Staged Reading Program

Literacy & Drama: Seattle Public Middle Schools

These four theaters united to launch a seminal, interdisciplinary program to support the needs of struggling readers. Combining dramatic playwriting with balance literacy, Teaching Artists used vocabulary and prose to draw central characters “off of the page;” deepening student's comprehension and enhancing their understanding of agency. Middle school students studied the motivations, actions, and outcomes of various characters, as well as literary structure found in both stories and plays.

“Mary was able to translate complex ‘educational speak’ into language and metaphors that really resonated for my staff of Teaching Artists. She was able to point out techniques we were already using in our practice that would increase the impact on student learning, particularly around working with struggling readers and writers.”

The late Andrea Allen, former Director of Education, Seattle Rep