8 Factors for SSR Success
Carl Leggo, a professor in UBC’s department of Language and Literacy Education, expressed his belief that SSR programs are very effective; “they might not meet the needs of all students all the time, but no program, or curricular plan, or pedagogical approach ever works for all students all the time” (CARL EMAIL). Of all the teacher candidates I questioned, from a range of specialties, the majority held the belief that SSR could be effective. Many stipulated, however, that the effectiveness of the program lies in the execution and expectations established by the teacher. All of the practicing teachers that I spoke with also supported the value of sustained silent reading programs, provided they are implemented properly.
After reviewing 32 free reading studies, Janice Pilgreen was able to identify 8 shared components of successful silent reading programs. Some of these factors were also mentioned in my discussions with practicing teachers and UBC teacher candidates.
- Access: Students must have access to books. This may mean collecting books and creating a classroom library. Teachers can also take their students to the school library, working collaboratively with the librarian to help students choose books. In one study Pilgreen looked at, teachers helped their students apply for library cards at the city library.
- Appeal: "Broadly defined, appeal means that reading materials are sufficiently interesting and provocative enough for students to want to read them" (Pilgreen 9). Part of the appeal of books also comes from choice; reading material is not assigned during SSR and students are free to read - within limitations of school and parental guidelines - whatever they choose. Students should be able to read from a wide variety of sources, types, and genres, as well as having options from different reading levels, so that everyone is able to find something that they like and that they can comprehend. At Hugh Boyd Secondary School, the Language Policy states that students are allowed to read in their first language, so having books in various languages may help with the appeal of SSR.
- Conducive Environment: Sustained silent reading should be silent. Reading time should be quiet and uninterrupted; this may mean having "Do Not Disturb" signs on doors or a bell timer set so that students will not be distracted by keeping track of when sustained silent reading period will end. This can also mean making classrooms more comfortable. Students can be invited to stretch out on the floor or teachers can have pillows or beanbag chairs for students to use when reading. In the textbook Teaching Literature to Adolescents, the authors ask teachers to consider “how good it feels to settle down in the coffee shop of your favorite bookstore, then create the same kind of atmosphere for your students” (33). Schools should create the experience of reading, presented to students as an activity of both value and necessity. On my short practicum, I asked students to record what they liked about their English class and one of the responses I received was, “the study of English with the company of food and drink in class.” It is true, isn’t it, that eating does not detract from the enjoyment of a good book? We often see adults sitting in Starbucks with a scone and their nose in a book. When SSR is associated with comfort and privileges – not rules – students are able to experience reading in the most satisfying and comfortable way possible.
- Encouragement: "Without encouragement to read, reluctant readers may never see what devoted readers already know: that reading can open doors for them in ways that no other activity can, that it's pleasurable, and that it can become a rewarding, lifetime habit" (12). Teacher participation in sustained silent reading time is an essential form of encouragement. Adult modelling of free reading provides students with a positive image and shows students that teachers value reading. Teachers can also work as a resource for students, making recommendations based on students' interest and having individual and classroom conversations after reading time. Introducing a social element can be very encouraging to students. If students share their books with their peers, they will witness other students enjoying reading and it will be viewed as an acceptable - and pleasurable - activity.
- Staff Training: It is really important that, if SSR is a school-wide activity, all teachers buy in and commit to the program. This can be done through staff training. The role of the teacher is an active one in SSR (denying the assumption that sustained silent reading is not actually teaching). Having workshops and presentations can improve the success of school-wide SSR programs.
- Non-Accountability: "The key to non-accountability... is to omit any activity that gives students the message that they are responsible for completing a task, comprehending a particular portion of their reading, or showing they have made improvement in some way" (15). Essentially, students should not feel any sort of obligation towards SSR; the reading should be purely for enjoyment. Students should not be assessed or evaluated on their sustained silent reading. However, there are activities that do engage and entertain students after SSR.
- Follow-Up Activities: Follow-up activities extend the excitement of reading a good book. Adults often discuss and recommend books they have read and these are the kinds of activities that should follow up SSR. This can involved teacher-to-student, student-to-student, and whole-class discussions. If some students have chosen to read the same book, they can have conversations about the story, similar to that of a book group. Book sharing could also be more creative, having students create something exciting to interest their classmates in what they have read; however, students should never feel that these activities are evaluative in nature.
- Distributed Time to Read: This is a question of how long should students be given to read and how often should SSR take place. In the studies Pilgreen looked at, readers were generally given between 15 and 30 minutes to read. The length of time given to read is less influential on student success than the frequency with which students are given SSR time. It must be often enough to make free reading a habit that will be carried over into the students' lives after school. "Making reading an habitual activity appeared to be a characteristic that differentiated the successful programs from the unsuccessful ones."