The effects of sustained silent reading on middle school students' comprehension

In today's world ofhigh stakes testing and the ''No Child Left behind Act," instructional teaching time is at a premiwn. Having time for Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) in the middle school classroom is considered by many educators and administrators as a waste of instructional time. However, several educators are aware of the positive outcomes of SSR and feel that it is an important part ofliteracy curriculwn. SSR is an uninterrupted period of time during the day for students to read quietly. Six seventh grade students participated in a six week SSR research study. The data collected was through formal and informal assessments. What became clear is the benefit ofSSR for reading comprehension levels and the student's motivation to read all subjects. . It was most valuable for students to choose their own reading materials, have a comfortable setting, and not be held accountable for what they had read. While standards and testing are important in schools, it is equally as important for educators not to loose sight of practices that will inevitably help them to achieve those standards