Reinvigorating Student Interest in Pleasure Reading
How to Build an Effective Sustained Silent Reading Program in the Classroom
Keywords:
Sustained silent readingAbstract
Pleasure reading has undergone a drastic decline among students while time spent on electronic devices has soared. In order to promote literacy in an age of digital entertainment, educators must reinvigorate student interest in reading for fun. Sustained silent reading is a promising tool to achieve that goal. SSR theorizes that students will experience reading as a pleasurable activity if provided the freedom to choose their own books and the ability to interact with those texts without summative assessments. Although there are many ways to structure SSR in the classroom, research shows that the most effective programs help students select books matching their ability level and interests, create opportunities for sharing with peers, integrate SSR with lesson planning, and promote teacher modeling of independent reading.
References
Bryan, G., Fawson, P. & Reutzel, D. (2003). Sustained Silent Reading: Exploring the Value of Literature Discussion with Three Non-Engaged Readers. Reading Research and Instruction, 43(1), 47-73.
Dickerson, K. (2015). Reimaging Reading: Creating a Classroom Culture That Embraces Independent Choice Reading. Perspectives on Urban Education, 12(1). Retrieved from https://www.urbanedjournal.org/archive/volume-12-issue-1-spring-2015/reimagining-reading-creating-classroom-culture-embraces-indepe
Fisher, D. (2004). Setting the opportunity to read standard: Resuscitating the SSR program in an urban high school. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 48(2), 138-150.
French, M. & Rumschlag, K. (2004). A Review of Students’ Text Selections in Sustained Silent Reading. The Language and Literacy Spectrum, 14, 62-70.
Garan, E. & DeVoogd, G. (2008). The Benefits of Sustained Silent Reading: Scientific Research and Common Sense Converge. The Reading Teacher, 62(4), 336-344.
Gardiner, S. (2001). Ten Minutes a Day for Silent Reading. Educational Leadership, 32-35.
Hunt, L. (1997). The effect of self-selection, interest, and motivation upon independent, instructional, and frustrational levels. The Reading Teacher, 50(4), 278-282.
Kelley, M. & Clausen-Grace, N. (2006). R5: The Sustained Silent Reading makeover that transformed readers. The Reading Teacher, 60(2), 148-156.
Krashen, S. (2006). Free reading. School Library Journal, 52(4): 42–45.
Lee, V. (2011). Becoming the Reading Mentor Our Adolescents Deserve: Developing a Successful Sustained Silent Reading Program. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 55(3), 209-218.
Loh, J. (2009). Teacher modeling: Its impact on an extensive reading program. Reading in a Foreign Language, 21(2), 93-118.
Methe, S. & Hintze, J. (2003). Evaluating Teacher Modeling as a Strategy to Increase Student Reading Behavior. School Psychology Review, 32(4), 617-623.
Morgan, D. & Wagner, C. (2013). What’s the Catch? Providing Reading Choice in a High School Classroom. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 56(8), 659-667.
Parr, J. & Maguiness, C. (2005). Removing the silent from SSR: Voluntary reading as social practice. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 49(2), 98-107.
Pilgreen, J.L. (2000). The SSR handbook: How to organize and manage a sustained silent reading program. Portsmouth, NH: Boyton/Cook.
Siah, P. & Kwok, W. (2010). The Value of Reading and the Effectiveness of Sustained Silent Reading. The Clearing House, 83(5), 168-174.
Twenge, J., Martin, G. & Spitzberg, B. (2018). Trends in U.S. Adolescents’ Media Use, 1976-2016: The Rise of Digital Media, the Decline of TV, and the (Near) Demise of Print. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 8(4), 329-345.
Williams, N., Nelson, K., Rasmussen, C., Alexander, M., & Ricks, A. (2017). Decreasing the Off-Task Behavior of Reluctant Adolescent Readers During Sustained Silent Reading Through Book Interest and Ability Matching. The Journal of the International Association of Special Education, 17(1), 40-50.
Dickerson, K. (2015). Reimaging Reading: Creating a Classroom Culture That Embraces Independent Choice Reading. Perspectives on Urban Education, 12(1). Retrieved from https://www.urbanedjournal.org/archive/volume-12-issue-1-spring-2015/reimagining-reading-creating-classroom-culture-embraces-indepe
Fisher, D. (2004). Setting the opportunity to read standard: Resuscitating the SSR program in an urban high school. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 48(2), 138-150.
French, M. & Rumschlag, K. (2004). A Review of Students’ Text Selections in Sustained Silent Reading. The Language and Literacy Spectrum, 14, 62-70.
Garan, E. & DeVoogd, G. (2008). The Benefits of Sustained Silent Reading: Scientific Research and Common Sense Converge. The Reading Teacher, 62(4), 336-344.
Gardiner, S. (2001). Ten Minutes a Day for Silent Reading. Educational Leadership, 32-35.
Hunt, L. (1997). The effect of self-selection, interest, and motivation upon independent, instructional, and frustrational levels. The Reading Teacher, 50(4), 278-282.
Kelley, M. & Clausen-Grace, N. (2006). R5: The Sustained Silent Reading makeover that transformed readers. The Reading Teacher, 60(2), 148-156.
Krashen, S. (2006). Free reading. School Library Journal, 52(4): 42–45.
Lee, V. (2011). Becoming the Reading Mentor Our Adolescents Deserve: Developing a Successful Sustained Silent Reading Program. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 55(3), 209-218.
Loh, J. (2009). Teacher modeling: Its impact on an extensive reading program. Reading in a Foreign Language, 21(2), 93-118.
Methe, S. & Hintze, J. (2003). Evaluating Teacher Modeling as a Strategy to Increase Student Reading Behavior. School Psychology Review, 32(4), 617-623.
Morgan, D. & Wagner, C. (2013). What’s the Catch? Providing Reading Choice in a High School Classroom. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 56(8), 659-667.
Parr, J. & Maguiness, C. (2005). Removing the silent from SSR: Voluntary reading as social practice. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 49(2), 98-107.
Pilgreen, J.L. (2000). The SSR handbook: How to organize and manage a sustained silent reading program. Portsmouth, NH: Boyton/Cook.
Siah, P. & Kwok, W. (2010). The Value of Reading and the Effectiveness of Sustained Silent Reading. The Clearing House, 83(5), 168-174.
Twenge, J., Martin, G. & Spitzberg, B. (2018). Trends in U.S. Adolescents’ Media Use, 1976-2016: The Rise of Digital Media, the Decline of TV, and the (Near) Demise of Print. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 8(4), 329-345.
Williams, N., Nelson, K., Rasmussen, C., Alexander, M., & Ricks, A. (2017). Decreasing the Off-Task Behavior of Reluctant Adolescent Readers During Sustained Silent Reading Through Book Interest and Ability Matching. The Journal of the International Association of Special Education, 17(1), 40-50.
Published
2020-10-16
How to Cite
O’Brien, D. (2020). Reinvigorating Student Interest in Pleasure Reading: How to Build an Effective Sustained Silent Reading Program in the Classroom. Learning to Teach Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Through Research and Practice, 9(1). Retrieved from https://openjournals.utoledo.edu/index.php/learningtoteach/article/view/391
Issue
Section
Section on Language Arts
