Accelerated Reader

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Accelerated Reader
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What is Accelerated Reader (AR)?

• Software that provides personalised reading
  practice and teachers with immediate,
  progress-monitoring feedback.
• Pupils take quizzes on books they have read to
  check their comprehension.
• Teachers can use information about those quizzes
  to guide pupils reading practice, in choosing
  books to read at appropriate levels, closely
  monitoring their progress and intervening with
  instruction when necessary.

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The Accelerated Reader Process

• Students take star test to find their reading
  age
• Each student has a ZPD (zone of proximal
  development) in
• order that their teachers can ensure that
  they are reading
• appropriate books suited to their ability
  level.
• Once a book has been read, students can take an
  online quiz.
• An instant TOPS report is produced for teachers
  (can also be
• emailed) to parents and provides the
  opportunity to praise
• students.
• Students scoring 100 in quizzes could be entered
  onto the
• leader board in the library and their names
  entered into a
• prize draw.

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Added impact

• Ask all students to complete an Attitude to
  Reading Survey before they begin Accelerated
  Reader.
• At the end of the first year, re-issue the
  survey. The changes in the amount of out of
  school reading and talking about reading will be
  the most noticeable.

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Key concepts for AR

• Its purpose is to enable powerful practice.
• A pupils ZPD represents the level of difficulty
  that is neither too hard nor too easy.
• A Book Level indicates the difficulty of text,
  not the maturity of content.
• Interest Level tells you for which year levels a
  books themes and ideas are appropriate.
• Points are assigned to a book based primarily on
  its length. The number of points a pupil earns
  tells you how much reading a pupil has done.
• The most important factor in accelerated reading
  growth is good comprehension.

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Why focus on Accelerated Reader?

• To raise attainment across the curriculum
• All evidence from student testing and research
  (24 years of AR) is that where tutors actively
  discuss reading progress, praise students and
  help students to choose the most appropriate
  books to read, then progress is greatest.

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Rewards for Students
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Possible Rewards!

• The 100 celebration board
• A prize draw every six weeks
• 2 X 20 high street vouchers of their choice
• 2 X 10 high street vouchers of their choice

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Possible Rewards!

• Half termly dedicated AR assemblies
• Individual students AR achievement is recognised
  in Honours assemblies
• Certificates for
• Most 100 quiz scores in a half termly period
• Students who maintained 85 or more as their
  average over a half term period.

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Maintaining momentum
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AR activities

• Quizzing and participation results are shared
  with tutors, year groups and English groups
• Diagnostic reports are given to tutors and
  English team twice termly
• Tutors are trained in the use of diagnostic
  reports.
• Each year 7, 8 and 9 English class has one lesson
  timetabled into the library per fortnight.

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Individual student diagnostic reports

• In discussion with students, parents and carers
  diagnostic reports offer opportunities for
• Praise for progress in reading and participation
  in the AR programme
• Commenting on progress or concerns in attitude,
  enthusiasm, quiz marks, level of books read
• Giving help at home.

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Further information

• www.renlearn.co.uk