Attitudes and Behaviors Involved in Sustained Silent Reading

The study of Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) is relevant in every curricular area a student studies. All skills of comprehension are practiced when students participate in SSR, making it extremely valuable for a successful reading program. Students and teachers approach SSR differently, which creates different attitudes and behaviors with students when they approach SSR. This study is looking at a group of forty sixth graders in a rural community in Northwestern Minnesota. Through self surveying, conferencing, and teacher observation the different behaviors and attitudes of students measured creating a conclusion of how students respond differently depending on setting, book choice, and if SSR was being used as a punishment. The study focuses around the question of, How do student attitudes and behaviors during sustained silent reading time relate to student reading outcomes? This study creates an action of bringing a grade wide, leading to a school wide change, in having common practices in place for SSR. Keywords: Silent Sustained Reading (SSR