These quizzes may be available in Spanish or read-aloud versions. It checks if the student has read the book and understands it. Kids usually take their quizzes in the classroom or library during the designated reading time. Students usually stay in a ZPD range for a set time, like one marking period.
At the end of that time, students take a minute reading assessment. Learn about other ways to help kids find books to read independently. Kids earn points for every book they read.
For example, a 3-point book may be a short, somewhat easier choice. A point book would be longer and more challenging. Teachers set specific goals for each student. They include a target number of points, goals for reading comprehension, and difficulty of material. Kids are expected to reach their individual goals within the marking period or other set time. These are used to motivate students during the next time period. Students can also earn points when they take the quiz for each book.
They have to get a score of at least 80 to pass. But if they score higher than 60 percent, they get a fraction of the total points they could earn from it. The teacher can change the books a child may select at any step in the process. The quizzes, though, are usually only available to teachers and school districts using the program. The personalized approach of AR might benefit some kids who struggle with reading.
They may also like choosing and reading books that match their interests and abilities. Some educators have reservations, though. Here are concerns about the program and kids who learn and think differently.
AR quizzes might not suit all abilities. They generally ask kids to recall rote or basic details about what they read. This can be very hard for some kids who struggle with focus and working memory. Some teachers give out reading prizes even though AR recommends not to.
They might give out prizes to students who reach their point goals in front of other kids. This can lead to unfair competition among students. And it can make struggling readers feel even more pressure to fill their quota. Frequent quizzing can cause test anxiety. That may make it even more difficult for struggling readers to find pleasure in reading. Educators: Consider alternative assessments. AR offers another type of quiz that checks for comprehension.
Kids might also take the quiz orally instead of online. More broadly, you can also read about structured literacy , a research-based approach to teaching reading. Who are the characters?
This can help kids think through the book. Many schools halt any effort to foster reading at key stage 4, in part because of the dent AR leaves in their budgets.
But what improvement might we see across the curriculum if we truly valued collective reading over data harvesting? Accelerated Reader supports the central relationship between teacher and student. Software cannot and should not replace that. We agree that students endlessly quizzing can simply produce spreadsheet data, and this is why the teacher and librarian are so important. Schools should use data to understand where their students are and as a jumping off point to discuss books and suggest new ones.
Reading in a space which is not effectively supervised like the one Shivan describes is unlikely to be effective. But we never prescribe or restrict choice. We want teachers and librarians to be able to suggest new texts based on what students would enjoy and what would stretch them.
Happily, schools that adopt Accelerated Reader buy more books, lend more books and make the role of librarian even more important. Well said Shivam Davis! As a retired Ks1 teacher I remember the joy of shared reading and the excited realisation when a child had become Reading Ready.
There then followed a steady process in which children discovered the written word and using it as a key to access an exciting medium of communication, information and magic!! Teaching professionals experienced in guiding children through the pathways of reading do not need the the evidence of testing. Constant testing is time consuming and may only confirm what the experienced teacher already knows. Shared storytime with all Primary aged children at the end of the day is an activity which I do miss.
Happy and stress-free reading to everyone! Joanna Shardlow. There should be a list of mandatory literature for all year groups to read. I disagree. AR is fine if it is used appropriately. Parents are encouraged to be proactive to achieve this. School lessons are not used exclusively for AR, although there are obviously some slots of time that they do read independently, whole lessons do not revolve around AR. My son reads a wide range of books on the system and the school celebrate his reading with certificates.
The children who need more support receive it, as the teachers are able to identify the children who are doing fine and do not need so much help. Lessons are used to look at texts in depth and read as a group.
Maybe some teachers are using AR to replace teaching when it should only be used to encourage independent reading. My sons have had great success using AR, but their school uses it to their advantage instead of allowing it to constrict reading. Read alouds are used at school and at home and students can still earn points for that.
My boys love the light competition of earning points, but also have developed a love of reading and read books that do not have quizzes if they want.
We only take ZPD as a suggestion and barely let it guide our choices. This only works if quality read alouds are used to provide a more well-rounded reading diet. Just as I am allowed to modify recipe instructions when preparing a meal, we mold AR to benefit us and not to let it dominate our reading lives. Parents must participate in developing readers. Extremely damaging application in the wrong hands and I say this from experience.
When she started the program she flew through it. But then a teacher humiliated her in frnt of the class and dropped her from 3. With support and complaining she clawed back those levels. But the damage was done. Subsequently she has now been on level 4.
Our school does not use the program how it should be used. Books are allowed to be looked at for the answers. Children are not given a range of levels to read from. And this 3 book pass system resets so they never really get the chance to move up. We have no say as parents with regards to this system being used with our children or not. The experience of a good teacher should never be dismissed over a computer program. They all reported that AR sucked the pleasure out of reading, and to them it became a chore that they only completed the required minutes of.
But can they focus on one when they have a whole class to watch? As there were weekly leader boards the rewarded reading behaviours seemed to be speed and competitiveness and cheating rather than immersion or comprehension, or any degree of critical engagement. I was trained in other literacy strategies; in particular Reciprocal Reading which involves small groups of readers working closely with a TA or other trained adult and focuses on four key reading skills prediction, questioning, clarification , summarising.
Whichever reading scheme they were engaged in, children loved the library -the independence of going along to change their books, the browsing, the positive interactions they experienced, the clubs that took place there — but after I left, I heard the school closed the library altogether.
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