dc.description.abstract | Readers‟ theatre technique promotes reading fluency and comprehension by
employing strategies which initiate active learning experiences. Learners do not only
activate background knowledge to assist in comprehension of literary materials, but
also enhance fluency through prosodic reading by bringing story elements to life.
However, difficulty in reading and inadequate comprehension skills impedes
effective achievement in reading. This study examined the extent readers‟ theatre
technique enhances learner achievement in reading skills through a quasiexperimental
approach in public mixed day sub -county secondary schools in
Kisumu County. Emphasizing on fluency and mastery of content, the study examined
influence of interactive reading, adapting scripts, interpretive reading, collaborative
reading and extensive reading on learner achievement in reading skills. Adopting
social-constructivist and schema theory which emphasize on social and active
interaction, scaffold and activation of background knowledge, the study sampled 447
form three learners from eight public mixed day sub-county secondary schools. 209
were randomly assigned to experimental, while 238 to control groups, and 19
teachers of English were purposively selected. Primary data was collected within
eight weeks through reading skills assessment tests, questionnaires, interviews, focus
group discussions, lesson observation and multidimensional fluency scale. Both
descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for data analysis using SPSS
version 23. Specifically, a T-test was used to establish difference in mean
achievement between the two groups and multiple linear regressions was used to
establish the predictive power of readers‟ theatre technique for reading skills. The
study hypotheses were tested at 0.05% level of significance. Statistical comparisons
between the two groups‟ average scores on the post-test showed that the treatment
group outperformed the control group and thus revealed that readers‟ theatre
technique was effective on attainment in reading skills. Further, the study established
a positive and statistically significant relationship between readers‟ theatre technique
and learner achievement in reading skills. However, discussion on plot (Beta=0.085,
p-value=0.135) and reading rate (Beta=0.103, p-value=0.086) were not statistically
significant on achievement in reading skills independently, but in joint statistics,
were significant at p value <0.05. Both teachers and learners revealed that adapting
scripts engaged learners to actively interact with literary materials, while enacting
scripts built learner confidence in reading. The study concluded that readers‟ theatre
technique is effective for enhancing reading skills and endorses learner-centred
instructional approach in teaching reading. The study recommended that teachers of
English should engage learners in interactive and collaborative reading activities for
fluency and comprehension to be realized. The Ministry of Education, Teachers
Service Commission, Kenya Institute of Curriculum Studies and other stakeholders
should strive to support planning and distribution of reading materials to enable
learners build linguistic background knowledge and have meaningful class
interaction. Lastly, the study recommends learning gaps from other study variables
such as gender, other school categories, other language skills and settings not
influenced by cosmopolitan characteristics | en_US |