Sustained silent reading: Exploring the value of literature discussion with three non‐engaged readers

Abstract

Silent Sustained Reading (SSR) or some related form of silent, independent reading practice has been incorporated into the daily reading routines of many classrooms and schools across the nation. However, we, like other educators have discovered that simply providing all students the time to self‐select their own books and read silently did not guarantee that they would actually engage in silent reading. In fact, many schools have discontinued using SSR because some students are not engaged in reading during SSR time. This study used a multiple‐baseline across‐subjects research design to investigate the impact of literary discussions on the engagement of three fourth‐grade non‐engaged readers during SSR. While additional studies are required to produce generalizable findings, teachers should be aware that non‐engaged readers benefit from participation in short, teacher or adult‐led literary discussions during SSR time.