Accelerated Reader

At its heart, Accelerated Reader is simple. A child reads a book, takes an online quiz, and gets immediate feedback. Children respond to regular feedback and are motivated to make progress with their reading skills. Accelerated Reader gives teachers the information they need to monitor children’s reading practice and make informed decisions to guide their future learning.

The books in our school library have been levelled against the Accelerated Reader programme. Your child will choose a reading book at their level and on completion they will take an online quiz, if they pass the quiz they will gain points for their reading. One very important aspect of the Accelerated Reader programme is that children need to have read and understood the book to enable them to pass the online quiz. Children cannot have help to complete the quiz but will get feedback through a ‘TOPS’ Report every time they complete one. This stands for The Opportunity to Praise the Student, giving pupils the chance to recognise their successes and consider next steps.

Accelerated Reader works alongside a programme called Star Reader. Regular STAR Reading assessments in school determine each child’s current reading level and the range of book levels within which the child ought to be reading in order to make the greatest progress. Children develop reading skills most effectively when they read appropriately challenging books – difficult enough to keep them engaged but not so difficult that they become frustrated. Through the use of individualised targets, teachers can personalise children’s reading practice based on the quantity and complexity of the books they read. The Accelerated Reader Book Finder website is a public search engine allowing children, teachers and parents to find appropriate books that interest every reader. The importance of daily personalised reading practice cannot be overstated. Recent studies indicate that when children spend 25 minutes a day reading suitably challenging books which they successfully understand (demonstrated by achieving 90% or more on the reading practice quiz), then they will achieve optimal reading age growth. This is the power of personalised practice.

A comprehensive set of reports reveals how much a child has been reading, at what level of complexity, and how well they have understood what they have read. Vocabulary growth and literacy skills development are also measured, giving teachers insight into how well pupils have responded to reading schemes and class instruction.

In the first instance, encourage and support your child to read at home EVERY DAY, 25 minutes is the optimal amount of time for a pupil to read to ensure maximum progress. Children can read independently or to an adult. When reading with your child it is important to talk about the text. Please see the prompt sheet attached to ask your child questions about what they have read. Teachers will ensure that children have sufficient time allocated to them in school to take the online quizzes.

Accelerated Reader is an effective support for children in need of intervention, giving them regular small successes as they develop their reading skills. Avid readers aim for large points targets and try to become Word Millionaires by reading a million words in the course of an academic year or term.

Please click on the guides below for further information

Why not try an Accelerated Reader quiz yourself?

Accelerated reader sample quizzes