In Leah Coffey's kindergarten class, learning to read means breaking a sweat and getting your hands dirty.

One morning last week, Coffey put in a CD with infectious drumbeats and pupils repeated the names of different instruments. "T-T-T-Tambourine," they sang as they danced and smacked invisible tambourines.

Later, Coffey and four pupils dipped their hands into a can of clay. First, they molded the letter T. They then flattened the clay into discs.

"T-T-T-Tambourine," they said and tapped the clay tambourines against their hands.

Westcott Elementary School, 409 W. 80th St. on the South Side, has joined 17 other Chicago public schools in implementing a curriculum from Reading in Motion, a Chicago agency that uses music, drama and dance to teach reading.

Coffey is sold on the concept. "I think that every lesson should be put to music," she said.

Reading in Motion is one of several organizations supported by Chicago Tribune Holiday Giving, a campaign of Chicago Tribune Charities, a McCormick Tribune Foundation fund.

Started by ensemble cast

The philosophy behind Reading in Motion was born from an opera singer, a trumpet player and a trombonist.

The trio got together in 1983 and began playing in classrooms during arts classes. In the mid-1990s, they hit upon the idea that the arts were naturally conducive to helping pupils learn to read, said Reading in Motion executive director and co-founder Karl Androes.

Since shifting their mission, staffers have written songs to help kindergartners master phonemic awareness, hearing and manipulating individual sounds that make up words. One song, "Train Is A-Coming," envisions words like a train, with a first sound as the engine and a last sound as the caboose.

Those songs introduced the repetition necessary to master sounds without making the exercises seem monotonous. Coffey's pupils ate up the music on the CDs, even though they were old hat.

For older pupils, Reading in Motion creates auditions where pupils practice reading from a script while acting out scenes. The pupils are more motivated to tackle the readings that way, Androes said.

The dramatic readings also teach comprehension. Just as actors construct pictures in their heads, pupils can do the same as they are reading, Androes said.

Monique Dockery, Westcott's principal, said she initially was skeptical when she heard the program's name and concept. Her pupils were already too "hyper," she said. She didn't think they needed any more motion, in reading or otherwise.

But after observing the program for three months, Dockery said she realized that Reading in Motion harnesses the natural exuberance of pupils and gives them a productive outlet for their energy.

"This isn't like the traditional approach where school was meant to be quiet. What makes this program great is that kids are having so much fun moving, they don't realize that they are really learning," she said.

Reading in Motion initially dispatched its staff to lead the lessons, in kindergarten through 7th grade. Now the program is focused on training classroom teachers to weave the curriculum into their own work.

The program also has narrowed its target to kindergarten through 3rd grade, the first point where pupils are tested for reading proficiency. Agency officials and educators say even the most aggressive intervention later in grade school often isn't enough if pupils have fallen too far behind.

"By the time they get to 3rd grade, so much has been determined," Androes said.

Classes get some coaching

In addition to training teachers, Reading in Motion sends coaches to their classrooms once or twice a week to troubleshoot and offer advice.

The coaches are classroom veterans with arts backgrounds. The actor known as Little Tom Jackson, who visits Coffey's classroom, has appeared in several local productions at venues such as Bailiwick Theatre. Other support staff include dance instructors, singer-songwriters and choreographers.

Reading in Motion also has designed materials for parents who want to build on the classroom lessons and work with their children at home. The curriculum is confined to Chicago schools, but Androes said the long-term plan is to expand it to other Chicago-area districts.

For now, the bongo beats and other music have become a fixture in Coffey's kindergarten class. But the 13-year veteran with a smiling face says the sweetest din comes from her pupils, already putting together letters and sounds to write their names and basic words.

"When I see the children wanting to participate, not afraid to sing and dance, not afraid to make their sounds, it is really encouraging," Coffey said. "The progress has been tremendous."