1. Have you been using AR to its full capacity?
AR Refresher
Have you been using AR to its full capacity?

2. Steps to Success Individualize Monitor Use data to take action
Quality first
Make success obvious

3. Accelerated Reader Software: Renaissance Place
(Includes STAR READING Assessment; STAR EARLY LITERACY (new!) Assessment; ACCELERATED READER and VOCABULARY)
Allows you to measure and monitor your students’ reading AND VOCABULARY practice

4. STAR Reading
Computer-based assessment of a student’s overall reading ability
Norm- and criterion-referenced
Identifies individual reading ranges
Measures growth

5. STAR Early Literacy
Computer-based assessment for students who are not yet reading independently
Criterion-referenced
Measures growth in 41 early literacy skills
Helps you tailor instruction
Can be administered monthly

6. Best Practices
Teaching strategies that maximize the power of Accelerated Reader and lead to reading growth for every student

7. Getting Started
Understand Accelerated Reader, STAR Reading, and STAR Early Literacy
Find the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) for each student
Schedule time for daily reading practice:
Read To
Read With
Read Independently

8. Monitoring Students complete the Student Reading Log daily Teachers:
Take Status of the Class daily
Check the TOPS Report immediately after each student quiz
Review the Diagnostic Report weekly to determine the level of student and class implementation

9. Intervention and Enrichment
Intervene promptly with struggling readers to ensure successful reading
Set individual student reading goals
Create a system of motivators to encourage students to reach their goals

10. Understanding AR, STAR, and SEL
Accelerated Reader
Student reads a book, takes a quiz on the computer, and reports immediately print to indicate the level of success. Also includes Vocabulary and Literacy Tests.
STAR Reading
Student takes a test on the computer and reports immediately indicate the reading level
STAR Early Literacy
Computer reads a test to the student and reports immediately indicate pre-reading skills—those mastered and those that need to be mastered

11. Find and Use the ZPD ZPD = Zone of Proximal Development
Book level range appropriate for the student’s reading ability
Use STAR Reading to identify each student’s ZPD
Then examine the following to assist students in book choice for their ZPD:
AR book level (readability)
Interest level (grade appropriateness)
Point value (length and difficulty)/ Word Count (use ARBOOKFIND.COM)

12. Schedule Time for Reading Practice
Daily monitored in-class reading time
Students read their AR books as teacher guides the reading:
Read To
Read With
Read Independently
20, 30, 60 minutes per day
Goals based on in-class reading time

13. Students Complete Reading Logs
Each independent reader records daily the AR book she is reading:
Level
Points
Fiction/nonfiction
Pages read
Quiz score
Teacher initials daily and writes comments as needed

14. Monitor with Status of the Class
Brief, daily, one-on-one conferences with students concerning their reading
During Status of the Class:
Review reading log
Check understanding of current book
Detect, diagnose, and solve problems

15. Check TOPS Report Immediately
TOPS Report indicates a student’s results on the quiz and results for the marking period and for the year
First opportunity for intervention and recommendation
Essential for student success
Examine after each quiz to determine student progress

16. Review Diagnostic Report Weekly
Diagnostic Report shows performance of every student in a class
Examine weekly for students at risk and classroom totals
Highlights students that need immediate intervention
See them immediately during Status of the Class

17. Guide Students to Success
Goal: average 85% correct or higher on Reading Practice Quizzes
Demonstrates comprehension of books read
Leads to reading growth
100% correct is powerful
Intervene if student scores less than 80% on a quiz or averages below 85%

18. Set Goals with Each Student
Setting goals encourages self-directed learning:
Average percent correct (85% or higher)
Points (based on reading level and length of practice)
Book level (based on STAR scores)
Use Goal-Setting Chart as a guideline
Record goals in the computer and on the Student Reading Plan
Accelerated Reader keeps track of students’ progress toward goals

19. Keep Students Motivated
Offer praise and encouragement
Demonstrate your enthusiasm for reading
Help ensure success—it’s the greatest motivator
Celebrate achievement
Celebrate each goal met (i.e.100%; first book read; mixture of author’s/genre’s/ fiction-non fiction, etc)

20. Remember the Steps to Success
Individualize (goal setting)
Monitor (TOPS/Status of the class)
Use data to take action (Diagnostic Report)
Quality first (average 85% and above)
Make success obvious (motivate)