Building Reading Proficiency at the Secondary Level: A Guide to Resources

How effective is it?

Rating: Established

Published Reports, Evaluation Studies, and Summary of Effectiveness:
Since Hunt (1970) articulated Sustained Silent Reading, the practice has been widely adopted by individual teachers, schools and whole districts. Research, while substantive, has produced ambiguous results regarding the effectiveness of SSR. One explanation is that teachers and schools have made many adaptations (Nagy, Campenni, & Shaw, 2000). The National Reading Panel (2000) also reported a lack of positive relationship between independent reading programs and improvements in reading achievement.

Other research has shown positive effects for struggling secondary readers and linguistically diverse students. Holt and O'Tuel ( 1989) found significant improvements in reading achievement and attitude among seventh and eighth grade students reading two years below grade level after a 10-week program of SSR. Research with ESL students indicated positive gains on comprehension tests as well as frequency and enjoyment of reading after an 16-week period of SSR (Pilgreen & Krashen, 1993).

Holt, S.B. & O'Tuel, F.S. (1989). The effect of Sustained Silent Reading and Writing on achievement and attitudes of seventh and eighth grade students reading two years below grade level. Reading Improvement, 26 (4), 290-297.
Hunt, L.C.(1970). Six steps to the individualized reading program (IRP). Elementary English, 48, 27-32.
Nagy, N.M., Campenni, C.E., & Shaw, J.N. (2000). A survey of Sustained Silent Reading practices in seventh-grade classrooms. Reading Online. (WWW document) URL http://readingonline.org
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching Children to Read: An Evidence-Based assessment of the Scientific Research Literature on Reading and Its Implications for Reading Instruction. (WWW document) URL http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/nrp/smallbook.htm
Pilgreen, J. & Krashen, S. (1993, Fall). Sustained Silent Reading with English as a Second Language high school students: Impact on reading comprehension, reading frequency, and reading enjoyment. School Library Media Quarterly, 21-23.