Our teaching sequence has been designed to progressively teach children the knowledge and skills they need to become confident speakers, readers and writers. Reading is a continuous thread throughout the teaching sequence.

Children in Year 2 - Year 6 will be participating in the Accelerated Reader (AR) program.  This guide will give you information about the program. 
 

• Here is a link to our school's entry portal for quizzing on Accelerated Reader: Accelerated Reader link
• Wondering if a quiz is available for a particular book? Here is a link to Accelerated Reader Bookfinder: Book Finder (AR)

What is Accelerated Reader?

AR is part of the Renaissance Reading software package recently adopted by the school to encourage and improve reading, measure growth of the individual reader and to provide quality reading for all.  It allows for personalised learning targets to be set up and for progress to be easily monitored. This short guide will help you to understand the system better so that you can support your child with their reading.

• Your child will choose a book at their own level and read it at their own pace.  When finished, they will take a short quiz online.  Passing the quiz is an indication that your child has understood the book. We have set the ambitious target of 80% as the pass rate. 
• AR gives both children and teachers feedback based on the quiz results, which the teacher then uses to help your child set goals and direct ongoing reading practice. 

While we continue to teach the skills of reading in class through reading lessons, the AR books chosen by your child will provide them with the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they have developed. The aim of AR is for all children to succeed in achieving their targets.

What are STAR Reading Tests?          

Every child taking part in AR will complete a STAR reading test at the beginning of the year and during each assessment point. It is a twenty minute multiple choice reading assessment completed individually on the computer.  Questions continually adjust to your child’s responses so if their response is correct, the difficulty level is increased.  If they miss a question or give an incorrect answer, the difficulty level is reduced. The STAR reading test, along with teacher judgement assists us in identifying a child’s ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development) range which will identify their book band level.

How do I know what books my child can read?

Your child will know their book band level and the books they should be choosing.  A ZPD can change throughout the year based on STAR reading tests, professional judgement and quiz results. To ensure children experience success from the outset they begin each year by taking books at the lower end of their ZPD range.