AR

Accelerated Reader

What is AR?

Accelerated Reader, or AR, is a program designed to increase reading among students. It is also used to check students' basic recall of the books read.

How will AR be used in your classroom?

AR will be available to all students but will not be in the forefront of our curriculum. I will be implementing reading journals to monitor students' independent reading.

How do I read AR levels?

The best way to explain AR levels is by providing an example. For the AR level 1.5, the first number which is 1 represents a grade level. The second number after the decimal which in this example is 5 represents the month. So a student at an AR level of 1.5 is reading at a level equivalent to a first grader in his/her 5th month. AR levels are not an exact science and therefore students will be given a range of levels to choose from.

When will my child move up in levels?

Every month, I will review all students' performances on AR to determine their reading needs. This does not mean that students will automatically increase in levels the following month. Students who have shown consistent mastery in their current levels will be able to move on to the next range of levels.

How can I help my child succeed in AR?

First and foremost, I highly recommend that you read the AR book that your child has selected. No, I do not mean for you to read the book to your child, rather you should read it on your own so that you are able to discuss the book in detail later. Before you discuss the book with your child, have him/her retell the story to you. This is not to be confused with summarizing. Summarizing is telling the main ideas of the story whereas retelling is telling everything that you can remember in sequence. However, if your child is reading lengthy chapter books, summarizing is okay. After the retelling, proceed to discuss the book with your child. I'd recommend asking very specific story-related questions in addition to your general plot questions since you never know what AR is going to ask.

So I heard you gave out prizes last year.

Yes, I did reward students with prizes last year based on the number of points they earned. This year I have decided against AR prizes. I feel that using prizes places the emphasis on the external rewards rather than on the reading itself.