SSR or Silent Sustained Reading is something that you should include in your classroom daily as it:

• Improves reading stamina
• Provides students with enjoyment
• Improves test scores
• Increases confidence

Improves reading stamina

It’s true that students lack the stamina needed to read during the state testing. Too often, students become weary after reading long passages and begin to simply click on the answers to finish quickly.

Providing students with SSR time will give them opportunities to sit and read quietly for a period of time.

Provides students with enjoyment

Students who lack enjoyment begin to appreciate reading more during SSR time. The one rule to remember during this time is that we are not mandating what they should read. We are allowing them to choose their own books for SSR. Some may begin reading a book only to swap it out during the process, and this is something that should be allowed. Some students do not enjoy reading because they have yet to find the right genre fit for themselves. Our class libraries should have a variety so that students may choose any genre and be able to sample a variety of different books and authors.

Improves test scores

Having students read on a daily basis in your classroom has a huge impact on test scores at the end of the year. SSR gives them the opportunity to practice what they have been learning in the classroom. It also builds their background knowledge for making inferences and connections that they otherwise would not be able to do. I wrote not too long ago about my experience with improving my students test scores and increasing their Lexile levels. You can find that article here.

Increases confidence

Lastly, SSR increases a student’s confidence in reading. Many of my students do like to choose the lower Lexile books for themselves, but if their understanding is there then so is their comprehension of the text. Students need wins. Some students who struggle with comprehension find that graphic novels with the pictures help them to understand the dialogue. As their confidence increases, so does their ability to take chances in the classroom where learning is concerned. Some students who were apprehensive about writing became bolder when given the opportunity to combine what they love to read with what they are writing about in the classroom.

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