Readers' Theater: A
Teaching Strategy
for Health Educators
Kathleen M. Lux, PhD, RN, BC, CHES
Jane B. Hutcheson, MS, RN
Capital University
Department of Nursing
Columbus, OH
Objectives
Identify 3
components of
readers’ theater
 State 2 outcomes of
readers’ theater
 Discuss a readers’
theater presentation
 Identify an
assessment strategy

History
Began in the late 1940’s as an option to live
theater which would be more accessible to
people.
 In the 1960’s, RT became popular in college
theater departments where it spread to
secondary English education.
 These graduates brought RT scripts into high
school English classes.
 From there, RT has recently been used to assess
student literacy and has moved into elementary
and middle schools.

Uses and Outcomes
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RT a low cost teaching strategy
Is effective in several different academic disciplines
to improve language arts.
It has been used in English, Social Studies, Medical
and Nursing Schools.
Can be used to educate about different cultures.
Fosters a love of reading and provides a fun way to
teach facts, history, social issues, ethics and/or
health.
Readers’ Theatre
A scripted, formalized story-telling
experience.
 Involves the oral presentation of text by
two or more readers.
 Provides the opportunity to look into and
thoughtfully contemplate a story as
viewers from the outside
 The goal is to stimulate thinking about the
stories so cast and audience can engage in
meaningful discussion. (Savitt, 2002)

Readers’ Theater
Does not involve the
use of scenery, props
or costumes
 Relies on vocal ability
of the readers to
paint a picture of the
characters
 Readers sit or stand
for emphasis,
otherwise no body
movements, gestures
or eye contact

Readers’ Theater
Read from a script
 Oral dramatization weaves
and connects the voices
creating an affective
learning environment.
(Pardue, 2004)
 “Like radio drama,
audience members
imagine the scenes taking
place before them.”
(Savitt, 2002, pg xv.)

Preparation
Can be done in advance
 Can be done in class
 Each reader has own script
 Is helpful to highlight individual lines
 Readings vary from a few minutes to 30
minutes

Discussion of Script
Health educator poses
questions to generate
student thinking about
issues and messages
imbedded in the play
 Questions can be found
with script (Savitt,
2002) or composed by
cast or educator

Outcomes of Readers’ Theater
Helps participants and audience
understand feelings and emotions of the
characters
 Provides opportunity for reflection and
group discussion
 Heightened connection of learners to the
situations
 Engaging teaching strategy

Reader’s Theater in the Class Room
Use of readers’ theater with students in a
health education class.
 Death by Chocolate
 Does anyone want to
volunteer?
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Lights! Cameras! Action!
Questions
Discussion Questions
 What are Jim’s unhealthy lifestyle
behaviors? What are Jim’s healthy
lifestyle choices?
 What do you think of Jim’s behavior after
his health risk assessment? If you had
been Jim, what would you have done?
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Questions continued
What role does the dream play in Jim’s
health behaviors?
 How do individuals make their lifestyle
choices? How do you change lifestyle
behaviors?
 What decision do you think Jim will make
and why?
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Assessment Strategies
For process evaluation, the teacher notes
how many students participate in the
group discussion.
 Death by Chocolate can be used to
stimulate discussion of the students’
lifestyles.
 To engage students in their own learning,
they can write a short script about a
health behavior change they want to
make.
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Assessment Strategies
Another way to incorporate RT into
learning is to have students journal on
their health behavior change process.
 Journal assignments could include directed
questions related to RT content.
 Or, a short evaluation form may be used
to check for changes in students’ attitudes
or knowledge.
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Objectives
Identify 3
components of
readers’ theater
 State 2 outcomes of
readers’ theater
 Discuss a readers’
theater presentation
 Identify an
assessment strategy

References
Hutcheson, J. (2010) Death by Chocolate, Non
published Readers’ Theater script.
 Pardue, K. (2004). Introducing readers’ theatre!
A strategy to foster aesthetic knowing in
nursing. Nurse Educator, 29 (2), 58 -62.
 Savitt, T. (Ed.). (2002). Medical readers’
theater, a guide and scripts. Iowa City,
University of Iowa Press.
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