Readers Theatre has been used to introduce critical issues, promote fluency among English learners and non-English learners, teach vocabulary, and integrate content in the classroom. Previous studies of Readers Theatre application have demonstrated an increase in student reading fluency, motivation, and confidence. The focus of this systemic approach to the use of Readers Theatre is to promote comprehension and word study through a gradual release of responsibility model. The authors describe how and why this framework was developed and provide recommendations for implementation.