What Teachers Should Do During Independent Reading

Independent reading has long been a staple of literacy instruction. Whether it is called DEAR (Drop Everything and Read), Sustained Silent Reading (SSR), or independent reading, many classrooms dedicate time each day for students to engage with text.

In a recent article, I explored the idea that independent reading should be viewed as more than a quiet classroom routine. When used intentionally, it becomes an opportunity not only for students to practice reading but also for teachers to learn more about their readers.

That raises an important question:

What should teachers be doing during independent reading?

For many educators, independent reading can feel like a rare opportunity to catch up on tasks that compete for attention throughout the day. Emails need responses. Papers need grading. Materials need preparation.

The challenge is that independent reading may be one of the most valuable opportunities in the literacy block for learning about readers.

Independent Reading Gives Teachers a Window Into Student Thinking

Formal assessments provide important information, but they only tell part of the story.

Independent reading offers a different type of data. The National Council of Teachers of English describes independent reading as protected instructional time that includes student choice, access to a wide range of books, and support within a reading community. NCTE also emphasizes that teachers remain part of that support system through conferring, modeling, and book talks (National Council of Teachers of English [NCTE], n.d.). Research further suggests that motivation, self-efficacy, and reading engagement are connected to comprehension and reading growth (Guthrie et al., 2012).

During reading time, teachers can observe:

·        How students select books

·        Whether students remain engaged

·        How students respond to challenging text

·        What students understand

·        How students talk about reading

·        The strategies students use when comprehension breaks down

These observations often reveal information that cannot be captured through a multiple-choice assessment or a benchmark score.

For example, a student may score well on a benchmark assessment but struggle to sustain attention during independent reading. Another student may appear disengaged but demonstrate strong comprehension when given the opportunity to discuss the text. Independent reading provides a unique window into these differences.

When we sit beside a student and ask a few thoughtful questions, we gain insight into how that student experiences reading.

Four Things Teachers Can Learn

1. What Students Understand

A student may appear engaged with a book, but appearances can be deceiving.

A brief conversation can quickly reveal the depth of a student’s understanding.

Consider asking:

·        Tell me what is happening in your book so far.

·        What is the most important idea you’ve learned?

·        What surprised you?

·        What are you thinking about as you read?

Student responses often provide valuable information about comprehension, background knowledge, and engagement.

2. How Students Approach Difficult Text

Every reader encounters challenges.

The question is what they do when those challenges occur.

Some students reread.

Some skip difficult sections.

Some rely on context clues.

Others simply stop reading.

Observing these behaviors helps teachers identify which students may need additional support and which strategies may require explicit instruction. When readers believe they can succeed and have strategies to fall back on, they are more likely to persist through challenge (Guthrie et al., 2012).

3. Whether Students Are Choosing Appropriate Texts

Book selection can significantly influence a student’s reading experience.

Some students consistently choose books that are far below their reading ability. Others select texts that are so difficult they struggle to make meaning from them.

Independent reading conferences provide opportunities to discuss text selection and help students make choices that support both success and growth. NCTE notes that student choice is essential because it motivates, engages, and reaches a wide variety of readers (NCTE, n.d.).

4. How Students Feel About Reading

One of the most overlooked aspects of independent reading is reading identity.

Teachers often know students’ reading scores. They may know less about how students view themselves as readers.

Questions such as:

·        What kinds of books do you enjoy?

·        What has been your favorite book this year?

·        What makes reading difficult?

·        What makes a book enjoyable?

can reveal important information about motivation, confidence, and engagement.

Understanding how students feel about reading is often just as important as understanding how well they read. Research shows that reading motivation, self-efficacy, and value for reading are related to achievement and growth in comprehension (Guthrie et al., 2012).

Small Conferences Matter

Conferencing does not need to be complicated.

A simple structure can guide productive conversations.

Listen

Invite students to talk about their reading.

Notice

Pay attention to reading behaviors, engagement, and comprehension.

Ask

Use questions to explore student thinking.

Respond

Provide encouragement, clarification, or support based on what you learn.

Even a two-minute conference can provide information that helps shape future instruction. NCTE identifies small-group and one-to-one conferences as important supports for independent reading (NCTE, n.d.).

Not Every Student Every Day

One common misconception is that effective conferencing requires meeting with every student during every reading block.

It doesn’t.

In fact, conferencing with just two or three students each day can provide meaningful information over the course of a week.

Small, consistent interactions often produce more useful information than occasional lengthy conferences.

The goal is not perfection.

The goal is to develop a clearer understanding of readers over time.

Moving Forward

Independent reading gives students an opportunity to practice reading.

It also gives teachers an opportunity to learn about readers.

When teachers use independent reading to observe, listen, question, and respond, reading time becomes more than a classroom routine. It becomes a valuable source of instructional information.

As you think about your next independent reading block, consider this question:

What might you learn if you spent ten minutes intentionally observing and conferencing with readers?

This week, try one simple conference routine and notice what it reveals.

You may discover that a few purposeful conversations provide insights that no assessment report can fully capture.

References

Guthrie, J. T., Wigfield, A., Barbosa, P., Perencevich, K. C., Taboada, A., Davis, M. H., & Tonks, S. (2012). Engaging and motivating children to read: Long-term and short-term consequences of reading engagement. In J. T. Guthrie, A. Wigfield, & P. D. Pearson (Eds.), Handbook of reading research (Vol. 4, pp. 424–448). Routledge.

National Council of Teachers of English. (n.d.). Statement on independent reading. https://ncte.org/statement/independent-reading/