Accelerated Reader
Accelerated Reader is a computer program produced by Advantage Learning Systems, Inc. More that 75,000 schools use AR to enhance their reading programs. Blackwell Elementary purchased AR in 1999 and this year we have moved to their web based version called Renaissance Place. There are over 125,000 titles for students to choose from.
The AR program provides immediate, individualized feedback on student performance. It is designed for Kindergarten students through 12th grade, and all ability levels. Research shows that AR students show faster growth in reading achievement, and teachers often see higher test scores on both standardized and performance-based tests.
AR is easy to use! Students choose an AR book and read it at their own pace. Then they take a short quiz on the computer. Both the teacher and the student receive immediate feedback to direct ongoing reading practice.
Blackwell also purchased STAR Reading, a computer-adaptive, norm-referenced reading test. Students choose the best word to complete a sentence, and the software instantly delivers the next question. The program weighs each answer and presents the next question at an appropriate difficulty level. STAR identifies an instructional reading level for each student, and can be taken several times each year to show progress.
All of our Blackwell classrooms use AR. Some of our younger students may not be ready for AR and the teachers in Kindergarten and First Grade will enroll students on an individual basis. Most of our library books are AR and many of them have been labeled so that students can easily identify the books and find the reading level. You may search for AR titles by using our Follett Library Catalog, by using either the "Visual Search" or "Power" search tools. Students will also find AR books in their classroom collections, home collections and at a King County Library.
Visit AR BookFinder to search for available titles.
Check out the research supporting the use of AR:
http://www.renlearn.com/ar/research.aspx