This report describes a program for improving literacy skills, such as expression, fluency, and comprehension through the use of drama in the reading curriculum. The targeted population consisted of kindergarten and first grade students, both in middle class communities, located in two northern suburbs of Chicago. The problems of reading ability were documented through data collected from the teachers in these targeted schools grades kindergarten through fifth. Analysis of probable cause literature revealed that students lack essential reading skills necessary to achieve academic success. Students are not reading with appropriate fluency to comprehend even simple text. With an influx in cultural diversity, an increasing number of students lack the background knowledge, language base, and the support at home to become competent readers. Traditional methods in reading instruction do not always offer struggling readers adequate opportunities for reading success. A review of solution strategies suggested by knowledgeable others, combined with an analysis of the problem setting, resulted in the selection in one major intervention: the incorporation of drama-based activities into the reading curriculum. These dramatic activities will offer students experiences with various meaningful text and oral language. Results indicated that (1) students' reading skills improved (including expressive voice, fluency, comprehension, summarization, and sequencing); (2) the social skills developed through cooperative learning lessons benefited the students, when working together on dramatic activities; and (3) students' enthusiasm towards acting out a story increased. Appendixes contain the teacher and parent surveys, an observation checklist, student interview questions, and teacher survey results. (Contains 29 references, 3 tables, and 7 figures.)(Author/RS)