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(Q) WHAT IS ACCELERATED READER?

(A) Accelerated Reader is an independent reading program which combines reading practice and software-based reading assessment. Instructionally flexible, mastery focused, and professionally written, Accelerated Reader is the program PROVEN to develop reading skills, help raise test scores, and motivate students to achieve reading success.


(Q) WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF ACCELERATED READER?

(A) Accelerated Reader:
  • MOTIVATES students with suggested reading choices that match their interests and reading levels.
  • EMPOWERS educators with reports and actionable date at the student, school and district level.
  • REINFORCES comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency skills.

Surrounding students with a wide variety of leveled literature and nonfiction texts in the classroom, in the school library, and at home is a great start to creating lifelong readers. With Accelerated Reader, your students have a Lexile®-based independent reading program that tracks their success on the books they read, in and out of school. This technology-based program creates a personalized and engaging learning environment that ensures independent reading accountability.  


(Q) WHAT IS A LEXILE?

(A) A Lexile measure is a unit for measuring text difficulty based on the variables of syntax and semantic difficulty. Semantic difficulty refers to the level of familiarity or frequency of the text’s vocabulary and syntax refers to the level of difficulty in terms of sentence length. The Lexile scale is a developmental scale for reading that ranges from below 400L for beginning-reader level to 1700L for advanced level.  


(Q) WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO USE ACCELERATED READER?
(A) Generally students begin the Accelerated Reader Program when they are in second grade; however if a teacher and parent believe a student's reading ability and comprehension are ready prior to 2nd grade an assessment can be performed by the teacher to determine eligibility.


(Q) HOW DOES ACCELERATED READER WORK?

(A) It's easy...

  1. Start with any great book found in the school library—fiction, nonfiction, and curriculum-based books that the student WANTs to read that's Lexile is within their assessed range.
  2. Student reads a book and take the corresponding quiz. Accelerated Reader automatically generates a quiz that meets each student's reading needs.
  3. If the student gets a 90% or higher they turn in that book and select another.  Working with their librarian and teacher increases in Lexile level will be determined.  If a student gets less than 90% they generally read the book again and retest or work with their librarian and teacher to ensure their original selection was aligned to their Lexile level.
For more information please contact Lake Forest School Librarian, Mrs. Shedd.
 
STAR Assessment
 
(Q) What is the STAR Assessment?

(A) The STAR Assessment is a research-based, computer-adaptive reading assessment for Grades K–12 that
measures students’ level of reading comprehension and reports it using the Lexile Framework®
for Reading. Data aggregation and disaggregation by demographic subgroup helps administrators
monitor progress while classroom and student-level reports help teachers to place students, differentiate instruction, monitor progress, and forecast state test results.
 
 
(Q) What grade levels does the STAR Assessment cover?

(A) The STAR Assessment may be used with students in Grades K through 12. While kindergarten and first-grade
students can be enrolled in the STAR Assessment, we recommend they use the assessment only if they are
already reading.