The Effects of the Sustained Silent Reading Program on Cultivating Students' Habits and Attitudes in Reading Books for Leisure

Instilling a Lifelong Love of Reading

“…Known by many different acronyms-such as DEAR (Drop Everything and Read), USSR (Uninterrupted Silent Sustained Reading), and SQUIRT (Sustained Quiet Uninterrupted Reading Time)-the idea of independent, free-choice reading has been around since the late 1960s (Pilgreen 2000). A large number of studies support the use of SSR as a way to improve reading attitudes and to help students see reading as a pleasurable activity (Chua 2008). In contrast, many teachers and administrators reject SSR because they view the time as recreational rather than educational.…”

Effect of book reading method upon attitudes of students towards learning and reading habit

“…There are several scientific studies indicating that attitudes towards reading had an important role upon acquiring reading habit, and success during both academic and business life (Kırmızı Susar et al, 2014;Broeder and Stokmans, 2013;Keskin, 2013;Warren-Kring and Waren, 2009;Kaniuka, 2009;Chua, 2008). However, there have also been several studies that proved no correlation between reading habit with positive attitudes or academic success (Vehovec et al, 2014;Pecorari et al, 2012;Petscher, 2010;Siah and Kwok, 2010;Yılmaz and Benli, 2010;Odabaş et al, 2008;Tel et al, 2007).…”

“…However, there have also been several studies that proved no correlation between reading habit with positive attitudes or academic success (Vehovec et al, 2014;Pecorari et al, 2012;Petscher, 2010;Siah and Kwok, 2010;Yılmaz and Benli, 2010;Odabaş et al, 2008;Tel et al, 2007). Unwillingness towards reading if not assigned and the reasons why the attitudes towards reading do not redound on reading (Kanmaz and Saracaloğlu, 2012;Pala and Yıldız, 2012;Bağcı, 2010;Balcı, 2009;Chua, 2008;Roberts and Wilson, 2006;Atay, 2004;Bozkurt and Serin, 2003) are often attributed to the fact that who decides what to be read in and out of school, overlapping quality of what to be read and what liked to be read, whether the social environment has the reading habit and the value attributed to reading (Broeder and Stokmans, 2013;Conradi et al, 2013;Yılmaz and Benli, 2010). However, this positive affective reaction towards reading (Mckenna and Kear, 1990) not only actualizes through the effect of aforementioned variables but also can be provided to be acquired and maintained through positive reading experience individuals acquire within a program (Davis, 2010).…”

Independent Reading: Perspectives and Practices of Highly Effective Teachers

“…Although encouraging students' self‐management, these teachers acknowledge that providing students with unsupervised reading time may not prompt the learning opportunities they envision. A number of researchers have noted the need for teachers to monitor and support students' independent reading behavior as students develop abilities to engage with reading (Chua, ; Parr & Maguiness, ).…”