We use Accelerated Reader (AR) for pupils from year 2-6 to help nurture their love of reading. It involves them completing a 35-question multiple-choice test in school on an ipad. This tells the teacher how much they can read on their own and how much they understand about what they have read.

Once we know, we tell the children what books they should be reading ON THEIR OWN. They are given a Reading Range of books to pick from.

Each time they finish a book on their own, they take a quiz. This could be 3, 5, 10 or 20 questions depending on how challenging the book is. If they score 3/3, 5/5, 9 or 10/10 then we know it was just right for them. If they don't score well... we need to help them choose better next time!!

Can I listen to them read their AR book at home?

Yes of course! Try to not help too much (the odd word now and again). If they are not able to read it independently to you yet, please let the teacher know as AR is all about reading INDEPENDENTLY. You can ask them open questions about it:

-What happened at the start/ end?

-Who was the main character? 

-What was your favourite part of the book?

-What do you think might happen next? (and when they read more...) Were you right?

Book talk is such an important thing for encouraging a love of reading! The more books they read in their Reading Range, the stronger their reading muscles get. Their reading will "accelerate"!

Can they quiz on their books at home?

Check in with your child's class teacher first... but if they have read it themselves and feel confident- yes!   Click the link AR quiz

If you read a book together at home or you have read them a trickier book before bed, they can quiz on this too- if you feel they have followed the story. Just be sure your child clicks "I listened to the book" when you get to that part of starting the quiz.

This also works for audiobooks! AR has a series of "read on the screen" AR articles for older pupils. Children can read these and complete quizzes as well.

What happens after they do a quiz?

The child can see their success! They feel great when they pass the quiz and a picture of each book stays on their "bookshelf" on AR so they can see all the books they have read in the year. If they were not successful, the teacher can guide them to the right next book for them- they can read this and THEN they will be successful on that book quiz. We WANT them to pass and be strong readers.

Teachers reward 100% quizzes and all passed quizzes with mini certificates and recognition in class. Each half-term we award certificates for AR based on wordcount- the more words you read, the stronger those reading muscles get!

We foster that love of reading at school and AR helps us with good data for us and for the children.

Reading is the most powerful education tool in the world... thank you for your help in helping your child access the world around them by helping them learn to read!