Drama-Integrated Interactive Read-Alouds: Perspectives from Preschool Teachers on a Professional Development Program

Read-alouds are an important learning context for preschoolers; however, teachers need support to implement read-aloud strategies effectively. This qualitative study aims to explore preschool teachers’ experiences with their involvement in a drama-integrated interactive read-aloud intervention. Two preschool teachers participated in a professional development program that combined workshops and ongoing coaching to facilitate the implementation of drama-integrated read-aloud strategies in preschool classrooms. The teachers were interviewed individually after conducting 24 drama-integrated read-aloud sessions in their classrooms. Thematic analysis was used to identify common themes in the data, revealing three main themes: (1) Effective Read-Aloud Strategies, (2) Read-Aloud as a Tool for Development, and (3) Challenges in Implementing Read-Alouds. The results underscore the importance of providing professional development support to help teachers enhance their read-aloud practices effectively.