The Accelerated
Reader Program
By Carrie Rice & Erin Atwood
What is Accelerated
Reader?
“The Accelerated Reader System provides K-12
schools with computerized learning information
systems. Its reading software is used in more
than 37,500 schools, or approximately 30
percent of the schools in the United States
and Canada. The company's flagship reading
product, the Accelerated Reader program, is
the most popular reading software in K-12
schools, with quizzes covering more than
19,000 literature books for readers of all
ability levels.”
The Four Components of
Accelerated Reader
1. Provides interesting books to
students
2. Provides a time to read
3. Quizzes on the content of the
books
4. Rewards for points earned on
quizzes
Disadvantages
•
•
•
•
•
•
Some teachers have stopped reading books to their students
because the computer will ask the questions instead.
Class discussion of books decreases, because the discussion would
give away the test answers.
Students don’t read books outside of the ones that are included in
the point system.
Some students try books beyond their reading level in order to
earn more points to compete with their classmates. This causes
frustration.
Some schools include the points as part of the students’ grade.
Some schools even tie the class’s point total in with the teacher’s
evaluation.
Advantages
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students read a larger amount of books at various levels as a result of
incentives.
Students push themselves to read harder books to earn more points.
Due to the students reading more, most libraries contain a larger and
newer collection of books.
The need for a librarian is recognized more by faculty and administration.
More schools use SSR/DEAR time for reading.
Students discuss favorite authors through their expanded reading time.
The computer test is a fairly accurate measure of whether or not the child
read the book.
Student’s reading scores improves.
ATOS Readability
Formula
• The Accelerated Reader uses the ATOS
readability formula
• ATOS eliminates many of the problems
teacher have had with other readability
formulas
• It is the 1st formula to include statistics
from actual student book-reading
• The ATOS reading formula is designed to
provide a reading level based on the
complete content of a book
Quizzes
• The Accelerated Reader offers over
85,000 quizzes
• There are 6 different types of quizzes
–
–
–
–
–
–
1. Reading Practice Quizzes
2. Textbook Series Quizzes
3. Recorded Voice Quizzes
4. Literacy Skills Quizzes
5. Magazine Quizzes
6. Vocabulary Practice Quizzes
Accelerated Reader
Reports
• Accelerated Reader handles all record
keeping
• It generates more than 30 information
packet reports
• Keeps an ongoing record of what books
students are reading, comprehension
levels, amount of reading practice, and
diagnostic information.
Example of Reading Report
Reading Practice
Accelerated Reader®: Friday, 09/19/03, 08:44 AM
Class: Section 1 G1 Teacher: Mr. Pete Saylor
ID: 2351 Grade: 1 Team: Giraffes
You have answered 8 out of 10 questions correctly on quiz number 32169 for the
book Nate the Great and the Monster Mess by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat.
Reading Practice Quiz Results
Book Level: 2.9
Number Correct / Possible: 8 / 10 (80%)
Points Earned / Possible: 0.4 / 0.5
TWI: Read To
F/NF: Fiction
Marking Period Results to Date (45% of Marking Period One)
Marking Period Goal
Average Book Level: 2.6 -Average Percent Correct: 92.3% 85.0%
Points Earned: 6.1 -- -Reading Practice Quizzes Passed / Taken: 13 / 13 -School Year Results to Date (7% of school year)
Average Book Level: 2.6
Average Percent Correct: 92.3%
Points Earned: 6.1
Reading Practice Quizzes Passed / Taken: 13 / 13
Certification Level
Last Certification & Date Current Certification Goal
Ready Reader 9/17/2003 Independent Reader
Monitor Signature Teacher Signature
Comments:
Scientific Research Shows
Accelerated Reader
Improves Scores
•
A large Experimental study conducted in an urban school
district showed that students using AR and best
practices achieved higher reading gain than non users.
Scientific Research Shows
Accelerated Reader Doesn’t
Improve Achievement
• The Academic Journal Knowledge Quest,
“Accelerated Reader: Evidence Still Lacking”
suggests that through their research they have
discovered that there is no direct evidence that
that AR improves achievement
• A study conducted in Mississippi showed that low
readers in the AR program did not increase in
achievement and higher readers actually declined
in achievement levels
References
•
•
•
•
http://www.renlearn.com/ar/overview/default.htm
http://www.indiana.edu/~reading/ieo/bibs/accl-rdr.html
http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/rah_chpt5_p4.html
Knowledge Quest v. 33. no. 3 p. 48