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The Benefits of Independent Choice Reading For Secondary School Students

Dana Woodbury
20 October 2015

Prepared for
Professor Sarah Orme
Brigham Young University - Idaho

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Dana Woodbury
Professor Sarah Orme
English 352
24 October 2015
The Benefits of Independent Choice Reading For Secondary School Students
As a parent of two current secondary school students, I have witnessed many groans
when having to complete dreaded reading assignments of disliked books. Additionally, my sons
love of reading was inhibited by all the required books he did not like and the slow process of
students taking turns reading aloud in the classroom. He had been rated as one of the highest
achieving readers of his school while in fourth and fifth grades, but the next year, that level
dropped significantly. He reported that reading was now boring. In contrast, my daughter
returned home from the first day of school this year to announce with a big smile and
exclamation point emphasis that her English teacher would be letting them pick most of their
own reading books, and I was pleasantly surprised. As I learned more about what the teacher
was requiring and the reasoning behind this decision, I was even more impressed. This teacher
had determined through trial and error what generated most of her students to enjoy reading,
which actually then led to increased reading test scores (Smith). The benefits of reading for an
individual, which can combine to affect society as a whole, have been proven to be important
and worth promoting (Paul; Roth).
Having students able to choose books that are interesting to them will more likely
influence their continued reading habits. Independent choice reading should be an important part
of a secondary school English teachers curriculum, as it will positively affect society as a whole,
the students themselves, as well as testing scores.

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Independent choice reading, as identified in this paper, refers to students who are able to
choose their own books to read, with parental and teacher oversight. This can be combined with
traditional reading curriculums by adding an element of choice for the student, but most
significant results will come through homework reading. Accountability, encouragement of
different genres, and reporting are also components.
Literacys Importance for Society
The desire to have a literate population is nothing new. The founders of our country
considered the ability to read important. The early colonists of New England brought along
Bibles, on which most based their lives and their society. In Melvin Braggs The Adventure of
English, he shares how important literacy was to these early settlers. The New England Primer
sold over three million copies in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries This was a society
with a very high regard for literacy. Every settlement of fifty people had to provide a teacher to
ensure that children could read and write. (152). Early emphasis on literacy in our nation was
one important component to its eventual success and world leadership. Today, literacy education
is mandated for our youth in our public education system, as literate individuals are more able to
function well in society and provide adequately for their families. Finding the correct methods to
turn that mandate into something desirable for our youth is important to its success. Are our
current methods working?
A report on the status of the countrys literacy levels was published in 2007 by The
National Endowment of the Arts, entitled To Read or Not to Read - A Question of National
Consequence. It was shown that while reading improvement has been made for elementary

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readers, they noted the opposite trend for the rest of us. Dana Giora, Chairman of the National
Endowment of the Arts, shared this in his Preface of the report:
There is a general decline in reading among teenage and adult AmericansThese
negative trends have more than literary importance the declines have
demonstrable social, economic, cultural and civic implications. As Americans,
especially younger Americans, read less, they read less well. Because they read
less well, they have lower levels of academic achievement Poor reading skills
correlate heavily with lack of employment, lower wages, and fewer opportunities
for advancement (Iyengarj 5).
The report showed specifically that reading scores for 9 year-olds have greatly improved in later
years, but the trend for 17 year-olds has significantly declined (fig. 1).

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Fig. 1. Trend in Average Reading

Scores for Students Ages 17 and 9. Iyengar, Sunil, comp. To
Read Or Not To Read. [Electronic Resource] A Question Of National Consequence. n.p.:
Washington, DC : National Endowment for the Arts, [2007], 2007. BYU-Idaho Catalog.
Web. 24 Oct. 2015.
This trend showing the difference between the 9 and 17 year-olds may reflect the broader
differences in the academic and social climate of those groups (Iyengar 12). Could poor
curriculum choices be influencing this downturn in secondary schools? This downward trend
for secondary school students is concerning our educators, and different methods and
curriculums to effect change are being tried. However, some secondary school teaching methods
to promote reading and provide intervention for struggling students are not working (Arkanoff,
abstract; Pennington).
Literacy for the population is shown to have direct impact for education and careers. With
todays dependence on smart phones and computers, if youth do not have a desire to read, they
will find plenty of other options to fill in their time. Missing out on the knowledge and
understanding gained from reading makes our individuals and society poorer. Helping these
secondary school students find the interest and desire to read on their own is key.

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Bernice E. Cullinan, in a study reported in the research journal of the American
Association of School Librarians, shared more reasons why reading is important. She defined
voluntary reading and the consequences when it does not happen.
Voluntary reading involves personal choice, reading widely from a variety of
sources, and choosing what one reads. Aliterates, people who have the ability to
read but choose not to, miss just as much as those who cannot read at all.
Individuals read to live life to its fullest, to earn a living, to understand what is
going on in the world, and to benefit from the accumulated knowledge of
civilization (1).
Voluntary or independent choice reading, as part of a secondary schools curriculum, is one way
that can help reverse the problem of declining reading scores and engage students to enjoy
reading. Offering this element of choice to allow students to choose their own books can lead a
student to find ones that they like. This can often create an emotional connection, which brings
satisfaction and validation to the student. When reading becomes something enjoyable, students
are more likely to continue doing it, as the rewards are sweet.
Benefits of Reading for the Student
The importance of reading for our entire society has been discussed, but what about for
the student himself? First of all, there are physical benefits to reading on our brains. In 2009,
Mark Roth of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, reported on a study done by Carnegie Mellon
University scientists, Marcel Just and Timothy Keller. They concluded white matter in the brain
could physically change through reading intervention and practice. Dr. Guinevere Eden, of
Georgetown University and president of the International Dyslexia Association, commented in
the article, Now we have a study that shows that when you train kids in reading, you change

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their white matter to where it should be. And that helps show that anybody who has acquired
literacy will manifest different brain anatomy and physiology than non-readers (Roth). This
was proven to be the case even with those who had learning disabilities.
Studies have also proven that reading fiction can help the reader understand anothers
perspective, consider new ideas, and work out complex problems. Annie Murphy Paul wrote an
opinion article for the New York Times regarding this research. She discovered that [t]he
braindoes not make much of a distinction between reading about an experience and
encountering it in real life; in each case, the same neurological regions are stimulated (Paul).
Paul shares other study conclusions that individuals who frequently read fiction seem to be
better able to understand other people, empathize with them and see the world from their
perspective (Paul). This type of understanding can help you reach out to others in need as well
as improving interactions socially and to succeed in a career. Learning from the life experience
of others, whether real or fiction, can only benefit students hoping to avoid the same pitfalls, as
they are more aware of consequences before making choices.
Students Still Need Required Books in Addition to Independent Choice Reading
While independent reading choice clearly can make a difference in skill and
comprehension, providing exposure to important cultural and classical books, as well as
understanding their context, should still be an important part of a teachers reading curriculum.
Many students would shy away from certain books, such as Orwells 1984 or Sinclairs The
Jungle. But these books have importance in our cultural history. Gaining an appreciation of
poetry and Shakespeare, for instance, opens new ways to view our world and relationships. An
emotional connection can still be found in literature hundreds of years old that students would
not be exposed to if they werent initially required to read it. In fact, Nicole Mulvey, a high

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school student who is an avid reader, reported that some required reading directed her to books
that are now her favorites. One classroom experience she felt was enriching included reading a
required book, and then reading a book of her choice in the same genre. A report was required
comparing the two books (Mulvey). Allowing students a choice from a group of books is
another smart method that a teacher could include to get students to invest more fully in the
assignment.
We can conclude that reading is important to an individual and society, and that there is a
decline in the reading habits of older students and adults. Moving forward, finding the correct
mix in methods and curriculum to reverse the trend is needed. One answer proposed is to
include independent reading choice for secondary students to help them develop an enjoyment
and habit of reading that can continue throughout their life. This will naturally lead to better
testing scores, as reading practice makes a difference.
Independent Choice Reading and Testing Scores
A teachers goal is to utilize methods and curriculum that will increase a students
knowledge and application skills. There are an abundance of viewpoints about what works best,
as well as countless studies. Public schools, teachers, and students are increasingly pressured to
show improved testing scores. Curriculums and even school calendars are designed to promote
higher test results. But is all this emphasis being directed correctly?
Secondary school English teachers have been trained to use methods with students such
as reading classic literature with written chapter reports, filling out worksheets, classroom reada-longs, small group discussions, and more. While having their place to help with
comprehension and provide context, these methods alone may not induce an enjoyment of
reading or higher test scores.

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Retelsdorf, Koller, and Mollers study, entitled On the Effects of Motivation of Reading
Performance Growth in Secondary School, articulated the unique effects of reading motivation
on reading performance (abstract). They measured the motivation (such as reading enjoyment
and competition) in self-answered questionnaires, as well as cognitive skills by testing. They
concluded that reading for a persons interest showed a positive effect on reading performance
growth. As is commonly evident, some teens resist learning when they feel forced to complete
assignments they do not have an interest in. This study shows that attitude does matter.
A Teachers Experience
Finding out what could help her students become better readers, as well as getting class
reading test scores up, concerned an Arizona secondary English teacher, Dayna Smith. She has
chronicled in two blogs entitled Paradigm Shifts and Paradigm Shift II the process she went
through to get the results she wanted while teaching 7th and 8th grade students, beginning in 2008
(Smith). Her experience and ideas are shared here, but her early struggles would be familiar to
any current secondary English teacher in the country.
As a teacher with a M.Ed. degree and five years experience, she was teaching the way
the district had trained her and the way she herself had experienced learning (quizzes, vocabulary
tests, group discussions, book reports, etc.). However, she was frustrated by the lack of
improvement in the states AIMS (Arizonas Instrument to Measure Standards) test for her
classes. After reading the book The Reading Zone by Nancy Atwell, which advocated ways to
help students become avid readers, she thought it made sense in a perfect environment, but it
would not work in her type of classes, where students of all reading levels and abilities attended.
When another year passed with no testing improvement, she decided something new needed to
be tried. She came up with a plan and presented it to her administration. It was agreed that she

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could trial it with her honors class, but because of the success, it encompassed all of her classes
by the next year.
Smiths plan began with her purchase of some used books to make a classroom library for
independent choice reading. With parental approval to use the library, or whatever books were
chosen at home, students were required to read 30 minutes outside of class (honors students were
required 40 minutes). Daily journaling and sometimes group reporting of that reading
experience is part of the daily classroom structure. The reporting and reading are a part of the
grading class requirements. Picking books in different genres is encouraged and a point system
for this set up, which also corresponds to a grade. Whole class novel study is continued, with
books from Dickens, Shakespeare, and others. These are utilized to improve understanding and
exposure to great literature. The importance of mixing independent reading, reporting,
encouraging new genres, whole class novels, as well as other necessary instruction is of utmost
importance. Finding the proper mix that will engage the youth and facilitate learning is key.
Following are the results of Smiths curriculum adjustments.
Previous to her first experiment in requiring independent choice reading outside of class
for her honors students, her AIMS test score for that class hovered around 84%. With the
reading added, which included no other curriculum change, the class score achieved 90%. By
the end of 2013, all of her 7th and 8th grade classes were achieving between 94-97%, as compared
to their previous 82%. Other desirable results also occurred, such as spontaneous book
discussions among excited students, an organized book club, and continued communication
between Smith and previous students about book recommendations. Smiths goal to create a
class of readers which would bring high test scores was achieved (Smith).

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As is evident, there are many options available for teachers to combine independent
reading choices and current classroom curriculums. Testing is a proven method to evaluate what
the student is learning, but if educating is only done to induce better testing scores, then we are
still missing something valuable. If we want youth to continue the positive habit of reading, they
will only do that if they find reading enjoyable. Some secondary English classes, however, turn
what should be engaging material into drudge work, and turn students off of independent
reading.
The Problem with Some Free Choice Methods
Some educators may assume independent choice reading is the same thing as Silent,
Sustained Reading (SSR), but there are differences. SSR is a common method employed in
many classrooms, and some schools as a whole. Students and sometimes even the teacher
are asked to stop their other activities and read silently at a specific time and length each day a
book of their choice. Mark Pennington, an MA Reading Specialist, shares why this has not been
successful in his experience. Included in his reasoning are the following points: 1) Reading
Research Does Not Support SSR; 2) There is Not Enough Class Time For SSR; 3) Free Choice
Reading in SSR Does Not Maximize Reading Development; 4) SSR is Not Teaching; 5) SSR
Provides No Opportunity for Reader Response; and 6) SSR Turns Recreational Reading into a
School Thing (Pennington). These are notable reasons why SSR alone is not a successful
teaching method. Independent choice reading is typically done outside of general instruction
time or at home, which allows the reader to find the optimal situation and time to read for
enjoyment.
Independent choice reading could refute all of Roths disagreeable characteristics of SSR
(Roth). The research does support that the more students read, the more their skills increase, as

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well as test scores (Smith). Typically, independent choice reading would be mainly done outside
of class time, but still be required for daily reporting and grading. Techniques should be used in
the classroom to facilitate the sharing of reading experiences and the exploring of different
genres. The goal is to make recreational reading something fulfilling and desirable. There are so
many engaging books out there and sometimes all a student needs to spark a life-long habit is to
find one book that matches their interest and style.
Conclusion
Inspiring a love of learning and reading should be a goal of every teacher. Independent
choice reading is a way to accomplish that goal. With voluntary reading and testing scores
declining, some changes need to be made to curriculum choices for secondary students.
Independent choice reading should be an important part of these changes, as making students
into readers will elevate our entire society, the student, and testing scores.

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Works Cited
Arkanoff, R.A. Improving Reading For Secondary Students Through a Focused Program
Emphasizing Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary and Comprehension: An Action Research
Study. Order No. 3623260. Capella University, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2014.
Web. 10 October 2015.
Bragg, Melvyn. The Adventure of English: The Biography of a Language. New York: Arcade
Pub. :, 2004. Print.
Cullinan, Bernice E. "Independent Reading and School Achievement." School Library Media
Research 3 (2000): n. pag. Print.
Iyengar, Sunil, comp. To Read Or Not To Read. [Electronic Resource] A Question Of
National Consequence. n.p.: Washington, DC : National Endowment for the Arts, [2007],
2007. BYU-Idaho Catalog. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.
Mulvey, Nicole. Personal Interview. 20 October 2015.
Paul, Annie Murphy. "Your brain on fiction." The New York Times 2012: 6. Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.
Pennington, Mark. "Why Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) Doesn't Work." Web log post.
Pennington Publishing Blog. Pennington Publishing, 25 June 2011. Web. 10 Oct. 2015.
Retelsdorf, Jan, Olaf Kller, and Jens Mller. "On The Effects Of Motivation On Reading
Performance Growth In Secondary School." Learning & Instruction 21.4 (2011): 550559. Academic Search Premier. Web. 10 Oct. 2015.
Roth, Mark. "Learning, adaptation can change brain connections, CMU researchers say."
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA) 10 Dec. 2009: Newspaper Source. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.
Smith, Dayna. Miss Dayna's Blog. Blogspot, 2014. Web. 8 Oct. 2015.