Accelerated Reader at Malvern Wells.
A Guide for Parents.
What is Accelerated Reader?
- A powerful tool to monitor and manage independent reading and home reading after Read Write Inc
- A system that combines assessment, producing a reading score and breadth, with a wide range of books ensuring all children can read broadly within their ability.
What are the benefits of Accelerated Reader?
- Provides children with opportunity to grow and develop reading skill and pleasure
- Gives children independence to select their own books from a centralised but banded area
- Motivates children to read for pleasure
- Specific to children’s individual reading attainment and links directly with the National Curriculum
Why change our reading system?
- We are committed to ensuring all children have every opportunity to learn to love reading
- It strengthens teacher and parent monitoring and evaluation to move children forward in their reading whilst ensuring they are able to read a wide range of texts at their ability.
How does it work?
- Children complete the STAR reading test at school
- This gives them a Zone of Proximal Development (this is the zone within which children will make the most progress and provide optimal growth without frustration) e.g. 3.4-5.1
- The higher the decimal score the harder the book – old banding systems are gone and do not correlate
- Children select a book (at first at the lower end of their ZPD to begin to develop fluency and build on challenge and previous skills) – read it
- School and parents support and encourage the reading of the book regularly and discuss the books
- Ideally, a quiz will be taken at home 24-48 hours after they complete the book
- Analyse their score (child/teacher/parent) and make decisions about the next book – 80% or above
- Return book back and select new book within decimal bracket
How can you help at home?
- Reading at home at least 5 days a week for 10-20 minutes (listening to your child where age appropriate)
- Talk to your child about their book and develop their understanding
- Sign their diary to acknowledge that they have read every day
- Ensure your child carries out the quizzes for most books they read
- Ensuring children bring books back to school in good condition
- Talk to your child/children about books – your own preferences and, when possible, let them see you as a reader.
Our unique Accelerated Reader website is:
Your child has logged on to our website and completed their baseline assessment. Their log in details are in the front of their reading diaries.