Using Reader’s Theatre to Improve Oral Reading Fluency
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Date
2013-07
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Masters of Education
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of Reader’s Theatre on the reading
fluency achievement of first grade students. The mid-year/end of year oral reading fluency
portion of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Learning Skills (DIBELS) was used as the
pretest/posttest for this study. A treatment group, receiving Reader’s Theatre, and a control
group were chosen based on similar pretest scores. Reader’s Theatre was administered for five
weeks, while the control group received the normal small group reading instruction. While the
results of the study demonstrated that the students in both groups showed gains in oral reading
fluency, the control group significantly out-preformed the Reader’s Theatre group on the posttest.
This study contains internal and external threats to validity. Research concerning best
practices for reading fluency instruction should continue; fluency is needed for strong
independent reading comprehension.