Accelerated Reader and Star Reading

http://ericir.syr.edu/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.html

Do a search for “AR” or Accelerated Reader — librarians talk about this all the time.

Do a search on this board and you will find some past discussions about AR and the STAR program. I like AR because it gives my son a goal for reading each month and this motivates him to read more. The problem is that because we attend a private school, the funds to buy a lot of the tests are not there, thus, not all books are on the AR list. I for one support it but others in our school do not.

The STAR test is good but I wouldn’t use it at any formal score for reading. It does, however, gives you a benchmark for how your child is reading. It helps me to steer my one son, who read above grade level, to read books that will challenge him as he tends to read his grade level books only.

From what I know, the STAR doesn’t test for Phonemic Awareness. Are you talking about the CTOPP?

I don’t know about the math programs.

Donna in MO

My son’s school uses accelerated reader program and star. teachers tend to rely on star to tell them if child is reading at grade level and acc. readers to steer them toward books which may be appropriate. Acc. readers have a grade level assigned to them as well as a point system within that level. Biggest problem I see with the program is that a book can become an acc.reader if someone has taken the time to come up with a test for it; these books are not necessarily good kiddie literature or even decent stories i.e. the adventures of capt. underpants. Some of them are just junk but the kids read them for the points regardless of their value. It may promote reading by making it competetive but it doesn’t encourage good choices .