Sustained Silent Reading
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[edit] Description & Definition
Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) originated in the 1960's as a period of time during each school day when the entire school (including teachers and staff) would independently read materials of their own choosing without being evaluated in any way on that reading. It was developed in response to the feeling that U.S. students were not reading enough, and that reading for leisure was on the decline. The rationale for SSR was that students learn to read by practicing, so more practice would result in better reading skills. It was also theorized that children were more likely to read materials they were interested in, and also more likely to enjoy their reading experience if they were not being tested on it. Additionally, it was felt that students were more likely to read if they saw adults around them reading, modelling reading as a worthwhile activity. The ultimate end result was to be a change in student attitudes toward reading.
[edit] Application in classrooms and similar settings
SSR may also be known as DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) or WEB (We Enjoy Books). Some teachers feel it is important to be reading literature along with their students in order to model reading. Other teachers use this time to meet with individual students or small reading groups. This second group of teachers might listen to students read or teach reading strategies to guided reading groups.
Some schools have a particular time period set aside for all its students to participate in silent reading while other schools leave it up to the individual classroom teacher. Either way, it is an activity more commonly found in elementary schools rather than middle or high schools. One reason for this is due to time constraints and class schedules in the upper grades which limit the amount of time a reading or language arts teacher has with the students. On the other hand, many elementary teachers experience more flexibility with daily schedules that enable them to fit in silent reading during various times of the day.
Use in Middle and High School It is also possible to integrate SSR into instruction, especially in the middle and high school language arts classroom. If, for example, a teacher is teaching similes, she could begin the class period with a quick lesson about similes, giving examples and answering questions. After the quick lesson is complete, she could ask the students to read their independent novels for 15 to 20 minutes. To add to the lesson, she could ask the students to find two or three similes in their reading. Once the three similes are located, they have no further obligation. This is great for many reasons: the students are finding their own examples, they are finding examples in books that they have chosen and therefore enjoy, the teacher can easily scan the student answers to check for comprehension, etc.
[edit] Evidence of effectiveness
[edit] Critics and their rationale
SSR can easily become an unregulated time period in the day where the teacher gets 20 minutes or so to breathe and relax in the middle of the day. It is also seen by the students as "free time" to go to the bathroom, take their very own long amount of time selecting books, and not even having to read them. (Fountas, Pinnell, 2001) The intent, of course, is to have a structured session so that students make reading a habit and then are encouraged to read more often for recreation. This is where the problem lies. It is very unstructured, there is no accountability, and teachers often do not monitor the reading activities. Students who are at a lower level are unmotivated to step up. Instead of hoping that students will suddenly like to read by putting books in front of them, and giving open time, Fountas and Pinnell propose a stronger, more guided method: "Independent Reading". In this method, teachers help build students in selecting appropriate level books, monitor journal reflections on reading, maintain records on student reading, and facilitate group sharing.(Fountas and Pinnell). There is also a time for teachers to model reading behavior by sharing their own reading experiences with students. Additionally, the other students in the classroom support each other through sharing and feedback. (Fountas and Pinnell) In this way, all students are held accountable for having some level of productivity as well as having the opportunity to share new and exciting stories that they are learning with each other.
[edit] Signed "life experiences", testimonies and stories
In my school, our SSR is called DEAR (Drop Everything and Read). It's sustained, 30 minutes of reading everyday in one class a day. One difficulty has been ensuring that every student has a book when they need it, so we installed reading collections in every class in the school. The books are varied and interesting. -S.Scott
In the beginning of my teaching, I used to fight the students to remain absolutely silent during SSR. However, now I give them every other day to have time to read with partners. I once worried that they wouldn't read if they were able to talk, but I discovered that young students really need that peer interaction when dealing with books. They love to talk as they read and look through the pictures together. I now know that while there may be talking going on at a time when I would have needed it to be silent, there is also a lot more learning and reading going on. -Annie Craig, 2nd Grade teacher
Like any school-wide program, silent reading works if implemented properly. That is, if teachers set the example by having a book to read. When my school did a silent reading program (Stop, Drop and Read!) I always read along. During the reading period, my class was sometimes in the library doing research. I noticed that if other teachers supervising their classes or on planning period read, the students would read too. I noticed that when teachers did not read, the students were less likely to read. Like everything, teachers must set the example for the students so that students realize the importance of the reading program. -G. Vigneron
Stephen Krashen's Power of Reading uses research to explain why SSR programs are so important. He also notes the importance of EVERYONE in the school participating, including office staff, the principal, the janitor, and the teachers. By having everyone in the school participate, they are sending the message to the students that reading is important. That is a message we want to send to students today. -L. Weinstein
I understand the whole message of sustained silent reading, and I agree with it in the elementary years to encourage students to read. However, I feel like in junior high and high school, teacher only use it to have quiet time where they don't have to teach. I think for it to be effective the school really needs to send the message so that all students know to have something to read on that day. In my experience, teachers would just announce it randomly and would allow anything that could be read, including student written notes as long as everyone was quiet. -A. Barkauski
My son was required to have a book with him at all times in middle school for sustained silent reading. I was very happy with this program because he read about a book a week. The SSR period would get him started and if the book was good - he would finish it at home. He also became very familiar with the LRC and the Staff there. They often helped him find books in the genre that he liked. I considered this program a very positive experience for him. ~RSmall
Our school implemented SSR for about 4 years. It was hoped that this 25 minute period of reading would help raise PSAE (Prairie State Achievement Exam) test scores. It didn't. It became a 25 minute study hall every Wednesday morning. Teachers would make phone calls or use the extra time to help students with homework. When the new principal took over, it was one of the first things to be changed. - Brad Frey, Johnsburg High School
Because of pressure to do well on our state testing, our school does schedule in sustained silent reading. I try to do this in my classroom as regulary as possible, but I believe it is very important for students to spend more time reading on their own as long as they are reading at an appropriate level. E. Kilroy
I think SSR is an excellent program. I can't help wonder though whether any students would take advantage of this time to just "pretend" to read and actually just daydream the whole SSR time. If the teachers are also reading at the same time, how do you ensure that the reading materials that these students have are indeed appropriate for them? I am definitely a proponent of such program, but just wondering if anyone experienced any difficulties in students with SSR.... A.S
We have a silent reading period during the day. Usually this time is used to work on Accelerated Reader points. Because students have goals to work toward with Accelerated Reader, silent reading time usually runs pretty smoothly. If you are having trouble with students taking too much time at the bookshelf selecting books you may want to try this idea. This school year I provided each of my students with a cardboard magazine holder. I call these book boxes. Students are to find books to read for silent reading time in the morning before the bell rings and put these books in their book boxes. When silent reading time arrives, students simply take their book boxes to a certain spot in the room to read. At the end of the day or the next morning, students can trade their books for the next silent reading time. - Marcy Flessner
I was never a big fan of SSR, as it seemed a bit elementary for a high school classroom. I felt that my job was to teach the intricacies of language and literature in the many wonderful texts that have found their way onto the literary canon. A friend and I were talking, however, and he brought up the point that English teachers "spend all their time teaching students how to read, but never give them a chance to do so." This struck a chord with me, since the reality of the situation was that most of my students didn't read the texts I assigned, no matter how I tried to share the excitement of the texts. If I could get students to read 25 self-selected books a year on their own, wouldn't that be more beneficial than having them read the spark notes for four books a year? I figured it did, and since have made reading a huge part of my curriculum, including an ever growing classroom library, and time to read almost every day. 95 percent of my kids read whenever we are independently reading, and 70 percent of my kids have read at least 20 books this year on their own. I think that is a huge accomplishment. Luke A.
We have SSR during homeroom time in my middle school. Some students think of it as a chore, so I've started calling it reading pleasure time to put a more positive spin on it. It is very difficult to make students read. They may have a book open in front of them, but this does not mean they are reading. Some teachers insist that the students read novels only during this time. However, to encourage reading, I subscribe to the newspaper and allow that to be read. Reluctant readers look forward to getting the paper. T. Stilts
[edit] References and other links of interest
Fountas and Pinnell. Guiding Readers and Writers Grades 3-6 Teaching Comprehension, Genre, and Content Literacy Heinemann Publishing. 2001. p. 116-127.
