Accelerated Reader and RM Books
Accelerated Reader
Accelerated Reader (AR) is a computer program that helps teachers and librarians manage and monitor children’s independent reading practice.
We use Accelerated Reader as a useful tool to encourage and monitor reading in Year 7 with certain English sets. In these sets there are opportunities for students to read within lessons and students are encouraged to bring a book to read with them. In addition, many tutors will also provide an opportunity for independent reading during form time. To aid this process all students start the AR programme by taking a STAR test. The STAR assessments are used to screen students for their reading achievement levels and place individual students on the Accelerated Reader Programme.
Your child picks a book at his/ own level and reads it at his own pace. When finished, your child takes a short quiz using a school ipad or chromebook. Passing the quiz is an indication that your child understood what was read.
AR gives children, teachers, and librarians feedback based on the quiz results, which the teacher then uses to help your child set goals and direct ongoing reading practice. Children using AR choose their own books to read, rather than having one assigned to them. This makes reading a much more enjoyable experience as they can choose books that are interesting to them. Teachers and librarians help your child choose books at an appropriate readability level that are challenging without being frustrating, ensuring that your child can pass the quiz and experience success.
ACCELERATED READER PARENT GUIDE
RM Books
RM Books is an ebook platform specifically designed for schools. RM Books provides access to high-quality etextbooks, curriculum titles, fiction and non-fiction, as well as free use of hundreds of classic literature ebooks.
The school has to opt to rent ebooks for flexible time periods and they can then be read online via any modern browser or downloaded and read offline on iOS or Android phones and tablets.
The benefits of ebooks include:
- A fresh, 'off the shelf' experience every time.
- Greater student engagement (especially boys).
- Anywhere, anytime access enabling students to read content from home and in school.
RM Books work alongside Accelerated Reader, providing Reading Scale information for their ebooks so that students can choose books suited to their reading level. Students can use the Bookshop's left hand Accelerated Reader™ filter to find books at their level, then combine that with Interest Age to choose age-appropriate content, keyword searches, and any of the other filters to narrow their search.