English Language Arts and Reading.5.5

The student is expected to self-select text and read independently for a sustained period of time.

fluency and self-sustained reading TEKS talk image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking--self-sustained reading. The student reads grade-appropriate texts independently.

Support students in establishing personal goals for independent sustained reading. Have students select a text and read silently for an agreed-upon time. Note whether students are able to read independently for the designated time. Have students use a log, timer, or graph to track time across multiple reading sessions.

Note:

Designate checkpoints throughout the reading time and create incentives for students to continue reading. For example, every five minutes place a stamp, sticker, or check mark on the desk of those students who are engaged in reading.
 

Further Explanation

A student reader should have the skills and strategies necessary to navigate challenging ideas or vocabulary they encounter in a text and successfully progress through the text independently for a sustained period of time. Encourage students to gradually increase the length of time they read independently.

Grade-appropriate texts are texts the teacher determines the average student can read with little or no instructional support.
Student readers should have the skills and strategies necessary to navigate challenging ideas or vocabulary they encounter in those texts so they are able to progress through the text on their own for a sustained period of time without feeling the need to disengage from the material because they are struggling with too many concepts and require a teacher's assistance.
Reading independently using self-selected texts is an important part of students' reading proficiency. Students need to be familiar with various types of texts and their features to select texts for specific purposes.

Research

1. Donnelly, P. (2019). A new guide for guided reading: More guided, more reading. Practical Literacy, 24(1), 9–11. Retrieved from https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A571514230/PROF?u=tea&sid=PROF&xid=16fddd15

Summary: The focus of this article is guided reading, and it examines the benefits of self-selected reading in the development of reading motivation and comprehension. The authors provide a list for scaffolding complex texts. They also recommend teachers follow up on the reading of complex texts through guided, sustained discussions in order to increase the academic benefit from interpreting and reinterpreting texts. For many students, scaffolding complex texts will accelerate reading skills; self-selected sustained reading will consolidate them.

2. Daniels, E., & Steres, M. (2011). Examining the effects of a school-wide reading culture on the engagement of middle school students. Research in Middle Level Education, 35(2), 1–13. doi: 10.1080/19404476.2011.11462085

Summary:  In this study, reading is perceived as a school-wide priority. Students are allowed to select their own text and to read on their own. The study reveals it is more effective if students have access to literature at home as well.