“Sustained Silent Reading: (SSR): A time set aside in the school day for uninterrupted, independent reading. Homework and conversation are not allowed during SSR periods. Variations on SSR include free voluntary reading (FVR); Uninterrupted Sustained Silent Reading (USSR); Positive Outcomes While Enjoying Reading (POWER); Daily Individual Reading Time (DIRT); Sustained Quiet Uninterrupted Reading Time (SQUIRT); and Drop Everything and Read (DEAR). See also silent reading. Contrast oral reading.”
Excerpted from: Ravitch, Diane. EdSpeak: A Glossary of Education Terms, Phrases, Buzzwords, and Jargon. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2007.