Accelerated Reader

Accelerated Reader is a computer program that will help to develop your child’s independent reading. It works in quite a simple way: your child will pick a book within their level and, when finished, will take a short quiz on the computer. The quiz is really important because it is how we change books at school. If your child can pass a quiz about what they have read, then this tells us that they have fully understood the content of their book and can move on to another one.

 All children in the school have undertaken a short reading test that has assigned them a reading band (or Z.P.D.). Your child will now be able to select a book from our library that falls within their Z.P.D. This reading band will guide your child towards choosing books at an appropriate reading level that are challenging without being frustrating. The aim is for them to pass the quiz and be successful.

All of our books in the library are labelled and put into colour bands that will further help guide your child in choosing a book. The children will continue to read through the Oxford Reading Tree before finding a book within the scheme. In addition, they will also be allowed to take out a book within their Z.P.D, or any book not included in Accelerated Reader (this includes all non-fiction and many other fiction titles). Once the children have finished the Oxford Reading Tree, they must choose a reading book within their Z.P.D as well as one not included in the scheme should they wish.

This will hopefully make reading a much more enjoyable experience, as they can choose books that are interesting to them. As part of our reading programme, we ask the children to read at home to an adult at least three times per week (depending on year group), fill in their reading record and have it signed by a parent. We would greatly appreciate your support in helping your child to do this, as ultimately the reading practice that your child gets outside of school contributes greatly towards them becoming a confident, successful reader.

Bug Club