LEP and native speakers is alarming, and the learning gap widens 
over time (Banerjee et al., 2015). One strategy is to use curriculum-based readers’ theatre. This 
method can assist with fluency, retention, and comprehension. It is also a cross-curricular approach 
(Uribe, 2019). 
 
Guidelines for Implementation 
There is a plethora of resources for teaching ELLs using the role-play strategy. While it is crucial 
to investigate evidence-based practice specific to students with LEP, teachers can also consider 
broader resources. The Early Childhood Education Journal includes articles on effective pedagogy 
for families and teachers of young children ages birth–8 years (e.g., see Banerjee et al., 2015). 
Resources that emphasize strategies for students with special learning needs can be utilized for 



Kristensen 73 
 

teaching students with LEP. The two groups intersect based on their need for specialized 
instruction. Teaching Exceptional Children is a prominent journal in the field of special education 
that includes articles with strategies to support ELLs. This publication provides practitioner articles 
which break down different learning techniques to use in the classroom (e.g., see Crozier & Sileo, 
2005). In addition, the Council for Exceptional Children (2022) website contains resources for 
ELLs and students with disabilities. The Learning for Justice (2021) website offers a specific 
resource guide to implementing the strategy of readers’ theatre in classrooms. YouTube has videos 
of readers’ theatre being implemented in classrooms and learning modules for professional 
development. Here are three such videos that stood out: 
 
 First Grade Reader’s Theatre: Little Red Riding Hood (Miss Sara’s Class Online, 2021) 
 Introduction to Readers’ Theatre for EFL Classrooms (American English, 2018) 
 Readers’ Theatre Model Lesson (Any Given Child Sarasota, 2017) 

 
The following is a summary of how readers’ theatre was implemented in the kindergarten 

class mentioned at the beginning of this article. The summary below can be utilized as a step-by-
step guide to use readers’ theatre to increase language acquisition and proficiency among ELLs in 
the primary grades.  
 

1. On Monday, students were told they would be participating in a performance by bringing 
a story to life. The teacher read the learning objective: “Students will be able to increase 
their speaking skills by acting out a story.” It was explained there were four acting parts, 
and students would work together in pairs to practice. The teacher also told the students 
they would be partaking in a “theatre celebration” at the end of the week to reward their 
hard work. This would include popcorn, juice, and an animated movie version of the book. 
(The book chosen for this specific unit was Where the Wild Things Are [Sendak, 1963].) 

 
2. Before reading, a picture walk was used to get students familiar with the story and make 

predictions. One student responded, “the little boy was not happy.” Another student said, 
“it looks like his dream.” This time was also utilized to teach unfamiliar vocabulary. The 
teacher used the Frayer model to dissect the word “mischief.” Students came up with a 
definition, picture, example, and non-example. 

 
3. The story was read aloud to students while the teacher modeled expression and fluency. 

She also paused to check for understanding. 
 

4. After reading, the class did a story retell by examining the characters, setting, problem and 
solution. A character map was used to describe Max. Students said Max was “bossy” but 
had a “good imagination.”  

 
5. Students were paired and put into three groups. Each group had eight students, and partners 

were assigned the roles of Max and Narrators 1, 2, and 3. Students who required more 
support were double cast with readers who required less support. This included three 
students with IEPs and eight ELLs. This allowed these students to build confidence with 
oral fluency throughout the week. 

https://exceptionalchildren.org/topics/english-language-learners
https://www.learningforjustice.org/classroom-resources/teaching-strategies/responding-to-the-readaloud-text/readers-theater
https://youtu.be/zdYUTBRr3OY
https://youtu.be/utWd8TF_kwQ
https://youtu.be/Ef_AcBs42ic


74 GATESOL Journal 32(1)  
 

6. The script was read aloud every day at the beginning of the reading block. This served to 
model pronunciation and expression. The teacher worked with each group during guided 
reading Monday through Thursday. Groups were provided an enlarged script to practice 
their speaking parts. The teacher had students highlight their lines and modeled each 
speaking part. The teacher read the first few words or lines, depending on the level of 
support, and students repeated them while reading the script. Partners choral-read their 
lines together. The book was utilized to give visual support and aid in comprehension. 
Students were asked how Max should look and feel. The teacher used formative assessment 
during small-group sessions to evaluate student progress. She was able to observe and help 
when students needed assistance with pronunciation or remembering a line. On Thursday, 
an oral fluency rubric was utilized to assess mastery of the learning objective. Eighty 
percent accuracy of the spoken words indicated mastery of the objective. Students who 
scored below 80% were identified so the teacher could work with them targeting these 
skills. 

 
7. Students worked in literacy centers throughout the week. One center included making a 

crown like Max wore in the book. The other centers were comprised of a rhyme sort, 
character attributes match, and a sequencing activity. The paraprofessional assisted with 
independent group activities. When students were off task, the teacher reminded them of 
the theatre celebration they were going to have at the end of the week. A couple of students 
were allowed to take sensory breaks during work periods. The teacher also provided brain 
breaks for the whole class during group transitions. 

 
8. On Friday, the room was set up to accommodate a stage-like setting. Tape on the floor 

marked where the actors would stand during their performance. Each group presented 
while the other two groups were the audience. Students who were comfortable performed 
their part solo while some preferred to remain partnered. 

 
9. As an extension, students discussed if the objective was met. The teacher asked students 

what they did well and what could be improved. Based on their abilities, students wrote 
and/or drew a picture about their favorite part of the story.   

 
Conclusion 
Readers’ theatre can be used to increase language proficiency in the domains of oral fluency, 
vocabulary development, social interactions, and literacy skills. Though developed for a specific 
audience of PK–2 ELL students, role-play is appropriate for learners of any age or varied abilities. 
Readers’ theatre can also be adapted for all literature genres and content areas. The guidelines 
shared in this teaching technique article can help young ELLs engage in meaningful learning 
experiences while also increasing their language skills.  
 
References 
 
American English. (2018, September 14). Introduction to readers’ theatre for EFL classrooms 

[Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/utWd8TF_kwQ 
Any Given Child Sarasota. (2017, June 8). Readers’ theatre model lesson [Video]. YouTube. 

https://youtu.be/Ef_AcBs42ic  

https://youtu.be/utWd8TF_kwQ
https://youtu.be/Ef_AcBs42ic


Kristensen 75 
 

Banerjee, R., Alsalman, A., & Alqafari, S. (2015). Supporting sociodramatic play in preschools to 
promote language and literacy skills of English language learners. Early Childhood 
Education Journal, 44(4), 299–305. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-015-0715-4  

Council for Exceptional Children. (2022). English language learners. https://exceptionalchildren
.org/topics/english-language-learners  

Crozier, S., & Sileo, N. M. (2005). Encouraging positive behavior with social stories. Teaching 
Exceptional Children, 37(6), 26–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/004005990503700603  

Gonzalez, R. J., Pagan, M., Wendell, L., & Love, C. (2011). Supporting ELL/culturally and 
linguistically diverse students for academic achievement. International Center for 
Leadership in Education. https://studylib.net/doc/18738247/supporting-ell-culturally-and-
linguistically  

Himmel, J. (2012). Language objectives: The key to effective content area instruction for English 
learners. ¡Colorín Colorado! https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/language-objectives-
key-effective-content-area-instruction-english-learners 

Hunt, M. & Feng, J. (2016). Improving vocabulary of English language learners through direct 
vocabulary instruction. Chinese American Educational Research and Development 
Association. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED565637.pdf 

İlter, İ. (2015). The investigation of the effects of Frayer model on vocabulary knowledge in social 
studies. Elementary Education Online, 14(3), 1106–1129. https://doi.org/10.17051/
io.2015.55440 

Keleş, S., & Kalıpçı-Söyler, S. (2013). Embedded rules in sociodramatic plays: To determine the 
approaches of preschool teacher candidates. International Online Journal of Educational 
Sciences, 5(2), 330–338. https://www.acarindex.com/dosyalar/makale/acarindex-142390
4230.pdf 

Learning for Justice. (2021). Teaching strategy: Readers’ theatre. https://www.learningfor
justice.org/classroom-resources/teaching-strategies/responding-to-the-readaloud-
text/readers-theater 

Miss Sara’s Class Online. (2021, May 13). 1st grade reader’s theatre: Little Red Riding Hood 
[Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/zdYUTBRr3OY  

Owens, S. (2020). English learners deserve more: An analysis of Georgia’s education for speakers 
of other languages (Policy report). Georgia Policy & Budget Institute. https://gbpi.org/
english-learners-deserve-more-an-analysis-of-georgias-education-for-speakers-of-other-
languages/ 

Sendak, M. (1963). Where the wild things are. Harper & Row. 
Uribe, S. N. (2019). Curriculum-based readers theatre as an approach to literacy and content area 

instruction for English language learners. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 35(3), 243–260. 
https://doi.org/10.1080/10573569.2018.1526726 

Villafuerte, J. S., Rojas, M. A., Hormaza, S. L., & Soledispa, L. A. (2018). Learning styles and 
motivations for practicing English as a foreign language: A case study of role-play in two 
Ecuadorian universities. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 8(6), 555–563. 
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.0806.01 

 
____________________________________________________________________________ 
 

Received: October 7, 2021 | Accepted: February 14, 2022 | Published: April 18, 2022 
  

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-015-0715-4
https://exceptionalchildren.org/topics/english-language-learners
https://exceptionalchildren.org/topics/english-language-learners
https://doi.org/10.1177/004005990503700603
https://studylib.net/doc/18738247/supporting-ell-culturally-and-linguistically
https://studylib.net/doc/18738247/supporting-ell-culturally-and-linguistically
https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/language-objectives-key-effective-content-area-instruction-english-learners
https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/language-objectives-key-effective-content-area-instruction-english-learners
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED565637.pdf
https://doi.org/10.17051/io.2015.55440
https://doi.org/10.17051/io.2015.55440
https://www.acarindex.com/dosyalar/makale/acarindex-1423904230.pdf
https://www.acarindex.com/dosyalar/makale/acarindex-1423904230.pdf
https://www.learningforjustice.org/classroom-resources/teaching-strategies/responding-to-the-readaloud-text/readers-theater
https://www.learningforjustice.org/classroom-resources/teaching-strategies/responding-to-the-readaloud-text/readers-theater
https://www.learningforjustice.org/classroom-resources/teaching-strategies/responding-to-the-readaloud-text/readers-theater
https://youtu.be/zdYUTBRr3OY
https://gbpi.org/english-learners-deserve-more-an-analysis-of-georgias-education-for-speakers-of-other-languages/
https://gbpi.org/english-learners-deserve-more-an-analysis-of-georgias-education-for-speakers-of-other-languages/
https://gbpi.org/english-learners-deserve-more-an-analysis-of-georgias-education-for-speakers-of-other-languages/
https://doi.org/10.1080/10573569.2018.1526726
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.0806.01

	GATESOL Journal2022, Vol. 32(1), pp. 71–75
	Utilizing Readers’ Theatre and Role-Play to Engage Young English Language Learners
	doi:10.52242/gatesol.130
	ISSN: 2331-6845

