Madison Horeth

Honors in Elementary Education

Majors: Elementary Education and Psychology

Supervisor: Deborah Powell, Elementary Education

Back and Forth: A Look at the Controversy over Silent Reading

The National Reading Panel (2000) reported that there is little evidence in experimental research to support Sustained Silent Reading (SSR). This study surveyed 26 North Carolina literacy professors’ and 27 elementary teachers to better understand their perspectives on silent reading. The following three questions guided this study: (a) how important is silent reading? (b) why is silent reading important? and (c) what strategies and/or techniques do teachers and experts in the field recommend as effective for teaching students how to read silently? Of the literacy professors surveyed, 75% rated silent reading in the classroom as very important, while only 44% of elementary teachers gave it a rating of very important. A significant finding was that professors recommended a longer average period for daily silent reading in the classroom (30-59 minutes), than elementary teachers (15-25 minutes). Both groups viewed silent reading as a developmental skill with a gradual increase in sustain silent reading recommended across the grade levels. Teachers and professors alike believe that silent reading is a necessity for independent readers in the real world. In other words, silent reading is important in the elementary classroom so that students will be prepared to become adult readers. A variety of strategies and techniques to teach and engage children in silent reading were suggested by both groups, including teacher modeling, discussions of reading, setting a purpose, gaining student interest, and providing time in the classroom.