Accelerated Reader

Accelerated Reader Goal Setting, Certification Levels and Renaissance Home Connect Lori Carter

AR Goal Setting Basics • Set goals quarterly. • Have latest STAR reports available. • Use Goal Setting Charts for 20 minutes daily and 6 weeks for Quarters 1 and 4 and 9 weeks for Quarters 2 and 3. • Log into website:

Finding the AR Goal Setting Table • Choose class record books under Accelerated Reader. • Choose reading practice goals. • Select Marking Periods and choose correct quarter. • Click Edit Student Goals.

Average % Correct Goal • This is the most important goal to maintain! • This goal reflects QUALITY of Reading. • Quality is more important than quantity, though practice and increased quantity improves quality.

Setting % Correct Goals • Average % Correct – default is 85%. Keep here for most students. • If you want to encourage higher comprehension (understand you may have to lower book level expectations) set no higher than 90%. • Research shows higher % correct averages equate to higher comprehension scores on standardized tests.

Monitoring Average % Correct • If students are not maintaining at least 85% correct, we need to monitor their independent reading more closely and perhaps change reading range. • May need to adjust reading range, book level, or length of books being read, if student is not maintaining an average of 85%.

Examples • This group of students is not maintaining an 85% correct on their reading.

Notice highlighted examples: • One is reading vast quantities, but not maintaining quality. Other is maintaining BL, but is not able to maintain 85% correct.

Monitoring Average % Correct • Check STAR report to ensure students are reading in appropriate range. • Are students reading books within their ZPD? Lower or Upper end? • Are students using I PICK, Goldilocks’ Rules, and/or Five Finger Rule to help them choose a Good Fit Book? • Use Dip and Tip to check in with readers during Independent Reading.

Setting Points Goals • Use Goal Setting Table and STAR report. • Locate ZPD and GE on Star report. • Find closest equivalent on Goal Setting Table. • Locate points goal for 20 minutes for the proper number of weeks in the quarter.

Example

Setting Points Goals • This student’s Grade Equivalent score is 4.6 and his ZPD is 3.2-5.1. • Now we look on the Goal Setting Table for the nearest match to these scores.

Example Depending on the quarter use 6 or 9 week values.

Setting Points Goals • So for this quarter, this student’s points goal would be 9.7 points and we would enter this in the table.

Setting Points Goals • Once the student starts taking tests, AR keeps up with the student’s progress toward the points goal.

Grading • At the end of the quarter, you may then just record in your grade book, the actual % of the points the student achieved for their AR average. • If you want to give an AR grade every two weeks, students must reach approximately 22-23% of their goal every two weeks in order to reach their quarterly goal.

Book Level Goals • Book level goals are the average book level the student should be reading for maximal reading growth. • AR gives a wide ZPD range to encourage reading for pleasure. • As long as a students are reading in the ZPD and are maintaining an 85% correct average, they will grow as readers.

Book Level Goals ARE NOT: • Grade Equivalents! • The Upper End of the ZPD.

Use STAR Report to Guide You • Note on the STAR report that the top of top of the ZPD and the GE are very close.

Book Level Goals • Should fall somewhere in the middle of the student’s ZPD. • For first quarters, start on the low side of middle. • For later quarters, move slightly to the higher side of middle.

Book Level Goals • Setting a reasonable book level goal encourages reading for pleasure and reading growth!

Reading Certifications • Use STAR Reports, reading goals, and reading habits to set reading certifications. • Students may skip certification levels. No student should ever go back to an earlier certification level. • All reading certifications may be repeated EXCEPT Independent Reader.

Reading Certifications • Any certification level other than STAR Reader should not be repeated for more than 5 times (the jump between STAR and Classic is the largest jump between levels). • Certifications should not be impossible, but also should not be easy enough to achieve every week.

Reading Certifications • Not every book must count toward certification. • As long as students are reading they are growing as readers. • Most certification levels only require three books passed with a grade of 80%.

Reading Certification Levels • Make sure that reading certification level is reasonable for the grade level and student’s reading habits (i.e. a fourth grade student should not be pursuing a rising reader certification, etc.). • Students in the upper grades should aim to achieve at least one certificate a quarter. Most should aim for 2 certificates.

Reading Certification Levels

Reading Certifications • Must be reset with each certificate achieved. • I only run certificates off for the preceding week.

Renaissance Home Connect • Important to have all Reading Goals and Certifications Up-To-Date since we will be sending home information next week about Renaissance Home Connect. • Find Link on Library page of the website under Accelerated Reader.

Renaissance Home Connect • All teachers should add link to their class web pages. • Home connect allows parents to monitor a student’s AR progress from home. • Parents use student log-in and passwords. • Parents may also sign up for email alerts when their student takes an AR quiz.

Vocabulary Quizzes • If a book has a vocabulary quiz, allow students to take the quizzes. No need to count grade. • Gives students additional practice in determining meanings from context. • For every five quizzes passed with a grade of 80 or above, I gave a point of extra credit toward vocabulary grade in reading.

Accelerated Reader