Accelerated reader

[lookatmeimsandradee]

My dd is is yr 8
In year 6 she had a level 5 reading score.
She has been given a book with 4.4 on the spine (The Story of My Life)

I have looked it up and this level is lower than the wimpy kid series.

Should I be concerned about this- that the school is making her read lower than her levels, I questioned her and she said she hadn't had any sort of reading test ....

Why is she being given reading books in Y8? I thought reading levels were left behind in primary school. I have a DD in Y9 and reading levels have never been a subject of conversation in secondary school. I suppose they would be if there were issues with literacy but as your OP mentions accelerated reading levels this seems incongruous.

Can't she choose reading material for herself from the library?

It sounds like your DD's school has the same system as mine.

They do a test on line that is more comprehension based and at the end their score is converted into a number which is on a scale...they are then told to read books within that set scale e.g. 4.4-6.1. As they read the books, they go back and do tests on each book (again online) over time their score will be altered to raise their reading/comprehension level. Hope that makes sense! Comprehension is obviously different to their plan reading ability so it may be that is the reason?

As with anything though, if you are concerned then email her English teacher for a more informed answer.

She probably did badly on the computerised grading test they do to assess levels in accelerated reader. When they read each book they do a quick comprehension test with this system and if they get over 70% they go up a level each time so I would just get her to read it and wizz through the levels until she is right.

I guess that is what has happened, She has just had an English assessment anyway so it will be interesting to see the results.
She reads for 30 mins most nights anyway, so it won't take long for her to finish the book

This is a box ticking exercise.

No research evidence that it improves things in primary, and a minuscule effect in secondary. Just a way to spend a diminishing budget.

Google it for further information.

Bluebonnie, I'm interested to hear your opinion on the accelerated reading dds school has just brought it in.

I've just logged into her school progress
seems to be a complete farce.
she read Awful Auntie which is BL 5 on 15/10/15 and passed 100%
she then started reading three books @ 3.6, 3.7 and passed, now reading at level 4.2
so she is now lower a year on than when she started in year 7

This is progress ........

I think you need to talk to the school.

My DD's school uses the Accelerated reader program and I think it can work well. Students are expected to choose their own books from a range specified after an initial assessment. However if they pick a book with a lower number ( an "easier" book), they can whizz through it and get a good score. But if they don't push themselves then they don't progress. My dd knows how to get points by selecting books she has either read before or that are graded lower. She also knows that in order to achieve her set targets she has to choose books with a higher grading and push herself more. It is only as her score gets higher she is allowed access to the more challenging books (most of which she has already read).

I hate the acc reader. It is a very rigid computer based system, my y8 ds is reading every day for hours (he spend break s and lunch in the library, and reads in bed). He has several million word-aire certificates, now he has read all the books he wanted to in the school library he is not doing quizzes, he has ASD and it is very difficult to get him to read a book he doesn't want to. At home he has ploughed through the entire Hitchhikers guide to the universe series, there is no problem with his comprehension, his reading age is basically adult. I am not showing off just establishing that he doesn't need to prove anything regarding his reading habits. Yet still he is getting hassle from his English teacher for not doing quizzes as if his reading can only be proved by jumping through hoops, not demonstrated by his work, vocabulary and the fact he is reading fucking books everyday! Gah

So I hear you op

Universe!? I mean Galaxy

I have come to the conclusion it's just another label for the kids.
I don't know how long the AR program is in place for - but hopefully not in year 9
some kids in her year have been given 'free reader' status, but considering she is now reading her own copy of the maze runner and has abandoned the school book she is supposed to read.
As I said earlier - a farce