Sustained silent reading for High School EFL students: class dynamics and students’ perceptions

Abstract

This qualitative study investigated the implementation of Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) for an EFL class in a public school in Bogotá. SSR is an extensive reading methodology that allows students to choose their own readings and read silently without the pressure of assessments. The research aimed to describe the dynamics that arise during its application with eleventh-grade students and collect their perceptions of the method. In order to accomplish this, I used grounded theory to analyze data collected through field notes, questionnaires, and observations. Findings suggest that while students faced some challenges during the implementation and struggled to adapt, many began to show increased engagement with reading in this novel methodology towards the end of it. Although there were some contrasts, students' perceptions of the methodology were mostly positive. The study discusses the challenges and opportunities in the implementation of SSR and draws three conclusions: (1) SSR can be successfully applied in any school context. (2) It is beneficial to improve students’ reading motivation. (3) SSR promotes learner’s autonomy. The investigation ends by acknowledging its limitations and offering recommendations for future research on alternative reading strategies in the Colombian EFL context