Breaking the barrier - online reader’s theatre as a tool for language practice and literary reflection

Studies on implementation of Reader’s Theatre in learning English and Literature has indicated that it can improve reading comprehension, also a motivating, engaging and enjoyable approach, especially for reluctant language learners. This research reports an instructor’s experience in delivering a literature lesson during the pandemic when teaching and learning were migrated to online medium. As a means to engage with the learners and to increase their understanding on a local play, Swordfish and The Concubine, Online Reader’s Theatre (ORT) was integrated into the learning activities. Armed with Kolb’s Model of Experiential Learning and The Community of Inquiry (COI) Model of Online Learning, this study aims to examine whether ORT is able to increase learners’ online engagement and comprehension of the play. The findings from the quantitative data have shown that learners find ORT to be encouraging and appealing to sustain their interest in learning literature and helps to engage them with their peers and instructors despite learning the play remotely. The pandemic has become the
mechanism that requires instructors to re-design their course delivery, hence more creative, flexible and engaging pedagogical approaches need to be adopted to scaffold learners’ ability to grasp new knowledge and to maintain engagement between instructors and learners and learners with their peers within remote or hybrid setting.