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Scripted teaching
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<h2 id="overview">Overview</h2> <h3>Meaning</h3> <p>Scripted teaching can be traced back to 1888 where Samuel and Adeline Monroe published text for teachers that provided them with scripts for teaching reading readiness, <a href="/facts/Phonics/88Hh2BH0">phonics</a>, and oral reading.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> In this method of teaching, the teacher is expected to read the lesson scripts verbatim. It is a form of direct instruction meant to guide teachers in order to sustain consistency in teaching strategies by teachers. It also aims to eliminate the risk of poor instruction by inexperienced teachers.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> Its purpose of strict adherence to the script is targeted more towards schools with low standardized test scores so that the concepts being taught can be delivered in a consistent manner, in hopes that the students will understand the lessons more clearly. This strategy is becoming more prevalent in US school districts, as well as schools throughout the world.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p> <h3>Goal</h3> <p>Many school districts are moving to scripted teaching programs with a goal of improving students' <a href="/facts/Standardized_test/PkunTjfB">standardized test</a> scores. With more pressure being put on teachers to have their students achieve higher standardized test scores, teachers are looking to use scripted teaching programs as an aid to teach these concepts to their students, hoping that it will be a more effective way of teaching.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> Scripts designed for teaching curriculum are not meant to eliminate the amount of teacher preparation, but are to be used as a scaffold for teachers to adhere to the topics and skills required of students. When used properly, scripted teaching programs are used as a tool that teachers can add and subtract parts of the structure to create a learning environment that facilitates appropriate instruction individualized to the needs of their learners.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> Hundreds of schools could be using the same scripted curriculum; however, if used appropriately, their lessons will be carried out differently as a reflection of the diverse learners in their respective classrooms. The goal is that all of the students will learn the same concepts and be able to use the knowledge that comes from the scripted lessons. </p> <h3>Behaviorist learning theory</h3> <p>Scripted teaching is influenced by <a href="/facts/Behaviorist/8DHljqrh">behaviorist</a> learning theory.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> It uses repetition as a way to reinforce the concepts that students are learning. Some scripted learning programs (for example, Language for Learning) go through an error correction process when a student answers a question incorrectly. Using a behavioral approach to teaching and learning, micro skills such as spelling are practiced meticulously and are perfected before moving onto macro skills such as writing or reading longer passages.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p> <h3>Critiques</h3> <p>A common critique about scripted teaching presumes that any person can come into a classroom and teach a lesson if they follow the script.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> However, proponents of scripted teaching maintain that just like an actor brings life to a script, a teacher can and must use their own personality to breathe life into the teaching script.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> Scripted teaching programs are meant to be used as a support for teachers to help them develop their own teaching style and confidence in their teaching ability.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> Teachers who are first introduced to scripted teaching tend to feel that they are being held back from using their own knowledge when they are required to instruct using an external script.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> This also leads to teachers feeling that they cannot respond when a student answers with an unusual answer;<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> however, teachers who are experienced in scripted teaching find a way to build on the unusual answers and find their way back to the script. Teachers who have learned that reading written language involves accuracy, fluency, self-monitoring, and comprehension are more successful at scripted teaching.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> A final critique is that scripted teaching de-professionalizes teachers, stifling their creative potential.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> </p> <ul><li>Eisenbach, B. (2012). Teacher Belief and Practice in a Scripted Curriculum. The Clearing House : A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 85:4, pp. 153–156. <a href="/facts/Doi_(identifier)/muM9Etpq">doi</a>:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080%2F00098655.2012.663816">10.1080/00098655.2012.663816</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="http://www.reading.org">International Reading Association</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.pbs.org/makingschoolswork/sbs/sfa/lessons.html">"Do Scripted Lessons Work or Not" by Sarah Colt, The article describes both positive and negative reactions to using the scripts in the Success for All reading program</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Commeyras, M. (2007, January). Scripted reading instruction? What's a teacher educator to do?. Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 88, No. 05, pp. 404–407. Retrieved from http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/Archive/pdf/k0701com.pdf <a href="http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/Archive/pdf/k0701com.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/Archive/pdf/k0701com.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Lee, M. (n.d.). Is your child being taught from a script?. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Scripted_Teaching/ <a href="http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Scripted_Teaching/" target="_blank">http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Scripted_Teaching/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Reeves, J. (2010, July). Teacher learning by script. Language Teaching Research, 14(3), 241–258 <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Guccione, L. (2011, January). The tale of two schools: Making room for relation within scripted programs. Schools: Studies In Education, 8(2), 252–264 <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Guccione, L. (2011, January). The tale of two schools: Making room for relation within scripted programs. Schools: Studies In Education, 8(2), 252–264 <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Reeves, J. (2010, July). Teacher learning by script. Language Teaching Research, 14(3), 241–258 <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Reeves, J. (2010, July). Teacher learning by script. Language Teaching Research, 14(3), 241–258 <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Commeyras, M. (2007, January). Scripted reading instruction? What's a teacher educator to do?. Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 88, No. 05, pp. 404–407. Retrieved from http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/Archive/pdf/k0701com.pdf <a href="http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/Archive/pdf/k0701com.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/Archive/pdf/k0701com.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Commeyras, M. (2007, January). Scripted reading instruction? What's a teacher educator to do?. Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 88, No. 05, pp. 404–407. Retrieved from http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/Archive/pdf/k0701com.pdf <a href="http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/Archive/pdf/k0701com.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/Archive/pdf/k0701com.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Reeves, J. (2010, July). Teacher learning by script. Language Teaching Research, 14(3), 241–258 <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Reeves, J. (2010, July). Teacher learning by script. Language Teaching Research, 14(3), 241–258 <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Parks, A., & Bridges-Rhoads, S. (2012). Overly Scripted: Exploring the Impact of a Scripted Literacy Curriculum on a Preschool Teacher's Instructional Practices in Mathematics. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 26(3), 308–324 <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Commeyras, M. (2007, January). Scripted reading instruction? What's a teacher educator to do?. Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 88, No. 05, pp. 404–407. Retrieved from http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/Archive/pdf/k0701com.pdf <a href="http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/Archive/pdf/k0701com.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/Archive/pdf/k0701com.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Reeves, J. (2010, July). Teacher learning by script. Language Teaching Research, 14(3), 241–258 <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>