Can Johnny Have Time to Read?

We may need to remind ourselves frequently of the nature and benefits of naturalistic or holistic reading activities. Otherwise, reading programs tend to become so laden with objectives and structure that readers have little time to sustain their own interests, employ their own strengths and create their own needs. One realistic means of exploring and preserving the positive impact of intensified free reading in the classroom may be to alternate between structured and holistic approaches. Adaptation of a Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) approach is discussed as one alternative to the strict structure-bound model.