Of course, you know many of the benefits of using Readers Theater with students, but do you know any actual classroom stories? Do you have stories of your own?
"The Power of Reader's Theater," an article by Jennifer O. Prescott in Instructor magazine (January/February 2003), recounts some amazing stories and research.
Fourth Grade Teacher Results
Prescott's subtitle summarizes her perspective on Readers Theater: "An easy way to make dramatic changes in kids' fluency, writing, listening, and social skills." Who wouldn't want that for their students or children?
Prescott goes on to share real-life stories, including one of Lorraine Griffith, a fourth-grade teacher in North Carolina. Apparently Griffith saw dramatic results in her classroom as Prescott writes, "Reader's Theater proved to be almost a magic solution for Griffith: In just 10 weeks of using RT, every child in her class had gained a full grade level in reading. After a year, the children's gains had jumped to three years of growth." That's powerful!
Years ago I watched a YouTube news video interviewing the teacher who saw that phenomenal growth in her students–Lorraine Griffith. Apparently in 2022 Starfall Education Foundation published a collection of Readers Theater scripts that Lorraine Griffith wrote–inspired by Starfall stories. I haven't read all of the scripts in the PDF of that book, but in 2026 I did read Griffith's introduction.
She shares that when she started teaching fourth grade she assumed that all of the children knew how to read..."Then reality hit. The children could decode, but they did not seem to understand what they were reading. When they read aloud, they sounded like robots. They did not have the effortless expression characteristic of fluent readers. I wondered, is this why they don't understand?"
Lorraine researched the problem and realized that "fluent reading is a key to comprehension." She discovered the advice of researchers promoting re-reading a passage aloud to improve fluency.
She writes, "I knew that the children would not take enthusiastically to rote re-reading for the sake of practice. There had to be a better way. I turned to Readers Theater."
Lorraine Griffith's story and results inspire many. She enthuses, "Readers Theater is a proven, research-based method to build reading fluency–and most importantly, children love it!" You will, too.
The Reading Teacher Study
In the Instructor article "The Power of Readers Theater" author Prescott continues to share about a 1999 study in the professional periodical, The Reading Teacher, "which showed that second graders who did Reader's Theater on a regular basis made, on average, more than a year's growth in reading."
The dramatic results come from the fact that Readers Theater improves fluency–reading with ease. A student who reads with fluency can concentrate on the meaning of the words because the student reads accurately and effortlessly with expression. Reading is not a chore because the words become vehicles to drive meaning.
Picture a baby learning to walk. The baby gets up, tries a few steps, then sits down. Progress is slow. Imagine that same baby taking a "crash course" in walking, learning at an accelerated rate and even running within a month. That's what researchers and teachers say about using Readers Theater in a classroom with growing readers: Readers Theater accelerates student reading progress.
How is reading progress measured? Sometimes tests are used and sometimes it is a subjective opinion. In any case, I have not heard of anything negative from incorporating Readers Theater into a school or homeschool curriculum!
Struggling Students
Prescott also shares about the ability of Readers Theater "to develop interpersonal, social, and collaborative skills-–particularly among struggling students." She gives an example of special needs students from a Harlem school in New York who miraculously blossomed after the addition of Readers Theater. So what are we waiting for?
Content Areas and Leadership
Ah! You don't have beginning readers anymore? Well, Prescott doesn't address the value of Readers Theater in the content areas (e.g., history, health, science, literature, social studies...), but teachers continue to recognize the benefits of Readers Theater in their classrooms.
And, Prescott doesn't mention much about Readers Theater building leaders and creators, although she shares a bit on overcoming shyness. Readers Theater builds confidence. Confident readers often become leaders.
There's an old saying, "Leaders are readers". That's the truth!
• How many leaders (e.g., teachers, business people, elected officials, rabbis, pastors, parents, and more) confidently read speeches, literature, or lessons aloud in front of a group?
• How many "leaders" easily read aloud from a tele-prompter or a screen without fear?
• How many students can transform from readers to interpreters–turning passive reading into an engaging and creative performance that can transfer power to all oral readings?
• How are we helping equip these future leaders and creators?
• When should we start?
• Why not now?
It seems to me that if we can add some creative fun while building reading, writing, AND leadership skills, then let's do it! Readers Theater will help you and your students succeed in ways beyond measure. Isn't that the way we want it?
