A Guide to Readers Theater

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.

A Teacher Performs a Sample of Reader's Theater for her Students. Note that she wears a black outfit to focus attention away from her costume.

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 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 reader's theater as well as samples and advice on creating your own scripts for the classroom.

What is Reader’s Theater About?

• What is Readers Theater - Scholastic provides a fantastic guide on readers theater found here.
• Readers' Theater - Literacy Connections describes readers theater and offers guides for implementing it as well as resources for finding scripts
• Reader’s Theater- A Cooperative Learning - Know what reader’s theatre is all about from the excerpts of Marvin Kaye.
• Reader’s Theater-Fluency and Fun - A comprehensive document that tells the steps to be taken while performing Reader’s Theater.
• Read Aloud - Strategize your way to involve the kids into the activity.
• Reader’s Theater Books - Links of articles and books and website sources that provide further
  information on 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 Scripts and Plays

• Reader’s Theater Scripts - A collection of Scripts and plays to be used as Reader’s Theater.
• Reader’s Theater Plays - A compilation of Reader’s Theater plays and scripts segregated into groups according to the grades.
• Interesting Scripts - Poems, dramas, scripts, plays and literature put together for easy reference and use.
• Reader’s Theater - Find teachers guide, readers theater related information and scripts according to the school grade in the link.

Additional Theater and Drama Resources

• Benefits of Reader’s Theater - An article by Lila Carrick on resources found on the Internet for conducting Reader’s Theater.
• RT Tips - Aaron Shepard's readers theater tips page featuring tips on scripting, staging and reading.
• Importance Of Reader’s Theater - Understand the social importance of Reader’s Theater
• 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.