Sustained Silent Reading

Some people call it Sustained Silent Reading, or SSR for short. Others call it recreational reading or independent reading. Some have clever acronyms for it, such as DIRT (daily independent reading time) or DEAR (drop everything and read). Whatever it's called, many teachers set aside a block of time each day -- usually anywhere from ten to thirty minutes, depending on the grade level and the ability of the students -- for quiet reading. 

Sustained silent reading can serve many purposes:

• Most school reading is assigned reading. SSR offers students an opportunity to read material of their own choice.
• During SSR time, many students learn that they can use their word attack skills to figure out new words -- on their own!
• SSR can build students' confidence in their abilities to work through reading trouble spots.
• Many studies of whole-class groups and of select groups of unmotivated readers show that SSR can result in students wanting to reading more.
• The amount of time that students spend reading independently outside of school often increases as a result of SSR, parents report. Often children ask for books to read at home.
• SSR can be one more element in a reading program aimed at demonstrating the joy that reading can bring and developing lifelong readers and learners.