All students in year 7 will be using the Accelerated Reader program as part of their English curriculum. They are expected to read for 20 minutes every day as part of their English homework. It is essential they keep up this good practice and the benefits they will receive will pay dividends for years to come in all areas of their studies.
What Is Accelerated Reader?
Accelerated Reader is a computer program that helps teachers manage and monitor student’s independent reading practice. Your son chooses a book at his own level and reads it at his own pace. When finished, your child takes a short quiz on the computer. (Passing the quiz is an indication that your child understood what was read.) Accelerated Reader gives both children and teachers feedback based on the quiz results.
Students choose a library book in their lesson from a selection of over 11,000. There is something for everyone.
Books are colour coded into age groups to avoid choosing inappropriate content
Interest Level Year Level
MY – Middle Years Ages 9-13 BLUE
MY+ – Middle Years Plus Ages 12 and above BLUE
UY – Upper Years Ages 14 and above ORANGE
How much will my child read during the day?
According to research, children who read at least 20 minutes a day with a 90% comprehension rate (average percentage correct) on Accelerated Reader quizzes see the greatest gains. Therefore, your child will need to set at least 20 minutes aside a day to read.
How can I help my child become a better reader?
The more you read, the better you get. Think of it like a muscle that needs exercising. Encourage your son to read at home. Create a culture of reading in your household. Join the local library and visit the local bookshops to discover new titles (then order them at the library or in school). Talk about books you read, was it good, was it terrible? Show an interest in what your son is reading, ask to read a paragraph, or better still listen to him read to you. Ask questions, what happened before? What do you think is going to happen next? Build a lifelong love of reading, it is a gift your child will thank you for many times over.
What if my child does not like reading?
Your son might not be used to reading and it’s all about finding the right book. We normally start with short books and we ask the student what they are interested in, sport, adventure, action.
Will my child have to read a book I do not want him/her to read?
No. There are many choices of books at your child’s level. He/she will never be forced to read a book you find questionable.
I am concerned that my child will be unfairly compared to others.
Students using Accelerated Reader are encouraged to progress at their own pace. The aim of Accelerated Reader is for all children to succeed in achieving their targets.
What is a Star Reading test?
Star Reading is a computerised reading assessment that uses computer-adaptive technology. Questions continually adjust to your son’s responses. If the response to a question is correct, the difficulty level of the next question is increased. If the child misses a question, the difficulty level of the next question is reduced. The test uses multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 20 minutes.
There are four tests every year to check reading progress.
Reading Practice Quizzes
The purpose of these quizzes is to determine whether your child has read a book, to measure your child’s literal comprehension of the book and to provide immediate feedback. Each Reading Practice Quiz consists of 3, 5, 10 or 20 multiple-choice questions depending on book level and length.
You can also visit Accelerated Reader Bookfinder at www.arbookfind.co.uk to find out what books have quizzes on them.
Choosing the right books
In many cases, a book’s interest level coordinates with its book level. Many books, however, have a low book level but are appropriate for upper years and vice versa. For example, both Oscar, Cat-About-Town by James Herriot and Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman have a book level of 4.0 since both have short sentences and vocabulary that is simple. Noughts & Crosses is intended for older students; therefore, it is tagged as Upper Years, while Oscar, Cat About-Town is tagged as Lower Years.
My son already does well in school. Why does he need this?
Even if a child is gifted at playing a musical instrument, the child has to practise to develop his talent. Bright children, like all children, need to be challenged.
My child is not a strong reader. Can he still use Accelerated Reader?
Accelerated Reader helps all children become better readers. When children read books at an appropriate level, they experience success.
Any information that is not covered above can be found on the Renaissance website at www.renlearn.co.uk
