What is Accelerated Reader?
Accelerated Reader is a program where students work with their teacher to set reading goals based on individual reading levels. Most importantly, they READ, READ, READ! Accelerated Reader is a program designed to motivate, monitor, and manage reading practice. Students choose from books written at their own reading level. Each book in an Accelerated Reader library is labeled with an individual reading level, or the ZPD Zone of Proximal Development. This ZPD is the range of books which students can read without reaching a level of frustration. Students are encouraged to stay within their reading range when selecting books. Research shows that the greatest amount of reading growth is achieved when a child stays within his/her ZPD level during independent reading. In order to find your childs ZPD, he/she has taken the Star Reading Test. This is a 10 15 minute computerized test that determines your childs reading level.
