Dear Parents,
We have been using Accelerated Reader successfully in our school for sometime now and I
would like to keep you updated with its use in the classroom and recent developments.
The vast majority of children are highly motivated to read and enjoy the process and we have had
very positive feedback from both children and parents. The children have become independent
readers and can discuss their favourite authors with authority. The one drawback is that our books
are worn out!
We believe that reading is most important and therefore as teachers we want our children to
develop and progress as far as they possibly can in this area of the curriculum. We know from
our records and results that those children who read regularly at home improve more. We cannot
stress enough the benefits of reading on a daily basis at home. The reading diaries that we make
for your child enable you to write down any comments on your child’s reading or just to simply
record the page number that they have read up to or if indeed they have finished the book. This
is extremely helpful for us. Parents and teachers can pass comments in these books and the
children are expected to be responsible for taking them home each evening.
Although most parents in the juniors fully understand the Accelerated Reading Scheme I would
just like to answer the questions which are sometimes asked.
Our School
Our school is called Wallerscote Community Primary School......
What does ‘Reading Range’ mean?
When the child has completed the Star Reading Test the computer will automatically work out the
reading range for that child. Within this range your child should be comfortable and successful if
they have read the book carefully and discussed the story. If they choose books at the bottom
of their range they will be easier and they will be harder at the top of the range.
When the teacher feels the child has made considerable progress they may ask the child to take
another Star Reading Test. This may result in the child’s reading range being extended.
(Alternatively the teacher may move the children on to a higher range at their discretion)
What are ‘Quizzes’?
Each classroom has computers equipped with the relevant software programme for each child to
log on and find the book they have read. As with the Star Reading Test they will be asked
questions about the book. The computer records each quiz taken and whether the child has
passed or failed. Using the diagnostic report we can easily monitor progress for the whole class.
We can see at a glance which children have finished a book, the level at which they are reading
and whether they understood the story. It is also very easy to spot which children are not reading
enough as the computer counts the number of words each child has read.
What are ‘Reading Targets’?
The teacher will work out from the reading range what your child’s reading target is. Each book is
worth a number of points - the harder and longer the book the more points can be earned. Books
at the lower level are usually worth either 0.5 or 1 point. All these points are automatically added
up after each quiz and the child can see how well they are doing. We celebrate - in assemblies
and in classrooms - as individual targets are reached. Indeed many children exceed their targets.
At the end of each term the children who have done exceptionally well are rewarded with a book
token in a very special assembly. THIS IS OUT OF DATE AND WILL NEED UPDATING
Our school has over 200 people in it. We have a big school with 10 classrooms on two floors. On the top floor we have 1 classroom for the slow workers so that they can work as slow as they need. Then next to that we have Mrs Cobern's class on one side - she teaches Year 3 - and Mrs Worthington's class on the other side - she teaches Y4. Then Mr Hughes's Year 5 class. Our class is next, with Mr Spendel he teaches Year 6. Then we go down stairs and we have Mrs Simister who teaches Year 2, next there is Reception which Mrs Rutter teaches. We then have Miss Yarwood's class which is Y1 and then the Playgroup.
Going back to Year 6 now. We have monitors who look after the inside of school at breaktime. We have a large dining hall where we eat our lunch. There is a big yard at the back of the school with a large field. At breaktime there are 2 teachers on duty 1 on the juniors side and 1 on the infants side They have a whistle to blow when it is time to go back in. There are 2 sets of stairs 1 at the front and 1 at the back. Everybody comes down the front stairs apart from the slow workers that are at the other end of the upstairs corridor. The bottom corridor doesn't have to come down the stairs.
What does ‘Reading Range’ mean?
When the child has completed the Star Reading Test the computer will automatically work out the
reading range for that child. Within this range your child should be comfortable and successful if
they have read the book carefully and discussed the story. If they choose books at the bottom
of their range they will be easier and they will be harder at the top of the range.
When the teacher feels the child has made considerable progress they may ask the child to take
another Star Reading Test. This may result in the child’s reading range being extended.
(Alternatively the teacher may move the children on to a higher range at their discretion)
What are ‘Quizzes’?
Each classroom has computers equipped with the relevant software programme for each child to
log on and find the book they have read. As with the Star Reading Test they will be asked
questions about the book. The computer records each quiz taken and whether the child has
passed or failed. Using the diagnostic report we can easily monitor progress for the whole class.
We can see at a glance which children have finished a book, the level at which they are reading
and whether they understood the story. It is also very easy to spot which children are not reading
enough as the computer counts the number of words each child has read.
What are ‘Reading Targets’?
The teacher will work out from the reading range what your child’s reading target is. Each book is
worth a number of points - the harder and longer the book the more points can be earned. Books
at the lower level are usually worth either 0.5 or 1 point. All these points are automatically added
up after each quiz and the child can see how well they are doing. We celebrate - in assemblies
and in classrooms - as individual targets are reached. Indeed many children exceed their targets.
At the end of each term the children who have done exceptionally well are rewarded with a book
token in a very special assembly. |