National Council of Teachers of English

Teaching Difficult Dramatic Texts: A Collaborative Inquiry Using Dramaturgy

Author(s): Richard Pettengill, Dawn Abt-Perkins, Shannon Buckley and Katherine Babcock
Source: The English Journal, Vol. 99, No. 3 (Jan., 2010), pp. 64-69
Published by: National Council of Teachers of English
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40503485
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Richard Pettengill, Dawn Abt-Perkins, Shannon Buckley,

and Katherine Babcock

Difficult
Dramatic
Teaching
Texts:A Collaborative
Inquiry
UsingDramaturgy

he Setting: Spring.A college preparatoryEnglish class in a highneeds school (i.e., third year not
in acmeetingNCLB requirements
ademic progressin reading,40% of studentson
freeand reduced-price
lunch)in a deindustrialized,
medium-sizedcityin theMidwest.
I

^Bto

The Characters: Culturallymixed students(i.e.,

fromMexLatinos/Latinas
majoritynewimmigrant
and a
ico and CentralAmerica,AfricanAmericans,
a
in
ofWhitestudents) collegepresmallpercentage
tis.
fromseniori
all suffering
class,
English
paratory
The Problem: What to readnextand how to motivatestudentsto studya challengingtext.
between
The Resolution: Througha partnership
students
theschooland a nearbyliberalartscollege,
are motivatedto do a close textualanalysisof Sean
O 'Casey'sThePloughand theStars.
And, add the followingto thecast of characters:(1) a preserviceteacherdoing a seniorthesis
project on dramaturgy(Shannon Buckley); (2) a
(and former
college Englishand Theaterprofessor
dramaturg)workingwith studentson
professional
a college productionof The Ploughand theStars
(RichardPettengill);(3) an Englishteachereducatorwitha backgroundin culturallyresponsive
pedand
(Dawn
Abt-Perkins);
strategicreading
agogies
and (4) an experiencedEnglish teacherwho was

A highschoolteacher
collaborateswiththree
local collegecolleaguesto
exposeherstudentsto the
interpretive
processesof
dramaturgy.

riskswithhercurwillingto takesomesignificant
riculumand who was trustedby herschooladministrationto do so (KathyBabcock).
We resistedthe usual temptationto simplify
the textualfeaturesby rewritingor summarizing
of
partsofthetextor byshowingvideoproductions
thetext.Instead,we choseto relyon thetoolsofthe
dramaturgto discusshow the directorinterpreted
theplayas made evidentby thechoicesofset,costume, and lightingdesign; the charactermotivationsportrayedby the actors;and specificstaging
a traditionin Europeanthechoices.Dramaturgy,
has in the last 30
atersince the late 18th century,
in the United
established
become
firmly
years
States.The dramaturgfunctionsin the theatrical
and historiproductionprocessas a kindofliterary
cal consultantto thedirector,
designers,and actors.
The dramaturgbegins the initialphase of textual
analysisand researchby asking questionssuch as
thefollowing:What is keepingme froma fullunofthisplay?Are theretextualissuesto
derstanding
do
be dealt with? What backgroundinformation
our artistsneed to know?(Pettengill"Dramaturgprovideinformaing" 104). Althoughdramaturgs
tionto audiencesthroughprogramnotes,newsletter
articles,lobbypanels,etc.,theytendnotto explain
most often
a particulardirector'sinterpretation;
theyprovidetheprimarydocumentsthathelpedto
of the artistic
inspirethe collectiveinterpretation
team.Audiencemembers"whoare told the 'truth'
behind a productionare less likelyto trusttheir
own responses"(106). Froma dramaturgical
point

EnglishJournal99.3 (2010): 64-69

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Richard Pettengill, Dawn Abt-Perkins,Shannon Buckley, and Katherine Babcock

ofview,interpretation
is notjustin themindofthe
academicor thereader,and theinterpretive
viewof
in
view.Interpretation
theartistis notthe"correct"
the theateris playedout live onstageforan audiofa
enceofpeoplewhoaretheultimateinterpreters
production.
In our project,studentswere positionedas
consultantsto a real-lifedirectorand production
team with a teacherservingas head dramaturg,
providinginformation,
questioninginterpretations,
Students became
and posing counterarguments.
textbecauseof
moreactivereadersof thisdifficult
thecollege
theauthenticcontextforinterpretation:
that
slated
the
were
to atof
they
play
production
- model
- in the roleof dramaturgs
tend.Teachers
how researchis done and used to contextualizeand
In usingthetoolsofdramasupportinterpretation.
more
accesspointsforreadersto
we
turgy, provided
findmeaningand relationshipto the textand the
in
author.Dramaturgsshareprimaryinformation
- visuals,artifacts,
as well as
varioustextualforms
- to engage in collective
traditionaltextualforms
discussionswherefreshanalysistakesplace. Analysis, then,is collectiveand filledwith reasoneddebate and discussionusing researchedinformation
thatextendsand illuminatesthe information
provided in the textitself.Accordingto SusanJonas,
"creGeoffProehl,and MichaelLupu, dramaturgy
ideas"
to
meet
and
a
forum
ates
(viii).
exchange
to be
We foundsuch a discussionframework
backof
students
from
diverse
a
class
for
motivating
and sucgroundswithvariouslevelsof confidence
cessfulexperiencewith textualanalysis.In other
words,a collectiveanalyticalprocessservedas a
critical methodologyand provided instructional
readers.Ultimately,
forless-experienced
scaffolding
giventhatthereare no "correct"or predetermined
the debate about meaningwas an
interpretations,
authenticone, whereall kindsof readersfeltcomThe obscurity
fortable
sharingtheirinterpretations.
freedom
of the texthelpedto supportinterpretive
and the building of the interpretive
community.
Even theteacherhad no priorexperienceinterpretoftheplay.
ing thetextor withpriorperformances
All of theseconditionsincreasedthe possibilities
forauthenticengagement(Nystrand)ofall kindsof
readers.
We acceptedthe assertionof reader-response
instructional
theorists
(e.g.,Fish;Nystrand;Purves)

who claim thattextualdifficulty

does not residein
the textitselfbut in thepedagogicalconditionsor
the expectationsof the interpretive
communityestablishedin theclassroomthatenablesuccessfulor
unsuccessfulreadingsby particulargroupsof students.Some theorists
encourageteachersto takeup
and
view
textual
as a desirable
complexity
difficulty
condition
claim
that
students
(Elam); they
reading
need practicein learninghow to take up demands
of texts that illustratediscrepancybetween the
"worldofthetext"and "readerknowledge"(Chafe,
qtd. in Purves 142). As Nystrandsummarizing
Elam states,"It is the challengeforeducationto
make difficult
textsaccessiblewithoutoversimplithem"
fying
(Nystrand1). We also believedin the
importanceof miningpersonalresponseas a pathway to a democraticcritical responseto a text
(Rosenblatt).Positioningthe teacherin the roleof
dramaturgand the studentsas consultantsto the
productionteam,we wereable to notonlymotivate
readersto stayengagedin a difficult
text,we were
also able to demonstrate
howresearchin theformof
primaryhistoricaldocumentsand texts,contempoand previouscritical
rarycontextualinformation,
can
inform
fresh,new interpretainterpretations
tions. Indeed, studentslearnedhow to more authentically"do the work" of criticalanalysisby
usingthetoolsofdramaturgs.
In spring2006, ShannonBuckley,an English
and educationmajor,decidedto createan education
programfor local schools modeled on programs
that Richard Pettengillhad createdfor Chicago
Public Schools while workingat the Goodman
Theater(Pettengill"Education"205-08). During
course,Lake ForestCollege
Pettengill'sdramaturgy
studentswere responsibleforconductingresearch
about a specificelementof theplay.The topicsinon Sean O'Casey;
cluded biographicalinformation
historicalinformation
on the political,social, and
economicconditionsof Dublin; literarycriticism;
past productionreviews;and textualinformation
definingdifficultvocabularyand obscurecultural
references.
The class accumulatedten bindersof
dramaturgicalresearchby the end of the course.
Workingwith the dramaturgystudents,Buckley

those
condensed,organized,and supplemented

bindersto createguides forKathyBabcock to use

with threesectionsof herhigh school BritishLiteratureclass.

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65

Teaching DifficultDramatic Texts: A Collaborative Inquiry Using Dramaturgy

Choosing CulturallyRelevant Primary

Materials as "EntryPoints" to
Characterization
One oftherolesofthedramaturgis to provideprimarydocumentsthat bridgethe gap betweenthe
worldof the authoror play and the worldof the
audience.Buckleychoseto begin the unitof study
with a discussionof the concept of patriotism,knowing
The teacher's use of
that students in Babcock's
primaryresearch about
classhad manytiesto themilthe audience community
itary. (Waukegan is located
neara majormilitarybase and
helped students connect
and form initial, personal
Waukegan High School has
one of the largest JROTC
connections to the
chaptersin the country.)The
themes and characters in
to
conflictofloyaltyto family,
the play.
or
of
ethnic
origin, to
country
residentialcountryis central
to the play. Buckley providedmaterialssuch as
newspaper articles describing Waukegan High
- espeSchool as a keysite forROTC recruitment
cially among Latino/Latinastudents,the largest
growingethnicpopulationin Waukegan- and historicalarticlesabout thewar in Dublin duringthe
timeof theplay.By combininghistoricaland conresearchand by highlightingculturally
temporary
relevantconnectionsto the main charactercon- concepts of patriotism and concepts of
flict
- in theinitialstagesofthereading
familialloyalty
process,Buckley'smaterialsgavestudentsa conceptual footholdto understandthe charactersin the
diathedifficult
play,evenbeforetheyencountered
to Irelandat the
lectand obscuretextualreferences
a warmanyof
and
to
of
the
last
century
beginning
thesestudentswould nothavestudiedbefore.
An overwhelming
majorityofstudents,in respondingto "Do you thinkpeople are morepatriotic, or loyal, to theirfamiliesor theircountry?"
wrotethattheythoughtpeople weremoreloyalto
theirfamilies.This was an interesting
responsebecausein theplay,JackClitheroechoosesthewareffortand loyaltyto his countryoverhis wife,Nora.
It is likely that studentswho respondedin this
mannerwould have theirinitialthoughtsand concepts of familylove versus patriotismfor one's
countrytestedby thisplot eventin ThePloughand
theStars.Afterreading,some studentsstartedprocessingmore complexanswersthat analyzedwhy
66

people choosetheircountrieswhentheycaremore
ofthisconflict
fortheirfamilies.Acknowledgment
both
and the genuine desire to be
supportiveof
one's countryand spendingtimewithone'sfamily
helpedstudentsmake deeperconnectionswiththe
characters.Jack seems less antagonisticand has
studentssaw this
moredimensionsto his character;
conflictwithinJack'scharacterwhenJack had to
choose betweenfightingand stayinghome with
Nora. The students'initialfeelingsand culturally
embedded values about patriotismand family
withthetext,and thisreshapedtheirexperiences
sultedin different
personalconclusionsand connections as well as differentinterpretationsof
The teacher'suse of primaryrecharacterization.
searchabout the audiencecommunityhelpedstudentsconnectand forminitial,personalconnections
in theplay.
to thethemesand characters

Using Images
reDuring the productionprocess,dramaturgical
dramasearchis not limitedto text-basedresearch;
turgsalso collectimagesthatrelateto thetextorthe
themes
historical
periodoftheplay,orthatsymbolize
and majorissues.Imageshelpedstudentsstrengthen
theirknowledgeofcharacterization,
setting,theme,
the
of
and theiroverallunderstanding
play.In an
imageofa womandrinkingwineout ofa straw,stuto Rosie Redmond.By indentsmade connections
and
the
shadows
placementoftheobjects
terpreting
in theimage,somestudentsspeculatedthatRosieis
andis strugin herroleas a prostitute
uncomfortable
Rosie'smoabout
to
gling change.By hypothesizing
the
students
a
tivationforbeing prostitute,
developed
insightinto her characterand also made reasoned,
This image providedan opanalyticalstatements.
to begin to analyzea minor
students
for
portunity
in theplay.
character
The studentswere asked to writea second
timeabout thissame image,but thistimerelating
it to Nora. This displayedtheirabilityto take an
contextsto findanaimageand view it in different
and discovercritical
lyticinsighton the characters
to look deeper
students
characterization,
pushing
in
and
into characters
engage symbolicthinking.
on theverge
Studentssaw Nora as sad and confused,
of insanity.They saw theemptyglass as symbolizingNora'slackofacceptanceofJack'sdeathand her
fruitless
waitingforhis return.

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Richard Pettengill, Dawn Abt-Perkins,Shannon Buckley, and Katherine Babcock

PreproductionCollaboration with Actors

elementofdramaturgy
is to provide
One significant
moreinterpretive
insightthroughlive interaction
withthemembersof theproductionand the audiAt thispoint
encepriorto the play'sperformance.
in theproduction,the playersare experiencedand
aboutmostelementsoftheplay,inknowledgeable
cluding dramaturgicalresearch,themes,symbols,
but theyhave
plot,and extensivecharacterization,
theplay or committedto an innotyetperformed
stance.To integratethiselementof draterpretive
maturgyintoourproject,castmembersvisitedthe
WaukeganhighschoolclassesstudyingThePlough
and theStars.
The preproduction
werea compresentations
binationof the presentationof dramaturgicalrethemediscussion,and a
search,actorperformances,
session
betweenthe students
question-and-answer
and the actors.The Lake ForestCollege students
latercreateda listofthemesbasedon thediscussion.
These includedheroism,pride,war,loss, nationalism, patriotism,poverty,illness,and destruction.
Then,eachoftheLake ForestCollegestudentsgave
a two-minutetalk discussingthe themesthat the
studentsgenerated,focusingmainlyon how the
themerelatedto the particularcharacterthateach
played.This was beneficialforthe studentsat that
point in theirreadingbecause the fourcharacters
in thepresentations
are fourofthe first
represented
seenon stageand are keycomponentsof
characters
act 1. In addition,theactorsspokeabouttheprocess
each wentthroughto learnabout theircharacters,
modelingtextualinquiry.Giving studentsa real
on thepage
personto associatewiththe characters
makesthe textless foreignand allows the themes
thus
to come to the forefront,
and characterization
with
the
text.
connections
deeper
facilitating
theactorsexplainedtheireffecAdditionally,
tivereadingstrategiesin going throughthetextto
deciphertheIrishdialectand to findvaluablecharacter information,
making these strategiesdirect
and explicitforstudents.This not only provided
studentswith strategiesbut also displayedexamthatcan reples of successesand accomplishments
interactive
sult fromthoroughand
reading.One
specifictextualelementthat the actorsexplicated
was how O'Casey wrotephoneticallyto communiin the
cate the Irishdialect.For example,molecules
scriptis actuallywritten"mollycewels."O'Casey

writesout the Dublin dialectphoneticallyso that

someonewithno previousknowledgeofthedialect
can read it witha hintof a dialect.This is helpful
foractingbutmakesit difficult
forreaderstryingto
understandtheplay.Seeingthatcollege-levelreaders and actorsalso struggledgave the high school
studentsmoreconfidence
thatit is possibleto break
the
through complexitiesof the text.Justhearing
thedialectspokenaloud was helpfulto makemeansections
ingofthereadingand illuminateconfusing
oftext.

PostproductionCollaborative Analysis:
A "Talkback" with the Actors
Anotherelementofthedramaturgical
methodology
is the opportunity
forstudentsto see a live performanceoftheplayand discusstheperformance
afterward with the actors. Such discussions with
audiencesfeedfurther
interpretation
by the actors
and informfutureperformances.
A largegroup of
studentstraveledto Lake ForestCollege withBabcock theday aftertheyhad finishedtheirfirstreadthroughof the play. Beforethe show started,the
studentsfilledthe theater
s
thatcollege-level
lobby,waitingin anticipa- Seeing
andactorsalso
readers
tionforthetheaterdoorsto
gavethehigh
open. Some studentsgath- struggled
eredaroundthe lobbypan- schoolstudents
more
els that the Lake Forest confidence
thatitis
College dramaturgystuto
possible breakthrough
dents had created. A few
thecomplexities
of
studentswho were reading
thetext.
the panels said, "Hey! We
talkedabout this in class!"
Many other studentsthumbedthroughthe pro's Note on the
grams,and othersreadtheDramaturg
firstpage. One ofthestudentsexplainedpartofthe
's Note to herparents,whohad accompaDramaturg
nied her to the show. Others commentedon the
glossaryin thebackoftheprogram.Theiracknowledgmentthatextraknowledgeis helpfulbeforeexperiencinga text,eitherin writtenor performance
the value of the dramaturgical
form,demonstrates
criticalmethodology.
Babcocksaid thatthenumber
of her studentswho volunteeredto attendan evening productionwas an indicationofthesuccessof
theeducationalprogram.
Anotherelementof dramaturgy
that brings
togetherthemindsofthecreativeforcesbehindthe
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67

Teaching DifficultDramatic Texts: A Collaborative Inquiry Using Dramaturgy

display and the audienceis the postperformance

A
called
a
"talkback."
often
cussion,
dramaturg
usuallyfacilitatestalkbacks,wherethe interested
audiencemembersstayafterthe play ends and the
actorscome out and sit on stage. All partiesinvolvedengagein a discussionabout theplay,often
exploringthemesand messagesthatreachbeyond
plotand aim towardthepurposeofthetextand the
resultingchoices made by the productionteam.
The dramaturg
opensthetalkbackbygivinga brief
introduction
to the audience,the actorsand other
creativestaffinvolvedintroducethemselves,and
thenaudiencemembersbeginaskingquestionsand
a conversationensues. In addition to discussing
themesin the play,questionsalso directactorsto
talkabout theacademicand creativeprocessesthey
and to both
wentthroughto "find"theircharacters
physicallyand emotionally"become"theircharacters.Otherareasdiscussedincludeanalysesoftechnicalelementsoftheplay,suchas thelighting,set,
costumes,and makeup.
This discussion'sobjectivewas to give stuStudents'
theproduction.
dentsa chanceto interpret
contributions
to thediscussionrangedfromgeneral
to specificquesquestionsaboutplot and characters
tionsaboutlinesin theplay.Forexample,thereis a
partin the productionwherethe Coveyburstsonstageand engagesin a fightwithUncle Peter,who
is dressedup in an elaborateIrish armyuniform.
The Coveyyells,"Isn't thatthe malignantol' varsonofan illegitimint?Lookin'liketheillegitimate
mate child of a corporalin the Mexican Army!"
Clearly,the statementwas meantto be derogatory,
evenin theculturalcontextofthescriptin theearly
and thelineeliciteda strongaudience
20thcentury,
that the
response,especiallyat the performance
the
At
attended.
students
deliveryofthis
Waukegan
in disbescoffed
the
audience
line,
erupted.People
lief,moaned,crossedtheirarms,and perkedtheir
earsand sat forwardin theirseatsto listenforany
follow-up.A studentbehindBuckleyroared,"They
justinsultedWAUKEGAN!" Duringthetalkback,
a studentwho was still bitterand upsetabout this
linebroughtit up and askedtheactorswhattheline
meantand whyit was said, becauseshe feltit was
"outof theblue." She also said thatshe knewthere
strifebetweenIrelandand Engwas century-long
land but demandedto knowwhat kind of tension
thisreferIrelandhad withMexico.Unfortunately,

68

enee slipped by the dramaturgy

team,and neither
could give a historithe actorsnorthe dramaturgs
This
cal, conclusiveexplanationforthe reference.
line occurredabout an hourinto the play,and the
fact that so many studentsfound it provocative
boththeirlevelofengagementin the
demonstrates
productionand also the benefitsof seeingthe play
live. Althoughall the studentshad read the play,
theyhad notrealizedthattheMexicanarmywas referredto in an insultingmanner.Witnessingthe
commentdeliveredonstageand in context,students
wereable to see the Covey'soverdoneuniformand
rethejokingmannerin whichtheothercharacters
texsuch
can
actedto him.A liveproduction bring
tual nuancesto life.
In additionto bringingup culturalreferences,
thestudentsaskedabout moreanalyticelementsof
withthose
the text,checkingtheirinterpretations
of the actors.One of the studentsraisedherhand
and commentedon thesymbolismoftheend ofthe
play,asking if it was ironicwhen Bessie has just
died afterbeing shotthroughthe upstairswindow
and the Britishsoldierscome into the room and
drinktea nextto herbloodybody.One of thecast
membersagreedthat this momentwas important
and summedup the entireplay. In this way,the
confidence
high school studentsbuilt interpretive
of the
those
with
their
understandings
by sharing
actors.

DramaturgyEqualizes Textual Power

between Students and Teacher
Babcock believes that studentsactivelypursuing
a valuable tool for
knowledgemakes dramaturgy
Duringa conversation
studyingcomplexliterature.
about thisproject,she explained:"We, as teachers,
oftendo that biographicaland historicalresearch
- and then
forourselves,so we becomethe experts
We
students.
to the
we impartthat information
treatthestudentsas emptyvesselsthatwe will fill.
the studentsbecome active
Throughdramaturgy,
they discoverand construct
makers-of-meaning;
meaningby themselves."
comBabcockacknowledgesthatdramaturgy
classroomand createsan
bats the teacher-centered
oflearners.By choosinga less
authenticcommunity
well-knownplay,teacherand studentsare on more
footing,sharinginsightsfrom
equal interpretive

January 2010

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Richard Pettengill, Dawn Abt-Perkins,Shannon Buckley, and Katherine Babcock

the researchtogetheras theycriticallyanalyzethe

- by integratinghistoricalreplay. Dramaturgy
searchwithcurrentaudienceinterpretative
frame- bringstogether
works
theexperience
ofthereader
and of the authorto createmeaning.Dramaturgy
that interpretation
demonstrates
is alwaysin process, not stable. Indeed, interpretivecontexts
changewhen new artisticteamsgenerateresearch
with each new proquestionsand interpretations
ductionofa play.

Next Steps
Reflectingon this collaborationbetween undergraduatetheaterstudentsand highschoolstudents,
we see moreopportunities
forhighschoolstudents
to be involvedin dramaturgy,
includingdoing the
research
themselves
original
workingin research
teamsand in collaboration
withlocal collegedrama
departments
usingYouTube,wikis,Internet-based
tools,podcasts,and othertechnoresearch-sharing
tools
now
availableto enhancesuchcollabological
rationsbetweenhighschooland collegeclassrooms,
valuableresearchwithtextualinterpreintegrating
tation.We can imaginelittleelse thatwould motivate springsemesterseniorsmore than working
with college studentson a live, local production,

with the studentsleading the interpretive

process
in theroleofdramaturgs.
()
WorksCited
Buckley, Shannon. Dramaturgyas Critical and Educational
The Plough and the Stars. Unpublished
Methodology:
Thesis, Lake ForestCollege, 2007. Print.
in theProcessing
Chafe,William. SourcesofDifficulty
ofWritten
Language. Albany, NY: Center for the Learning and
Teaching of Literature,1990. Print.
Elam, Helen. The Difficulty
of Reading. Albany: Center for
the Learning and Teaching of Literature, 1990.
Print.
Fish, Stanley.Is Therea Textin This Class? Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1980. Print.
Jonas,Susan, GeoffProehl, and Michael Lupu, eds. DramaFort Worth:
turgyin AmericanTheater:A Sourcebook.
Harcourt, 1997. Print.
Nystrand,Martin. Making It Hard: Curriculumand Instructionas Factorsin Difficulty
ofLiterature.Albany: Center for Learning and Teaching of Literature, 1990.
Print.
Pettengill, Richard. "Dramaturging Education." Jonas,
Proehl, and Lupu 102-08.
. hducation and Community Programs at the
Goodman Theater, 1996." Jonas, Proehl, and Lupu
205-08.
rurves, Alan, indeterminate
texts,Responsive
Readers,and the
Idea ofDifficulty
in Literature
Learning.Albany: Center
for the Learning and Teaching of Literature,1990.
Print.
Rosenblatt, Louise M. Literatureas Exploration.New York:
MLA, 1995. Print.

Richard Pettengill is associate professorof Englishand theater at Lake Forest College. He has also served as dramaturg
and educational directorforthe Goodman Theater in Chicago. He may be reached at pettengill@lakeforest.edu.Dawn AbtPerkins is professorof education at Lake ForestCollege where she teaches courses in Englisheducation. Her researchinterests
include buildingcollaborativeprojectsbetween the universityand local high-need schools. Email her at abtperki@lakeforest
.edu. Shannon Buckley is a graduate of Lake Forest College, where she majored in Englishand education with a theater
minor.She is currently
teaching Englishand helpingto develop a new theater programat HampshireHigh School in Illinois.
Emailher at buckley.shannonOgmail.com.Katherine Babcock is an Englishteacher at Waukegan High School in Illinois.She
has participatedin manycollaborativeprojectswithLake ForestCollege and serves on the College's EducationAdvisoryCouncil. She may be reached at kbabcock@wps60.org.

READWRITETHINK

CONNECTION

Lisa Storm Fink, RWT

"The Ten-MinutePlay:EncouragingOriginalResponseto ChallengingTexts"promptsstudentsto compose a dramaticadaptationof a challengingnovelwithsignificant

internaldialogue and conflict.Studentsmustuse analytical
and creativeskillsas theywrite,ratherthansimplycuttingand pastingdialogue. Studentsprovidepeer responses
foreach playafteritsperformance,
forall studentsto participateinanalysisand
creatingadditionalopportunities
of
the
text.
exploration
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=1118

English Journal

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69