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

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f(x) = 0.0197328832146123 x + 50.1228637282951R² = 0.00113678938164052

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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