Accelerated Reader is a widely used computer program to help teachers understand the level at which children can read independently. It is a simple program that gets the true ability of each individual student through careful analysis, while saving teachers time.
Renaissance provides students with a wide range of books to choose from, they then choose any book they want and then complete a quiz on their computer once they have finished reading the book. The quiz asks them questions about the content of the book, testing their knowledge and understanding. After the quiz is completed, the students get instant feedback, it then helps guide teachers to the book level the students should be reading.
A key feature of Accelerated Reader is that children are guided to books that will challenge them but still provide enjoyment. As there is a large variation of books, different genres, topics or set of characters, any student will find a book that they will enjoy.
Once the child has read their choice of book, they will be faced with a short quiz about the book. The quiz will be multiple choice and dependent on their age and the complexity of the book, they will be faced with either 5, 10 or 20 multiple choice questions. It is important to stress that it is not a memory test, it is there to test their level of understanding.
Accelerated Reader Gives the Teacher Valuable Data
The Accelerated Reader program provides teachers with a comprehensive set of reports that reveal how much a student has been reading, at what level of complexity, and how well they have understood the content. Vocabulary growth and literacy skills are also measured, which gives teachers more information on what they need to base their lessons around.
What do The Scores Mean?
Every book that has an AR Reading is given a point value. AR points are computed based on the difficulty of the book (ATOS Readability level) and the length of the book. Children earn points depending on how well they do on the practice reading quiz.
A child who takes a 5 question quiz on a book worth 1 point, will earn 1 point if they get all 5 answers correct. If they get 4 answers correct on the quiz, they will score 0.8, 3 0.6 and so on. If a child reads a book worth 10 points and does a 5 question quiz, every question they get right will be worth 2 points. However, there is a minimum number of questions the child needs to answer correctly before they start winning points. For quizzes with 3, 5 or 10 questions, a child needs a pass score of 60% or higher to earn points. For quizzes with 20 questions, a child needs to score 70% before they start earning points.
There are over 27,000 Accelerated Reader quizzes available at the moment, with new ones constantly being added.
What are the Different Types of Quizzes Available?
There are four different types of quizzes:
1. Reading Practice Quizzes
These are the most commonly used quizzes in Accelerated Reader. This assessment is used once the child has read the book, through questions on the content in order to gain a deep understanding of how well the student has understood the book.
2. Recorded Voice Quizzes
These are designed for beginning readers and students learning English. They are professionally recorded by a narrator who reads out the questions and choices as they appear on the screen.
3. Vocabulary Practice Quizzes
These measure a child’s command of vocabulary and words encountered while reading.
4. Literacy Skills Quizzes
These are designed to give your child’s teacher information on specific reading skills. This quiz contains between 12 and 24 questions.
What are the Benefits of Reading?
As technology is advancing, children are reading less and less. It is important that schools still uphold quality time for reading as some children do not have access to any books at home.
There are so many benefits to reading:
- The more children read, the more confident they will become
- It exercises the brain
- It improves concentration
- It teaches children about the world around them
- It improves childrens’ vocabulary and language skills
- Reading develops a child’s imagination
- It is fun
- It develops children’s emotions
Accelerated Reader is a tool to make sure children are getting the maximum number of benefits out of reading the best book for their ability. If a child is reading a book that is too advanced or too simple, they will not engage with that book, thus decreasing their enjoyment of reading.
Here at Laburnum House, all our books are half price and we uphold a buy now, pay later policy. Click here to browse our Accelerated Reader Books.
