Download - The Power of Silent Sustained Reading
The Power of SSR (Sustained Silent Reading)An Opportunity to Make a Positive Impact on
NCS Students’ Future Academic and Personal Success
Reading Is a Skill Ask any sports coach, the orchestra teacher,
the debate club sponsor, the dance instructor, or a chess champion.
What do I do to become good at something?
Answer:PRACTICE
Students Are Not Doing Enough Reading in SchoolLess than one third of 13 year-olds are daily readers, a 14
percent decline from 20 years earlierThe percentage of 13 year-olds who read for fun on a daily
basis declined from 35% to 30%, and for 17 year-olds the decline way from 33% to 22%.
On average, Americans ages 15-24 years-old spend almost two hours a day watching television, and only 7 minutes of their leisure time on reading.
Nearly 50 percent of all Americans ages15-24 years old do NOT read books for pleasureSource: Gallagher, Kelly. Readicide: How Schools are Killing
Reading and What You Can Do About It. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers, 2009: p. 41
Why Is SSR a Valuable Investment?1. Students who read the most for fun score
highest on standardized reading tests.
Source: Ibid., pg. 35
Why Is SSR a Valuable Investment?2. Students who read the most for fun also had
the highest writing scores.
Source: Ibid., pg. 36
Reading as a leisure activity is the best predictor of comprehension, vocabulary, and reading speed.
Students who do the most recreational reading become the best readers.
Source: “The Power of Reading: Enhanced SSR.” www.miami.k12.ok.us/downloads/ssr.ppt.
The only kind of reading that relates to higher academic performance was novel reading, which predicted better grades in English classes and higher overall grade point averages.
Source: “The Power of Reading: Enhanced SSR.” www.miami.k12.ok.us/downloads/ssr.ppt
How Does SSR Succeed Over Curriculum-Based Instruction?
1. It improves their vocabulary.
Students learn an average of 45 words with each novel they read.
Source: “The Power of Reading: Enhanced SSR.” www.miami.k12.ok.us/downloads/ssr.ppt
Word Meaning is picked up 10 times faster by reading than intensive vocabulary instruction.
Source: “The Power of Reading: Enhanced SSR.” www.miami.k12.ok.us/downloads/ssr.ppt
It improves their writing. Both style and complexity of sentence structure is increased as the amount of reading increases.
NCS Lower School Library Research
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 3500
20
40
60
80
100
120
f(x) = 0.0197328832146123 x + 50.1228637282951R² = 0.00113678938164052
IN %
IN %Linear (IN %)
# of Books Checked Out
Stan
ines
NCS Lower School Library Research
How Does SSR Develop Reading Strategies?As they read, students:
Recall prior knowledge before, during, and after reading to glean understanding
Engage in questioning before, during, and after reading to clarify understanding and focus their energy
Activate sensory images to deepen their understanding of the text
Determine what is important (main point vs. details)Infer to predict, draw conclusions, make judgments, and form
unique interpretations from the textNetwork new information with existing knowledge to create
original ideas and interpretations and make critical evaluationsOvercome comprehension problems by consciously and
independently applying appropriate strategies
What are the Best SSR Conditions: Research FindingsIncreasing the amount of reading material
available to students dramatically increased their reading achievement. Choice is a motivator.
Source : Garan, Elaine and Devoogd, Glenn. “The Benefits of Silent Sustained Reading: Scientific Research and Common sense Coverage.” Reading Teacher vol. 62 (December 2008): p. 336-344
Monitored vs. Unmonitored SSRShould Students be left to read unmonitored?
If a teacher permits students to read as she sits at her desk and reads too, will children actually read? Some research supports that they will. Other
research suggests that many students won’t and that some teacher monitoring may actually enhance students’ comprehension of and their appreciation for literature.
Source: Ibid., p. 341
An Appealing Physical EnvironmentTeens reported that “an appealing physical
environment (a comfortable and well lit space with access to books and without access to television and video games) motivated them to read.”Source: Krashen, Steve D. The Power of
Reading: Insights from Research. 2nd edition. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 2004, P. 63
The presence of a peer reading community is an extremely significant factor in encouraging and maintaining the pleasure reading habit. Many teens describe a cyclical relationship between friends and pleasure reading. Teens read the same materials as their friends are able to participate in conversations about their reading and exchange books which further strengthen friendships, and firmly establishes group membership.Source: Howard, Vivian., “Most of the Books I’ve
Read, I’ve found on the Floor: Teens and Pleasure Reading.” VOYA (October 2009): p. 301
How Can Faculty Members Support SSR
Preempt Avoidance Behaviors
- Remind Students to bring a book to SSR- Place a time limit on selecting a book- Remind them to use the restroom before they come
to SSR- Tell them that the book that they choose will have to
be the one for the duration of SSR
Practice DEAR when the opportunity arises
DEAR: Stands for Drop Everything and Read
When: extended homerooms, after a test, etc.
Sources: Gallagher, Kelly. Readicide: How Schools are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It.
Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers, 2009: p. 41 Garan, Elaine and Devoogd, Glenn. “The Benefits of Silent Sustained Reading: Scientific
Research and Common sense Coverage.” Reading Teacher vol. 62 (December 2008): p. 336-344
Howard, Vivian., “Most of the Books I’ve Read, I’ve found on the Floor: Teens and Pleasure Reading.” VOYA (October 2009): p. 301
Krashen, Steve D. The Power of Reading: Insights from Research. 2nd edition. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 2004, P. 63
Krashen, Steve D. Anything But Reading: Insights from Research. 2nd Edition. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2004.
“The Power of Reading: Enhanced SSR”. www.miami.k12.ok.us/downloads.ssr.ppt. Accessed 1/6/2010.
Rich, Motoko. “In Web Age, Library Job Gets Update.” New York Times (Feb. 16, 2009): p. 1-3
Rich, Motoko. “Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading?” New York Times (July 27, 2008): p. 1-6
Rich, Motoko. “Students Get New Reading Assignment: Pick Book You Like.” New York Times (August 29, 2009): p. 1-6