Accelerated Reader®
101 for Parents
Everything you wanted to know and
more!
What is Accelerated
Reader ®?
• Computerized learning information
system
• Assessment tool (monitor)
• Diagnostic tool (manage)
• Motivational tool
How does it work?
• Student reads an on level book marked “AR”
– Needs to read book at least 3 times (once outload to someone)
– Needs to ask comprehension questions to self or
fill out a graphic organizer
• Student logs in to AR program
• Student selects the quiz for that book
• Student answers between 5 to 10 questions
on the title he or she read
Then what?
• Teacher gets test results
• Diagnostic reports give teachers
valuable information on students’
reading practice and literacy skills
development
• Teacher then guides student towards
reading materials within their ZPD
for improvement
What is “ZPD?”
• Zone of Proximal Difference
– The range of book readability levels
that will result in optimal growth in
reading ability.
– The range of books that will challenge a
student without causing frustration or
loss of motivation
How does AR determine
“readability”?
• AR’s own formula (ATOS)
• Three variables
– Words per sentence
– Average grade level of those words
– Characters per word
• Does NOT factor in theme or age
appropriateness!
How is my student’s ZPD
determined?
• STAR Reader (Standardized Test for
the Assessment of Reading)
– A series of 25 multiple-choice questions
that ask students to select appropriate
vocabulary words to complete a
sentence
– Computer-adaptive: questions adjust to
student’s level as questions are
answered
How are “goals” set?
• Based on STAR results
– ZPD
– 10-15 minutes of reading practice
nightly
– Student individual ability
– Adjustable by teacher as necessary in
his/her professional judgment
AR Color Coding Chart used at
Forest Ridge Elementary
The first number indicates grade
level. The number after the
decimal indicates the number of
month.
For example: 2.1 is second grade,
the first month of the school year.
While your child may be reading at
a certain level, it is very important
for him/her to read at his/her
comprehension level.
He/she needs to test between
80%-100% to be considered
successful at a level. Therefore,
he or she might actually be on an
AR level below what he or she can
verbally read.
How do students reach
their goals?
• Picture books are typically “worth” 0.5
points
• “Chapter” book points determined by
length (for lower grade levels between 0.5
to 2.0 points)
• Points earned based on “percent correct”
on test (score of 80 on test earns 80% of
book’s point value)
Quality reading is indicated by an average
quiz score of 80% to 100%
Does my student HAVE
to read an AR book?
• Check with classroom teacher
– Depends on the classroom teacher
– Lower grades provide incentives for points
earned and/or tests passed
– Mrs. Miller requires at least two, successfully
completed AR tests on each student’s current
AR reading (and comprehension) level.
• Thousands of AR books are available!
– FRE’s Media Center has hundreds of AR books
on each level.
– Mrs. Miller also has hundreds of AR books
available on all levels.
How can I help my child?
• Make sure he/she is reading “just
right” books
– Books he/she can read without much help
(perhaps only missing one or two words a
book or page)
• Encourage him/her select books within
his/her ZPD (AR level)
• Let your child read books to you
• Ask detailed questions about what
he/she is reading!
– Who is in your book? (Characters)
– Where does it take place? (Setting)
– What happened first/next/at the end?
(Plot)
– What did you think about the book?
How do I know if my
student’s book is AR?
• AR books are marked on the book’s
spine
• Access FRE’s list of quizzes on the
Media Center portion of FRE’s website!
– http://www.citrus.k12.fl.us/fre/Media/
– Site displays alphabetical listing of book’s
title, along with author, readability level,
points, and quiz number.
Need More Info?
• Talk to your
student’s homeroom
teacher
• See Mr. Johnston in
the Media Center
Happy Reading!