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Running Head: SILENT SUSTAINED READINGS EFFECT ON READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS

Silent Sustained Readings Effect on Reading Comprehension Skills Devon C. Banks North Carolina State University

Running Head: SILENT SUSTAINED READINGS EFFECT ON READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS

Abstract In an eighth-grade Language Arts classroom setting, the effects of a silent sustained reading program on students reading comprehension skills were studied. Sixty-eight students participated in a silent sustained reading program which consisted of ten minutes of silent reading at the beginning of each Language Arts class. Students were able to select their own independent reading novels and were required to read an additional twenty minutes each night. Another component of the study involved a class blog, which fostered communication about each students individual reading novel. Students were required to respond to two blog postings describing their novel and describing which character they would like to be and explaining why they made that decision. Collected data involved student responses to the blog, student interviews, as well as STAR and Accelerated Reader tests. At the completion of the study, it was determined that the ten minutes of silent reading did in fact slightly improve students reading comprehension abilities.

Running Head: SILENT SUSTAINED READINGS EFFECT ON READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS

I. Introduction I have always been curious as to how to increase my eighth-grade students reading comprehension skills while they read novels independently. Ive discussed this topic with colleagues and everyone seems to have their own ideas and opinions as to what really gets students reading and comprehending what they have read. My teammate and I implemented silent sustained reading during the previous school year as a way to get students motivated to read. I didnt really think about the effects of the program until the beginning of the following school year. There hasnt been a vast amount of research done on the effectiveness of silent sustained reading programs which causes some teachers to be hesitant to begin a program in their classroom. Garan and Devoogd (2007) elaborated on previous studies and statements made by the National Reading Panel: First, as consumers of research, teachers must understand that the NRP did not find that SSR is ineffective. Nowhere did the report state that having children read in school is a bad idea. What it claimed was that there were not enough studies meeting the panels methodological requirements to draw any conclusions. (336) With that being said, I thought it would be helpful and thought-provoking to investigate the effect of a silent sustained reading program in my classroom.

Rationale: This school year, the focus at my charter middle school shifted to reading. My coworkers and I have been working together on strategies to improve students reading scores and abilities on state mandated tests. Were holding one-on-one reading sessions with a reading

Running Head: SILENT SUSTAINED READINGS EFFECT ON READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS

specialist and are now incorporating SRA Reading Laboratory programs for struggling readers. With the new push for improving reading comprehension skills, I began to wonder what I could do in my own classroom to reach all of my students and help improve their reading comprehension skills. I thought back to the previous school year when my teammate and I introduced a silent sustained reading program into our Language Arts classes. My main interest then was getting reluctant readers to read, so now, I wanted to monitor what effect a silent sustained reading program would have on students reading comprehension skills. I was reassured that beginning a silent sustained reading program would not be a waste of class time, as I found several other studies focusing on the benefits of silent reading in the classroom. Steve Gardiner (2001) instilled a silent sustained reading program in his classroom for several years and has seen continued success among his students. Gardiner (2001) attributes his silent sustained reading program to helping motivate readers, as well as improving overall reading comprehension abilities and expanding students vocabulary (35). My hopes for this study was to determine if ten minutes of silent reading each day had any effect on students reading comprehension ability. Teacher Research Process: While my eighth-grade students were currently busy working on a writing assignment, I didnt want them to forget about reading. Each student was instructed to select an independent novel of their choice to read until it was time to begin our next in-class text. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to begin my teacher research study. The guiding question for my research project is: How does implementing a silent sustained reading program effect reading

Running Head: SILENT SUSTAINED READINGS EFFECT ON READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS

comprehension skills? I began providing ten minutes of silent sustained reading to my students at the beginning of each class. I selected ten minutes as Gardiners study, as well as others, suggested ten minutes as an appropriate allotment of time. Nancie Atwell (1998), a renowned middle grades educator, feels strongly that students should have the opportunity to select their own novels which reassured my decision to allow students to select their own novel. Allowing readers to select their own books has a major impact on students fluency, reading rate, and comprehension (37). I instructed my students to select their own independent novel and also required students to read a minimum of twenty minutes each night at home. In addition to the silent sustained reading program, I also started a class blog. Each of my Language Arts classes now has their own website in which we use for blogging purposes and to incorporate 21st century learning skills. I introduced the blog to students before their fall break and instructed them that they were to respond to my two blog posts. The first post instructed students to summarize their independent reading book thus far. Students described the setting, characters, and the plot. The second post asked students to describe which character they would be in the novel and why. The blog will serve as a collaboration and communication method for my students to discuss their independent reading novels.

II. Methodology

Prior to beginning the study, students took STAR reading tests, along with Accelerated Reader quizzes which will serve as preliminary data. STAR reading tests provide students and teachers with detailed information on students reading level and ability. The STAR reading test

Running Head: SILENT SUSTAINED READINGS EFFECT ON READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS also supplied each student with an approximate grade level in which they are currently reading on. Accelerated Reader quizzes are short quizzes that students take at the completion of a novel. The questions are generally lower-level thinking questions and require students to recognize specific details and examples from the novel, as well as the overall theme of a text. The methods of data collection used throughout the duration of the study ranged from student interviews to using Accelerated Reader tests.

Two weeks into the silent sustained reading program, I distributed notecards to both of my Language Arts classes. Students were asked to write a positive or negative statement regarding the ten minutes of reading each day. This same notecard activity was repeated at the completion of the study. As the study progressed, I interviewed several students to get their personal opinion of the silent sustained reading program. I asked students questions to help determine their perception of the silent sustained reading program, and whether or not it was having an impact on their reading comprehension skills. Sample questions that were asked to students included:

Do you enjoy the ten minutes of silent reading each morning? Do you feel as if the time spent reading silently impacts your reading ability? What would you change, if anything, about the sustained silent reading program?

At the completion of the study, each student was required to take an Accelerated Reader quiz on their independent reading book. Students also took the STAR reading test at the conclusion of the study. The Accelerated Reader quizzes and STAR reading test will be compared to the tests and quizzes taken at the beginning of the school year. As a means of incorporating technology and 21st century learning skills into my study, I also created a class

Running Head: SILENT SUSTAINED READINGS EFFECT ON READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS blog for both of my Language Arts classes. While students were on fall break, they were required to post to the blog several times. The blog topics were reader response based questions that required students to discuss and describe their independent reading novel. Students had to respond to the blog postings in regards to their independent reading novels.

I collected and analyzed data throughout the teacher research process. I began to interview students and record their responses to questions asking their opinion on the silent sustained reading program. Student responses allowed me to adjust my study and also guided my further questions for future student interviews. As I analyzed my data, I found it helpful to organize the various data I collected into two groups: qualitative and quantitative data. My qualitative data consisted of student interview responses, student feedback written on notecards, and student responses to the blog postings. Throughout the analysis process, I often reread student responses to obtain further insight on the effect that the increased reading time was having on their outlook of reading and their reading comprehension skills. My quantitative data consisted of Accelerated Reader quizzes and STAR reading tests. I recorded the new quiz and test scores and then compared the scores to determine the progress from the beginning of the study. I determined a class average for the overall Accelerated Reader quizzes and compared it to an average from the beginning of the school year. I also calculated an approximate average reading level using the two STAR reading tests. After completing several methods of data analysis, a few common threads began to appear. The qualitative data was very similar. Most all students stated that they thoroughly enjoyed the silent sustained reading each day. Listed below is a sample of student comments that they made during student interviews and on their notecards:

Running Head: SILENT SUSTAINED READINGS EFFECT ON READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS I do enjoy the silent reading time because it is a time to cool down from the morning hustle and it is a time I can read and not be bothered by other things. I enjoy the silent reading because it helps me focus on what I am reading, because a lot of times, I am in a loud area and its hard to concentrate. I enjoy the ten minutes of silent reading because I love to read. I wish we had more time to read during school. Students commented on the silence and peacefulness of the classroom as key characteristics that helped them focus on their reading. Most all students agreed that they felt this was a helpful way to begin class each day. Students also commented on the increased amount of time they spent reading; both in class and outside of class. Some students felt that the increased amount of time reading was helping them become better, stronger readers. In an article describing research done on silent sustained reading programs, Beverly Nichols (2009) states, Research has repeatedly shown a correlation between the amount of time spent reading and overall reading achievement, including vocabulary and fluency (47). I agree in that the more students read, the better reader they will become. Students blog responses displayed their high interest in their independent novels. Students responded to two posts that asked them to summarize their independent reading book and describe a character that they would like to be. A sampling of student responses to the prompt asking students to describe a character they would like to be is listed below: Over Fall Break, I read the book "For One More Day", by Mith Albom. There are about three main characters in the entire book, there are only a few other supporting characters. I think the character I would choose to be is Posey Benetto. She is actually deceased, but her son is granted one more day with her; something I think we would all want with a

Running Head: SILENT SUSTAINED READINGS EFFECT ON READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS deceased loved one. So, as you explore the life of her son throughout the book, you also learn a lot about Posey herself. She was a brave, tenacious, confident and incredibly beautiful woman. She always stayed a good mother and even when the whole town looked down on her for getting a divorce, she kept her head up and did whatever she wanted to. One time, she was at the front door of a neighbor's house when her son wandered to the backyard and was confronted by a growling and vicious dog. Posey ran to save her child, and for good measure, started barking and growling back at the dog! She explained to her son that you have to show them who's in charge. To me, Posey seems to be a caring, quirky and somewhat fierce role model. In my book I would like to be Pat Tillman. I would be him because of his amazing athletic skills, particularly in football. Playing football in college, and the NFL is something that I hope to achieve, but the likeliness, is not very high. Pat plays in college, and is given the chance to play in the NFL. If I were him, I would have chosen to play in the NFl, and not enlist in the Army. Also Pat being a linebacker, the position that I play, and love to play due to the fact that I get to hit and tackle really hard, would be another reason I would like to be him. I am reading the book Uglies by Scott Westerfield. If I could be any character in this book, I would probably want to be Shay. Shay is very strong, and brave. She isn't like everyone else in Uglyville. She doesn't want to become a pretty. She likes being different, and she doesn't like the fact that Pretties are all the same. I like Shay because she sticks to her opinions, and it doesn't matter what anyone else says, because her opinions won't change. Shay is very courageous, and she would go against the rules to do something that she feels is right.

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Running Head: SILENT SUSTAINED READINGS EFFECT ON READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS

A few common threads were visible after analyzing the quantitative data. After reviewing the Accelerated Reader quizzes, it was evident that students who love to read already, took several Accelerated Reader tests throughout the course of the research studymore than the required amount. Students that were reading above grade level selected more advanced, challenging novels and did very well on the Accelerated Reader test. Lower readers were also selecting books more appropriate for their grade level and experienced success with these novels. The quantitative data displayed that students reading books above their grade level did not do as well on the Accelerated Reader tests. This suggests that students may need more teacher and classroom support in order to be successful on their independent reading novels. Listed below, Table 1 displays a random sample of students Accelerated Reader and STAR reading tests taken at the beginning and end of the research study.

Table 1-Sample of ten students results from beginning and end of study Student G.E. Deterimined by STAR Test 1 G.E. Determined by STAR Test 2 Accelerated Reader Quiz 1 100% 60% 90% 90% 100% 100% 60% 90% 100% 70% Accelerated Reader Quiz 2

A B C D E F G H I J

90%

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Running Head: SILENT SUSTAINED READINGS EFFECT ON READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS After compiling and reviewing the Accelerated Reader quizzes and STAR reading tests, it was clear that students scores increased after several weeks of the silent sustained reading program. The average of the two classes which consist of thirty four students each had an average of 89.6% on the Accelerated Reader quizzes taken prior to the silent sustained reading program. Upon completion of the study and their independent reading book, the new average for the two classes was 90%. This was only a slight increase and would be difficult to tell if the small margin of increase was due to the silent sustained reading program. The STAR reading test grade equivalent was averaging to be a 9th grade reading level prior to the silent sustained reading program. After completing the study, the new average was a 10th grade reading level. Overall, I was generally pleased with the outcome of this study. While I would have like to have seen higher scores and a greater margin of improvement, I think the scores are fairly high to begin with. One significant improvement I did find was with my lower level readers. At the beginning of the school year, students took the STAR reading test and 20% of my eighth-graders were identified to be reading below an eighth-grade reading level. At the beginning of the second quarter and also the completion of my research study, only 17% were reading below grade level. Wu and Samuels suggest that the silent sustained reading program can increase poor readers reading abilities: Data analysis found that more time spent reading had a significant effect on achievement compared to a control condition where less time was allocated for independent reading. In addition, results found that poor readers showed significantly greater gains in word recognition and vocabulary than good readers. (3) This is a slight improvement, but I plan on continuing the silent sustained reading program with hopes of increased improvements. According to the STAR reading test taken at the completion

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Running Head: SILENT SUSTAINED READINGS EFFECT ON READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS of my study, 75% of my students either increased their reading level or their reading level remained the same.

IV. Discussion Ive always been interested in silent sustained reading programs and have been curious as to what effect they have on students reading comprehension skills, if any. If the program has little to no effect on students reading ability, then it may not be the best use of class time. There has been little research completed on the effectiveness of a silent sustained research program. However, after completing my research study, I am confident in the benefits of a silent sustained reading program. Simply adding a few minutes of silent reading each day can increase the amount of time spent reading, which can help increase reading fluency, as well as reading comprehension. I feel strongly that one necessary component of a successful silent sustained reading program is a quiet classroom where everyone, including the teacher, is reading. According to Nichols (2009), a teacher that reads during a silent sustained reading program models active reading and can serve as a guide to students. Nichols (2009) also suggests the many benefits of a lasting silent sustained reading program by stating, The program is of sufficient duration to make an impact. Those programs that lasted six months or more had the greatest effect. Researchers indicate it may take four to five months to get students engaged in the process (47). My students only participated in the silent sustained reading program for six weeks, and I think there may have been greater improvement if the study was conducted over a longer period of time. Another interesting component of some silent sustained reading programs is parental involvement. In a study tasked with discovering the effectiveness of silent sustained reading

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Running Head: SILENT SUSTAINED READINGS EFFECT ON READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS programs, Kwok and Siah (2010) concluded that the high involvement of parents in their childrens reading activities would cultivate in their children a positive value of reading. These children might be more likely to enjoy and gain benefits from SSR than children who did not hold such value of reading (173). Children that come from homes where reading is not valued may not benefit as much from participating in a silent sustained reading program. In order to get parents more involved in reading, teachers could offer a book buddy program in which the parent and child read and discuss the same novel. This study consisted of implementing a silent sustained reading program that can be easily implemented into a classroom of any grade level. Some teachers may be hesitant to implement such a program as it takes away from class time, and one may not fully realize the benefits of the program. All teachers want their students to be successful readers and it takes time and practice to learn and master the art of reading. Providing an extra few minutes of silent reading each day can help students increase the amount of time they spend reading, as well as increase their reading comprehension abilities. Completing this study has helped me become more confident in my ideas and teaching methods. My students were incredibly cooperative and assisted in the study by providing their honest opinion. Students also taught me that they will read, but they need the time and a quiet room to do it in.

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Running Head: SILENT SUSTAINED READINGS EFFECT ON READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS References Atwell, N. (1998). In the middle: new understanding about writing, reading, and learning. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Garan, E. M., & DeVoogd, G. (2008). The benefits of sustained silent reading: scientific research and common sense converge. Reading Teacher, 62(4), 336-344. Gardiner, S. (2001). Ten minutes a day for silent reading. Educational Leadership, 59(2), 32. Nichols, B. W. (2009). What does the research tell us about silent sustained reading?. Library Media Connection, 27(6), 47.

Siah, P., & Kwok, W. (2010). The value of reading and the effectiveness of sustained silent

reading. The Clearing House, 83(5), 168-174.

Wu, Y., & Samuels, S.J. (2004, May). How the amount of time spent on independent reading affects reading achievement: a response to the national reading panel. Paper presented at the 49th annual convention of the international reading association, Lake Tahoe, NV.