Re: REF: Info on pros and cons of Accelerated Reader

[Criser Family <criserfm@wilmington.net>]

Martha Ritter wrote:
>
> Martha Ritter
> Media Specialist
> West Pine Middle School, West End, NC
> mhmritter@hotmail.com
> In my LIS class this summer I am doing a paper on Accelerated Reader.  I am
> having difficulty finding good sources of the pros and cons of this program.
> I can find a great deal of info put out by Advantage but not much else. Any
> suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>
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Dear Martha,
AR is fine when used as a "tool" rather than the entire reading program.
Children do read more, but many times just to get the points and prizes
awarded at certain levels. It is a way to get a quick assessment of
whether or not the child comprehends the content of the story and that
he/she truly read the story, but does not promote higher-order thinking.
I have been frustrated many times when a child comes to the library
looking for a certain book, then leaves the book on the shelf if it is
"not worth anything" or not allowed by the teacher to get a book that is
not on the AR list. Some children read some non-AR books anyway, but
only because they have already met their AR level for the month and they
already like to read. Those who are slow readers can only choose from AR
when teachers set a point level for them and never get to read just for
pleasure. We have many AR books in our library. We have spent quite a
lot of money trying to get as many existing books on a "custom AR" disk,
which costs more than a standard disk ($129 vs. $79).  Some books are
not on the master list to choose from, so they are rarely used. It
breaks my heart when I hear a child ask "Is this book worth much?"
meaning point value of course, instead of literary quality. Some
teachers use AR as simply another tool to assess one part of a child's
reading progress. Unfortunately, many use it as the only way to measure,
and more and more are incorporating AR into the grading system - so many
points required per grading period. Also, while prizes are fun, many
children read just to get the prize. I'll ask them what type of book
they are looking for - fantasy, science fiction, etc. - and I'll hear
"It doesn't matter, I just need the points."
Used with the STAR program, which helps determine the reading range of a
child, and gradually builds his/her reading level, it can be a marvelous
tool. It's just so easy to be misused. Even STAR can cause problems when
a child wants to read a book just under or over their range and they're
not allowed to because they must stay within the range. It makes it
harder to build a love of reading when it's always tied to grades or
rewards instead of the just the pure joy of it.
We've had it at our school for about five years - it started before my
time...and it has gotten better. Some teachers do not use it for grades
or as their only reading assessment, but it is still used too much with
prizes and awards for top readers, who would have been at the top of
their reading groups regardless of AR.
I guess you could say I have a love/hate relationship with AR. I can see
its worth, but I have seen too much abuse of it in the name of reading.
Good luck with your studies!
Julie Criser, Media Specialist
Blair Elementary School
Wilmington, NC
criserfm@wilmington.net

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