English Language Arts and Reading.7.4

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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.

Task students with selecting a text and reading silently. Observe and note whether students are able to read independently for a sustained period of time. Consider having students use a stopwatch or timer, enter times in their reading logs, and graph reading times across multiple reading sessions.

Some readers may need help selecting text. They may also need to be given specific tasks such as reading for pre-determined amount of time and then jotting down a note about what they read.
 

Further Explanation

This assessment requires students to choose an appropriate text they can read without assistance. As students learn more about various types of texts and their features, they should use this knowledge while selecting texts for specific purposes. Students improve their ability to focus on and read text with experience. Student readers also develop the skills and strategies necessary to navigate challenging ideas or vocabulary they encounter in a text in order to successfully progress through the text on their own for a sustained period of time. Although reading skills develop as students receive more instruction and have more experiences with text, students should be able to self-select a text and read independently for a sustained period of time based on interest alone starting at the beginning of the school year.

Grade-appropriate texts are texts the teacher determines the average student can read with little or no instructional support.
Reading independently using self-selected texts is an important part of students' reading proficiency. Students need to be familiar with various texts and their features to read for specific purposes. Students should have the skills and strategies necessary to navigate challenging ideas or vocabulary so they are able to progress through those texts on their own for a sustained period of time. Students at this grade might reread, identify context clues, or consider the text structure to guide understanding and retention of important ideas. Student readers should not feel the need to disengage from the material because they are struggling with too many concepts and require a teacher's assistance.
a text that a student identifies and chooses to read for independent reading

Research

Garan, E. M., & DeVoogd, G. (2008). The benefits of sustained silent reading: Scientific research and common sense converge. The Reading Teacher, 62(4), 336–344. doi:10.1598/RT.62.4.6

Summary: Garan and DeVoogd offer an overview of the benefits that sustained silent reading (SSR) brings to the classroom. The article includes a brief discussion related to the debate on the use of SSR and provides creative ideas for its full implementation in the classroom. Teachers learn how to use SSR as common practice.