The Accelerated Reader Programme

We are excited to be part of the Accelerated Reader programme for Year 7 and 8. Where the programme has been established, teachers have found that over the year the reading age of students in their classes has shot up!

Accelerated Reader, also known as ‘AR’, is a customised reading programme that helps teachers manage and monitor individual reading practice. After taking a short on-line quiz, students are given their personalised Reading Range – their ‘Zone of Proximal Development’ which enables students to find a fiction or non-fiction book which is appropriate to their reading level. English teachers, parents and librarians encourage students to read a variety of books to develop their literacy skills and help them to meet the challenges of life in the 21st century.

Accelerated Reader is a whole school initiative that encourages all students in Year 7 and 8 to read for at least 30 minutes every day. This is supported in the school curriculum as Year 7 and 8 students are given this time on a daily rotation of lessons across the school week. In addition, every Year 7 and 8 class has one timetabled English lesson per fortnight in the Library so that students can choose a new book, read for pleasure and then take their computerised quiz on completion of the book.  The quiz asks questions about what the student has read to check understanding, recall and their new vocabulary. This gives the students, parents and teachers instant feedback on how well students are doing.

Students are encouraged to read a book from home, swap books or recommend books for the Library to purchase. Students wishing to look up titles that are part of the Accelerated Reader programme (and therefore have quizzes) can search www.arbookfind.co.uk.. At this address, you can find out which books are available on the Accelerated Reader programme...there are over 19,000 titles and more are being added all the time! The AR Bookfind site also gives the reading range of the books.

By using Home Connect through the Accelerated Reader website, you will be able to follow your child's reading progress from home.

We also have a book donation box in the Library so bring in any lovely young fiction books you may have in your family which you have already read and no longer want. We need lots and lots of books for the AR programme as many more students are reading vociferously!