It’s one of those questions that comes up in teacher lounges, professional development sessions, and literacy team meetings: “Is there a place for sustained silent reading in the school day?”
If you’ve been teaching for any length of time, you know exactly what I’m talking about—those 15-20 minutes where everyone (teacher included) reads silently. Maybe you call it DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) or SSR in your school. It seems so intuitive, right? Kids learn to read by reading. So dedicating time to independent reading must be valuable.
But when it comes to sustained silent reading, things get complicated—and that’s where I want to help you navigate the research without feeling overwhelmed.
What the Research Actually Tells Us
Let me start with what might feel like a bold statement: the research doesn’t actually support using instructional time for traditional sustained silent reading.
I know, I know. This might contradict what you’ve been told or what feels right intuitively. But hear me out.
The National Reading Panel—after reviewing hundreds of studies—found insufficient research to support using instructional time for sustained silent reading. This doesn’t mean independent reading is bad. Far from it! But it does raise important questions about how we’re using our limited instructional time with students.
Why might this be the case? Well, it likely comes down to a chicken-and-egg situation. Good readers tend to read more during independent reading time than struggling readers. But is it because they’re naturally drawn to reading more? Or does reading more make them better readers? The research suggests the former: when we can do something well, we’re motivated to keep doing it.
As Lacey Robinson, CEO of UnboundEd, puts it: “Everybody has a right to learn to read and write… I don’t want them to love [it]. I want them to know how to do it. Love comes later.” She’s expressing healthy skepticism about whether students who struggle with reading will find joy in extended periods of sustained silent reading. The love of reading often follows skill, not the other way around.
Better Alternatives to Traditional Approaches
Before you feel discouraged about sustained silent reading, I want to be clear: there IS research supporting reading volume—the amount of time children spend reading and the number of words they read. Especially for students who are already reading fluently, higher reading volume absolutely has benefits.
The key difference is HOW we approach this volume of reading. Rather than traditional independent reading where students choose any book (which often leads to abandoned books, pretend reading, or minimal comprehension), we can be more intentional.
Here are two powerful alternatives that ARE supported by research:
1. Text Sets: Building Knowledge Through Connected Reading
Text sets are collections of texts focused on a specific topic students are studying. Think about it this way: when your second graders are learning about weather patterns in science, you gather books, articles, poems, and even multimedia resources all about weather.
This approach does something magical that sustained silent reading often misses—it builds both vocabulary AND knowledge simultaneously.
The beauty of text sets is their flexibility. Students can read them during:
- Subject blocks
- Transition times
- Centers or stations
- Homework
And here’s an important distinction I want you to consider: topics versus themes. When organizing text sets, focusing on topics (like the Revolutionary War or extreme weather) is more effective than themes (like friendship or communities). Why? Because topic-focused reading builds connected knowledge and vocabulary that sticks, while thematic reading often jumps between unrelated concepts.
2. Full-Length Connected Texts: Depth and Extension
Similar to text sets, full-length texts can support learning when they connect to topics students are studying. These might be:
- Fiction novels set during a historical period they’re studying
- Nonfiction books that deepen their understanding of a science concept
- Poetry collections related to cultural studies
For example, if your class is studying medieval times, they might read an informational text about social class systems or a novel set in that period. The key is connection—these aren’t random independent reading choices but purposeful extensions of classroom learning.
Making the Transition: Practical Steps
If you’ve been implementing sustained silent reading for years, I understand this might feel like a big shift. So let me offer some practical ways to transition:
- Start small: Replace one sustained silent reading session per week with a text set connected to your current unit of study.
- Make it engaging: Include a variety of text types and reading levels so all students can access the content.
- Be transparent with students: Explain why you’re shifting from “read whatever you want” to “let’s all read about this fascinating topic.” Frame it as an exploration, not a restriction.
- Consider your readers: For students still developing foundational skills, traditional independent reading might not be the best use of time. These students need explicit instruction and practice with accuracy, not extended periods of struggle.
- Track the difference: Notice how student conversations become richer when they’re all reading about connected topics rather than disparate books.
What About the Joy of Reading?
You might be wondering, “But when do kids just get to read for fun if we move away from sustained silent reading?” It’s a valid question!
Remember that the goal isn’t to eliminate enjoyable reading—it’s to maximize instructional time. Encouraging reading for pleasure at home, during lunch, or other non-instructional times remains important.
And here’s the beautiful thing: as students become more skilled readers through effective instruction rather than unstructured independent reading time, they’re more likely to choose reading for pleasure outside of school. Success breeds motivation.
The Bottom Line on Reading Time
The best way to maximize instructional time is with instruction. That might sound obvious, but it’s worth repeating. If our goal is to help all students become strong, confident readers—especially those who struggle—we need to be intentional about how we use every minute.
Traditional sustained silent reading doesn’t have strong research behind it, but reading volume through connected text sets and full-length texts does. By making this shift, you’re not taking away students’ reading time—you’re enhancing it with purpose and connection.
And ultimately, that’s what effective literacy instruction is all about: purposeful approaches that lead to skilled, confident readers who choose to read because they can, and because they find joy in it—the very goal that sustained silent reading programs have always aimed for, just through a more research-backed approach.
Join your fellow educators who’ve discovered their reading teacher personality type with our 5-minute quiz! Whether you’re a Balanced Literacy Believer, Reflective Researcher, Evolving Educator, or Science of Reading Specialist, you’ll receive supportive insights and the option for detailed resources tailored to your profile. We’re all working toward the same goal—helping every child become a confident reader!
Additional Resources
For those days when you need a deeper dive, here are the professional books I’ve highlighted, sticky-noted, and revisited throughout my years of supporting young readers.
- The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America’s Broken Education System–and How to Fix it by Natalie Wexler
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