Accelerated Reader - Matching Books to Readers

Your child might have come home recently talking about "A.R." or his/her reading level.  "A.R." is short for Accelerated Reader which is a reading program purchased by our district to increase student reading achievement.

A.R. in a Nutshell: In the fall, students take a computerized reading assessment to identify their instructional reading level.  This reading level is numerical and gives students a range of books to read.  The number on the far left represents easier books and the number on the far right represents more difficult books. Books located in the middle of the range (2.3-2.6) would be considered "perfect" for encouraging growth as a reader.

Student Example:  After taking the fall assessment, Suzie Patriette's teacher assigns her an instructional reading range of  2.1 - 2.8.  This means that books closer to 2.1 should be easier for Suzie to read than books closer to 2.8.   Suzie's next steps include: 

1. Checking out library books within her reading level range. 
2. Reading the book at home and at school.
3. Telling her teacher when she has finished reading the book. 
4. Having a discussion with her teacher about the book and the teacher agreeing that Suzie is ready to take an A.R. quiz on this book.
5. Taking an A.R. quiz on the computer. 
6. Meeting with the teacher to discuss quiz results and setting new reading goals together.  

Parent Support is Essential to Student Success in A.R.

There are several ways in which parents can help support the reading growth that is taking place through Accelerated Reader.

• Read with your child as often as possible. Taking turns is a trick I always used with my children. I'd read half of a chapter and they would finish it.  If it was a real page-turner, I'd read a chapter and they'd read the next one. 
• Praise them as their reading levels rise.  Remember, growth whether it's one point or five is movement in the right direction.  
• Track daily reading minutes on a calendar.  Some students really enjoy watching the minutes increase throughout the month. With reluctant readers, start small with fifteen minutes of daily reading and add a few more minutes every 3-4 days.  
• Check reading levels on any books that your child is interested in reading.  Let's say you're at Barnes & Noble and your child is interested in a book.  Find out if it is within their reading range by going to arbookfind.com  This link can also be found on our Dawson web page under "Library" and scrolling down to "Additional Resources."  Look for the Book Level (BL).  

If you have any questions about Accelerated Reader or arbookfind.com, please do not hesitate to contact me.   Happy Reading!!