Beyond
Borders: Literacy Through Performing Arts
Beyond
Borders is a 16-week classroom-based program that uses the
performing arts to improve the communication skills of English
learners—reading, writing, listening and speaking.
The program serves over 26,000 students, teachers, parents,
and community members every year.
Beyond
Borders consists of twice-weekly, two-hour classes that
incorporate acting, directing, creative dramatics, and playwriting
into the standard language arts curriculum. ECT teachers
work with classroom teachers to structure and build curriculum
choices.
Each
class program culminates in a presentation of student-written,
performed and produced plays for families and friends. Parents
are engaged in classroom activities and productions.
According
to the most recent assessments from Loyola Marymount University,
ECT’s literacy programming significantly increases
reading and writing proficiency as well as communication
and language skills. Participating students have improved
their Stanford 9 Achievement test scores anywhere from an
average of between 13 and 17 points.
