is it me or is accelerated reader the worst system for reading in existence

[doorchairsettee]

I can't get over how useless this system is and how the staff can't see it's flaws.

Basically my child who has mild autism has just started year 3, he had done really well and achieved a 2a for reading in his SATs and was finally enjoying reading and was on white band.

Now at the Junior school they use a computer based reading system, they have put the children back onto very simple books but saying they have a a lot of choice within the band and claim some are more difficult though I haven't seen them, anyway the children select a book bring it home read it then do a 5 question computer quiz on it and must score 85% (which is effectively 100% as only 5 questions) to pass.

Due to DSs ASD he struggles to retain information so cannot achieve this so will never progress. I have pointed this out to staff but am told his comprehension must improve. As sometimes it can be days before he does the quiz it is retention and not comprehension that is t

m.

The system is obviously open to abuse as patents are allowed to go in before school and do the quizzes with there children (I can't as I work) so it is clear that the child need never open the book as parents can read the book to them and even do the quizz for them.

Teachers and TAs never hear the children read there reading books but do apparently do 2 reading focused lessons a week.

I am flabbergasted that the teachers can't see how flawed the system is. I assume they have been blinded by a good sales pitch.

The quizz must be done in school by the way.

It is just me then.

Accelerated Reader is an assessment system not a reading scheme the school is using it badly

My son's school uses the system but it's used as an incentive to get the kids reading outside of school not as a replacement for the reading programme within school. They have target points to achieve by certain deadlines and there's a massive variety of books in their library. DS loves it. He likes goals and he loves reading anyway.

When you say using it badly what do you mean Mrz?
I am just so frustrated at the thought of another 4 years of bloody Biff and Chip with the odd 'this is a dolphin' thrown in.

I went to a talk about this other evening!
It was described to me as an encouragement scheme for y7s (not so young as y3). And that the kids could choose any book they wanted, they weren't restricted by the computer's suggested band.

So I Agree implementation is wrong. And opportunities to cheat need to be removed.

I would be frustrated with 4 days of Biff & Chip ...as I said Accelerated Reader is an assessment tool not for teaching reading, it is American and well marketed and children like it because it's computer based but it hasn't improved reading standards in the US where it's been available for many years.

Personally, I think it is deeply flawed and is open to being used badly, with schools wanting to see 'progress' immediately etc. Reading age tests have a large variable of accuracy anyway, so encouraging reading tests 5 or 6 times a year will give extremely unreliable results and not measure 'progress' in any helpful sense.

As a way of suggesting books for children, I think it's fine - but other than that it's expensive and pretty useless imho.

Ok right, so it shouldn't be the only home reading system for the school then, but it does serve a purpose for assessment.

The school are adamant it has vastly improved reading within school though so I shall just have to accept it is loved by most children but is yet another thing my DS will always struggle with.

I will just keep him interested in reading away from school and try and help him understand that the quizzes aren't that important.