Accelerated Reader

Accelerated Reader Program

The biggest draw card at the library is Accelerated Reader. Implementing this program has developed a strong reading culture within the school.  

 

Relevant ASLA Standards: Promoting Reading and Monitoring Learning
1.1.3 • Have a sound understanding of how children and young adults become independent readers.
1.2.1 • Have a detailed knowledge of current educational pedagogy.
1.2.3 • Fully understand the need to cater for the social, cultural and developmental backgrounds of learners in program implementation and curriculum resourcing. 1.3.1 • Have a comprehensive understanding of literacy, literature for children and young adults, curriculum and specific programs in their schools.
1.3.2 • Have a detailed knowledge of how to promote and foster reading.
1.3.3 • Have a sound understanding of current assessment theory and processes.
2.1.3 • Foster an environment where learners are encouraged and empowered to read, view, listen and respond for understanding and enjoyment.
2.2.1 • Collaborate with teachers to plan and implement information literacy and literature programs that result in positive student learning outcomes.
2.2.2 • Ensure that their programs are responsive to the needs of learners in the school community.
2.2.3 • Support learning and teaching by providing equitable access to professionally-selected resources.
2.2.4 • Assist individual learners to develop independence in their learning.
2.4.1 • Monitor teaching practice to ensure improved learning and teaching.
2.4.2 • Evaluate student learning to provide evidence of progress in information literacy and reading.
2.4.3 • Measure library resources, facilities, programs and services against current policies, standards documents and benchmarks.
2.4.4 • Use evidence to inform programs and services.
3.1.1 • Empower others in the school community to become lifelong learners.
3.1.2 • Undertake research which informs evidence-based innovation in school library programs.
3.1.3 • Engage in debate on educational issues within the school community.
3.1.4 • Create and foster library-related professional development opportunities for staff.
3.2.4 • Foster a reading culture through the active promotion of literature.

Accelerated Reader was introduced in response to a percieved need to engage upper school students, particularly boys, in reading. Teachers perceived that upper school students were disengaging from reading. (2.2.2) They sought a strategy to motivate students to read and provide ongoing quantitative data about students’ progress. (2.4.2) Their investigations led them to trial the Accelerated Reader Program available from Renaissance Learning Australia. Initially, Accelerated Reader was trialled with one Year 7 class. The program is supported by reading management software and computerised quizzes for over 27,000 children’s books. (RMIT, 1999)

In 1999, suppliers of Accelerated Reader, Renaissance Learning Australia, commissioned RMIT University to undertake qualitative and quantitative research to investigate the benefits and challenges of the reading program in 10 pilot Australia schools. Qualitative data was collected from interviews with the participating teachers, teacher librarians, literacy coordinators, and school administrators. The Progressive Achievement Tests in Reading provided quantitative measures of participating students’ reading growth.

The 1999 research report by RMIT and made available from the Advantage Learning Systems Australia (now known as Renaissance Learning Australia) indicated that:

  • teachers and students were highly motivated
  • the extrinsic incentive of quizzes increased the frequency of students’ reading
  • students’ responsibility and independence in their own learning increased
  • students’ self-esteem and self-confidence increased
  • students’ reading comprehension abilities and vocabulary knowledge showed growth during the period of the study
  • the program had a positive impact on teachers’ assessment and reporting procedures.
     
The school trial’s success led the school’s literacy committee to adopt the program as part of the whole-school literacy strategy and gradually expand its use to Years 3–7. The Accelerated Reading Program’s success is evident in:
  • the significant increase in annual student loans
  • the lively student discussions about authors and books
  • increase in literacy levels reported on the Years 3, 5 and 7 Tests in Aspects of Literacy in Standard Australian English, particularly amongst boys.
 
Introduction of the reading program changed the emphasis of the TL’s role in professional development. Opportunities he provides include:
  • orientation sessions for new teachers and
  • ongoing AR professional development opportunities for staff
  • a local AR network.
 
Sound pedagogy underpins the Accelerated Reader Program. The formula for ensuring success for every student is:
TWI + LIS + RMS + MIMI = Reading Renaissance
The formula represents:
  • the three types of reading practice that are the foundation of the program: reading to, reading with, and reading independently
  • the computer-based learning information system that helps teachers to monitor and manage student reading practice
  • the reading motivation system of accruing points to earn certificates
  • the teachers role involving motivating, instructing, monitoring and intervening. (p.3) (1.2.1)
    • Renaissance Learning Australia. (n.d.).
    Getting started with Accelerated Reader

In addition the program pretests students and provides them with a reading range that targets their zone of proximal development. This ensures that students are reading books that are neither too hard, nor too easy. (p.6) They being challenged, but still working within their comfort zone. http://www.accreader.com.au/howitworks.php
Renaissance Learning http://www.renlearn.com/

Claims about AR success made in the 1999 research report by RMIT have been evident in the school’s implementation of the program. However the report also identified a number of issues. These included: 

  • the competitive nature of quizzes, and the possible impact on reading for pleasure

    •  

Evidence of the ‘reading for points’ mentality is reported by Holmes, Powell,  Witt,  and Holmes (2007). Researchers had to remove Accelerated Reader titles from the offerings in study that looked at the influence of covers on students’ selection of reading material, because the students exhibited a strong preference for any titles for which Accelerated Reader quizzes were available. However, in defence of the system, a  number of parents at our school have mentioned that although their children began reading for points they soon became so engrossed in reading that they read for pleasure. (2.1.3)
  •  the impact on ‘reluctant readers’ or ‘less able readers’
Teachers observed that ‘confident readers’ read well no matter what system was in place in the classroom. However, the issue of whether or not the Accelerated Reader Program has a differential success impact on different reading abilities needs to be investigated further. 
  • gender bias

 

Initially, during the implementation of Accelerated Reader, teachers noticed a significant benefits for boys. Girls were slower to show enthusiasm for the ‘reading for points’ approach, and were more likely to continue to read books that did not attract points. (RMIT University, 1999)

The TL attributes the success of the program to the knowledge and skill of staff, and the nature of the AR program. Students take responsibility for choosing their own reading material within a specified reading range. The program also provides students with immediate feedback and certificate rewards for their reading efforts. It has been so successful that Accelerated Reader is now used in Years 3 to 7. (2.1.3)

But the full advantage of Accelerated Reader has yet to be fully explored by staff. The program can provide ongoing historical data about student progress in a number of areas. This data can be used to analyse strengths and weaknesses in individual student performances and group trends to inform teaching practice. Further professional development for staff should be run to ensure that they can maximise the benefits of the data collected through this computerised testing and recording system. (2.2.4)

Students who read one million words within a year join the Millionaire Club.

They are awarded a certificate and have their photos published on the Millionaire Club noticeboard in the library. 

 2011

The school now uses the online version of Accelerated Reader. Using the online version has many advantages over the earlier version. For a start, it takes the pressure off schools owning the books and quizzes. Schools no longer have to buy quizzes. All quizzes are available to participating schools, regardless of whether the books are in their libraries. Students can read books they own or borrow elsewhere and then do the quizzes at school. Schools can also request that quizzes be written for books that they want to use, or teachers can write and store their own quizzes in their AR database. Secondly, teachers can access the program from home or school. And finally, the online version is accompanied by Home Connect. Parents and students can use Home Connect to access aspects of the program from home. Students can also set up their account to automatically send their TOPS reports (results of quizzes) to their own, their teacher's and/or a parent's email address. Parents can use home connect to track their children's progress. Teachers, parents and students can use Book Finder http://www.arbookfind.com.au/UserType.aspx to check whether particular books have quizzes. The increased transparency of the program means that schools need to ensure consistency of approach across the school, and that teachers need to issue certificates and enter goals in a timely manner.

References

Holmes, S. Powell, S.  Witt, E. Holmes, K. (2007). Readers and Book Characters: Does Race Matter? Journal of Educational Research (0022-0671) 01/05/2007. Vol.100,Iss.5; 276-282.

Ed Alliance. (2006-07). How AR Works Overview. Accelerated Reader. Retrieved October 6, 2008 from
http://www.accreader.com.au/howitworks.php

Renaissance Learning Australia. (n.d.). 'Getting Started with Accelerated Reader'. (unpublished). RMIT University. (1999). The Impact of the Accelerated Reader® Pilot Program in Australia: Extract from a Research Project Conducted by RMIT University. Renaissance Learning Australia Pty Ltd, Ashwood, Victoria. Retrieved October 6, 2008 from http://research.renlearn.com/research/pdfs/60.pdf