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Reader’s Theater is a school activity in which a presenter reads in front of an audience. Similar to theater, the presenter reads the script with expressions, emotions and voice-modulation. But, in contrast with a theater, the presenter doesn’t learn his or her lines. The presenter performs the play by using non-verbal communication i.e. voice, facial expressions, and gestures. In a reader’s theater there is no need for sets, costumes, or other props to perform.

BENEFITS OF READER’S THEATER

The main goal of Reader’s Theater is to read a script loudly and properly, creating an impression of the scene in the audience. Readers Theater has many benefits. Readers Theater generates fluency in the participants reading through recurring exposure to plays and accelerates the understanding of the situation in the audience. It is an activity that integrates reading, speaking, listening, expressing, and learning into a single framework.

Check out some of the resources below for more information on the reader’s theater as well as samples and advice on creating your own scripts for the classroom.

classroom reading

WHAT’S READERS THEATER ABOUT?

  • Readers’ Theater– Literacy Connections describes readers theater and offers guides for implementing it as well as resources for finding scripts
  • Read Aloud– Strategize your way to involve the kids into the activity.
  • How Can a Teacher Benefit from this?– Addresses all aspects of learning: interpersonal, intrapersonal, cerebral, ecstatic, ethical, and social through proper understanding of Reader’s digest.

SAMPLE READER’S THEATER SCRIPS AND PLAYS

ADDITIONAL THEATER AND DRAMA RESOURCES

  • RT Tips– Aaron Shepard’s readers theater tips page featuring tips on scripting, staging and reading.
  • How to Read Fluently– Dr. Edward Kame’enui, director of the Institute for the Development of Educational Achievement at the University of Oregon explains the way to read fluently.
  • How to Improve Oral Skills– A research showed that schools students found Reader’s Theater effective and helped them improve their language skills.
  • Classroom Strategies for Teachers– Understand the classroom strategies that might be useful while implementing the activity.
  • Smooth and Expressive Sentence Fluency– The activity has multiple advantages; the best being its ability to keep the attention of the kids focused in studies.
girl reading book