STAR, Accelerated Reader, & Using Your Classroom Libraries Williamson High School

Literacy Plan Nonnegotiables ALL teachers will teach the literacy process: reading, writing, speaking, viewing, listening, thinking and demonstrating understanding through multiple means of expression Teachers read to and with students in every class  ALL teachers teach, model, and practice the strategies of expert readers and writers Students read independently, with ACCOUNTABILITY in every class

STAR Reading & Accelerated Reader Two essential components of our literacy plan are STAR Reading and Accelerated Reader.

STAR Reading The STAR Reading test gives us three key pieces of information about our students’ reading abilities. The first of these is the grade equivalent (GE). Grade equivalent is a norm-referenced score that represents how a student’s test performance compares with other students nationally.

STAR Reading Another piece of information we gain from STAR testing is the zone of proximal development (ZPD). The ZPD is a range of readability levels from which a student should select books to read. It is a range that is neither too hard nor too easy, within which students can experience optimal growth.

STAR Reading A third piece of information we get from STAR test results is the Scaled Score (SS). The scaled score is useful for comparing student performance over time. A scaled score is calculated based on the difficulty of questions and the number is correct responses. Because the same range is used for all students, scaled scores can be used to compare student performance across grade levels. STAR reading scaled scores range from 0 to 1400. All norm-referenced scores are derived from the scaled score.

STAR Reading The GE, ZPD, and the SS will allow us to see where our students are and how we can direct them to grow as readers. We plan to STAR test students at least twice this year to monitor growth.

Accelerated Reader Accelerated Reader goes hand-in-hand with STAR Reading. Accelerated Reader allows us to track student progress and growth. Students will take Accelerated Reader tests as they complete books.

Accelerated Reader Accelerated Reader allows us to: Make essential reading practice more effective for every student. Personalize reading practice to each student’s current level.

Accelerated Reader Accelerated Reader also allows us to: Manage all reading activities including read to, read with, and read independently. Assess students’ reading with different types of quizzes: Reading Practice, Vocabulary Practice, and Literacy Skills.

Library Materials We have the resources we need to support our literacy program. We were able to purchase more than $40,000 in new books and print materials for the library last year because of the grant we received from Lowe’s Educational Foundation and from Title I funds.

Classroom Libraries In addition, you have been given libraries for every classroom. These libraries include at least 50 different paperback books, along with materials to support your classroom libraries.

How to Read AR Book Labels 114653 EN Wednesday Wars, The Schmidt, Gary D. ATOS BL 5.9 Points: 12.0 AR Quiz Number Title of the Book Author Book Level – should fall within a student’s ZPD range Point Value of the Book

Fall Term and AR Set an Accelerated Reader goal of at least 5 points for all of your students this term Enter it as a grade so that students will be held accountable If you wish to set a higher goal, you may You should model effective reading as your students read. Don’t use this as planning time or time to enter your grades.

Help or Information If you need assistance of any kind regarding STAR or AR, please see Mrs. Randall or Mrs. Brooks. We are here to help you. We are doing all we can to make the implementation of this program as painless as possible.

Make It Fun Find a way to reward your students for reading and reaching goals. Mrs. Randall and Mrs. Brooks are rewarding our highest performing students in the AR program, but little rewards from you will go a long way too!

Your Support is Essential We thank you for your support in getting this program off the ground, and we’re here for you if you need us.