The Effects of Sustained Silent Reading and Sustained Silent Writing on the Reading Attitudes of Fourth Grade Students

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sustained silent reading and sustained silent writing on the reading attitudes of fourth grade students. The sample consisted of twenty-eight fourth grade students in a self-contained general classroom in a suburban community. Fourteen students made up the treatment group and fourteen students made up the control group. A modified form of the Estes Reading Attitude Scale was used as a pretreatment equivalency measure for both groups. The treatment group was involved with daily fifteen minute periods of sustained silent reading or sustained silent writing for a period of sixty school days. The control group was involved with daily fifteen minute periods of sustained silent reading for a period of sixty school days. Both groups were post tested using the same attitude scale. Data obtained from this measuring device was computer analyzed using a series of t tests. Results indicated that there is no statistically significant difference between the obtained mean scores on the Estes Attitude Scale for the treatment and control group.