Introduction
Many elementary schools promote sustained silent reading time. In sustained silent reading, students read silently for a designated time period every day in school. It will usually last for about 20-30 minutes. They select their own reading material and are not asked to answer comprehension questions or write book reports. Sustained Silent Reading is based on the theory that the more a student reads, the better the student will comprehend what they are reading. This will lead to better attitudes about reading, higher test scores and a better vocabulary. Teachers devote class time to drop everything they are working on so the students will have a chance to stop and read quietly to themselves. The term was introduced back in 1960; the basic rules for SSR were initiated in 1971 by McCracken. Sustained silent reading comes in many different forms. Schools have various names for it such as DEAR ( Drop Everything And Read) , FVR (Free Voluntary Reading, DIRT (Daily Individual Reading Time); SQUIRT (Sustained Quiet Un-Interrupted Reading Time), WEB (We Enjoy Books), and USSR (uninterrupted sustained silent reading).According to many researches SSR(Sustained Silent Reading) helps improve reading skill, vocabulary and also helps a student’s attitude toward reading. However, there are just as many researchers and teachers who do not believe SSR works in the classroom. Reports indicate that there is no significant improvement in reading comprehension, fluency or attitudes towards reading.
Statement of the Problem
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Sustained Silent Reading on students in early elementary students. Two questions that I hope to answer through this study is “What i...
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On October 10th, 2017 at Springhurst Elementary School, I conducted a “Reading Interest Survey” and the “Elementary Reading Attitude Survey.” These surveys were conducted on a 1st grade student, Jax, to determine what his feelings are towards reading in different settings, what genres he prefers to read, and interests. It was found that Jax doesn’t mind reading, but prefers a few different topics. This was evident through his raw score of 30 on recreational reading, and a raw score of 31 on academic reading.
Reading is on the decline and our reading skills are declining right along with the amount of reading we do. This is happening right across the board through both genders, all age groups and education levels, people are busy and they just do not have time to read books that they are not required to read for school or work. There are serious consequences to this neglect of reading that will continue to worsen if ignored. We need to take notice of what is happening to our culture and stop this situation from continuing, we must act to correct these issues that we are faced with. These things are discussed in the essay “Staying Awake’’ by Ursula K. Le Guin who uses the NEA essays “To Read or Not to Read’’ and “Reading at Risk’’ to support her argument that there is a decline in the amount of time that we are spending on reading and our ability to understand what it is that we are reading.
Donald M. Murray, in this article entitled “Reading as a Reader” is talking about how reading is an unique, an essential, and a necessary aptitude for human beings in their society. While illustrating his point of view, the author stresses on the idea that our attitudes towards reading is directly linked to the systematic approaches we have while facing a article or a book. In this article, he said that: “If we approach a text believing that we are not readers, or that we can’t read, that attitude may make it more difficult for us to understand the challenging text.”(Murray, 2). Throughout those words, Murray emphasizes that we should consider the process of reading as a learning process, and as a way of deepening the capacity we have as readers. We should have an open-mind while engaging with a reading, and understand that it may always not be our fault if it comes that the text we are reading is difficult. In clear, it is all part of the process of improving ourselves. Then, Murray, in his well structured writing, portrays differents types of reading and also gives us some tips on how to approach them.
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When I was younger, I didn’t like reading much at all. I always questioned my teachers what was the purpose of reading; I never got an answer from either teacher until I was in the seventh grade. Starting junior high school was different from elementary. In seventh grade, we were in our reading class for two hours a day. I asked the teachers why didn’t we have the privilege to stay in our other classes for two hours; I never received an answer from my teachers.
While I believe every child is a reader, I do not believe every child will be enthralled with reading all the time. All students have the capability to read and enjoy reading, but just like any other hobby, interest will vary from student to student. The students in my classroom will be encouraged in their reading, be provided with choice, taught how books can take you into another world but, my students will not be forced to read. This paper will illustrate my philosophy of reading through the theories I relate to, the way I want to implement reading and writing curriculum, and the methods I will use motivate my students to read and help them become literate.
Every child deserves a positive, safe, nurturing, and stimulating learning environment where they will grow academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. My role as an educator is to provide my students with this type of environment as well as an education that will help them succeed academically and become life long learners. It is the responsibility of a literacy educator to provide students with this type of environment, but also to provide instruction that will help students become successful readers and writers. There are numerous programs and philosophies about literacy and reading. Through years of experience and research, one begins to develop their own creative approach on teaching these skills. After looking at different programs and seeing the positive and negatives of each, an integrated and balanced approach of literacy seems to be the best way to teach the differing needs of each student.
With her mom they just read to build her confidence, both methods are working for her. While in class reading was not as fun because most students read faster than her. During SSR she can read Minecraft which is small sentences to describe a
Reading and writing is a key part of everyone’s life. There has been some encouraging levels of reading development in primary school assessments. According to the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy report (2015), 95.5% of students achieve at or above the national minimum standard of reading. It is important to know effective ways to teach reading so children can become active problem solvers to enable them to read for meaning or for fun. Over the years, there has been a big amount of research into the most effective ways to teach reading skills to students. There are some systematically taught key skills and strategies that help achieve these levels of reading. Some of these skills include phonological awareness, phonemic awareness,
readers: A perspective for research and intervention ―[Electronic version]. Scientific Studies of Reading, 11(4), 289-312.
“The single most important activity for building knowledge for their eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children,” a report from 1985 by the commission
Many students have a hard time when it comes to reading. There are many reading inventions that can help students out. Reading inventions are strategies that help students who are having trouble reading. The interventions are techniques that can be used to assist in one on ones with students or working in small groups to help students become a better reader. Hannah is a student who seems to be struggling with many independent reading assignments. There can be many reasons that Hannah is struggling with the independent reading assignments. One of the reasons that Hannah can be struggling with is reading comprehension while she is reading on her on. Reading comprehension is when students are able to read something, they are able to process it and they are able to understand what the text is saying. According to article Evidence-based early reading practices within a response to intervention system, it was mentioned that research strategies that can use to help reading comprehension can include of activating the student’s background knowledge of the text, the teacher can have questions that the student answer while reading the text, having students draw conclusions from the text, having
Our readings reference many previously researched benefits of Interactive Reading which include (but certainly are not limited to) developing children's joy of learning, art of listening, vocabulary, concepts of print, patterns and structures of written language, understanding of different genres, oral language expression, and understanding of the components, structure, and function of narrative discourse, connection with others and the world. (Fisher et all, 2006, p. 8-16).
When the pages of a book is open, the reader is transported into a different place and time. Reading a book is a chance for a person to get away and take a break from the stress of school or work. In some elementary and middle schools, children have a period in the day that is dedicated for reading. That time is called sustained silent reading, also known as SSR. The students choose a book, sit for a period of time, and enjoy the book in their hand. The chance to be a superhero, spy, royalty, and so many more different characters is an experience many do not forget. In high school, the students do not get the chance to dive into a book during a school day; that is due to the lack of an SSR period in high school. The day of a high school student consists of taking notes, cramming for tests, and writing essays. If there is a break for the students, the time is spent doing homework or being on social media. Generally, students do not have time to read at home either due to a job or homework. Sustained Silent Reading