Heres's how AR was explained to me AR is gearded toward children enjoying reading (hence if u enjoy reading you'll read more and reading level will increase along with comprehension)

AR should not be used exclusively for reading and comprehension skills testing but as an addition or supplement to.

The reason the books may seem a little too easy for many students is because they dont want studnets having to ask for definitions of evry other word in the book (30 studnets all asking 'whats this word or what does it mean?) would take up a TON of time

Its my understanding they read an AR book 3 times and then take a comprehension quiz then may move up levels based on XX amount of quizzes taken in that level.

School libraries and classrooms should have mix of AR and now AR books (unfortunately our librar is like a 10X 10 room with ONLY AR books- Yuck)

I like Lexia and it will be hard to switch schools ove r- 1 due to cost and entrenchment of AR)


The Keats foundation has book grants and I'd check the ALA (Library Ass) website for book grants

As for computers - are there any big businesses in area? Lots donate used computers (most upgrade every 2- 3 yrs regardless of whether comouters are actualy OUTDated) i.e Countrwide, Large Hotel chain, other mortgage co's

[ 11-07-2006, 06:04 PM: Message edited by: Shawn ]

Hey!

I just went to a reading conference here in GA, and now the new big thing in reading is Lexia. the students all have lexile scores with a 100 point range. The low end is easy reading, the middle is where they can read independently, the the higher is their goal or need assitance. Lexia has put just about everything into a lexile system. It is really quite interesting to see, because they even did magazines(Time) and newspapers (NY Post, Wallstreet Journal). Supposedly, it is a better judgement of where a child is reading, and making progress. they have a website, I think Lexia.com but will have to dig through those conference papers to be sure. Most of the systems here in GA are either on Lexia or heading to it now. Our particular system is phasing AR out in favor of it. It is very similar to AR, just a little more detailed. You may want to check into this.

Better yet, can anyone share a Grant possibility that you've used to fund the establishement of an AR program?
ttnc4me at yahoo dot com.

My children go to a K-12 private school. There are only 7 computers in the library that the children use to take their AR test. Any ideas for a good fundraiser to raise enough money to put computers in the classrooms.

I love it, my husbands hates it. Which is weird because he's always went around with a book in his hand and I was the kid that got info about a book from everyone else to complete my book reports. Had we have had AR when I was in school, I would have read more.

I don't think it is pointed towards any certian group. I think it helps out lower readers by encouraging them to read (or be read too) and for higher readers (kinda like my son) it broadens their horizions. I think the AR expectations can be taken to far by some teachers. And the books can be any book you want them to be. You can purchase the quizzes or make up your own. It was mentioned at my boys elementary school about creating a committee to add more books.

I think it is a very flexible program. With good and bad points. I, for one, am very glad this program is in our district.

Originally posted by Mommyx23:
I do not like the AR program. It is geared towards average students with average reading levels. I have worked with 5th graders who are very low readers and they do not want to read Dr. Seuss or as they said, "Baby Books". I would rather see them read comic books if it gets them interested in reading. Some of my students refused to read or take a test on their level, beacause they didn't want their peers making fun of them.

I also have 2 children on the high level, who cannot find books that hold there interest. My fifth grader cannot find any 9th grade books at school and I feel that some of the content in a 9th grade level book is not appropriate for him to read.

I think we should go back to letting them read what they want and do some kind of report on what they read. Make reading fun not a chore!!!

I have stayd out of this one because I am not crazy about AR.

These reasons don't make sense to me, though.

Of course the program is aimed at the middle. Most kids are in the middle.

The fifth grader at the low level embarassed to take his test should be taught that he'll be even more ashamed to be a teenager who can barely read. It's an assignment. Many boys don't like to write poetry about flowers, either, but if it's the assignment, they do it. A teacher needs to get rid of those feelings as much as possible in his classroom ASAP in a school year. Gently embarass everyone, including himself, to establish the class as a safe place.

AR works with existing books. Books written at the ninth grade level are generally written for ninth grade and higher readers. Only because the books won't sell otherwise. I am with you here, though, and I will be in a similar situation soon with my 3rd grader.

In AR, the advanced readers mow through the books they like in the library pretty quickly -- even those reading huge novels. Then they are stuck reading loooong books about things they aren't really interested in -- which makes for bad reading habits, IMO.

Once kids can read at that level, I think they should 'test out' of AR. They can read.

AR is best for grades 1-3. At that age, it is a way to impose structure on the practice of reading. After that, only those having trouble really need the structure IMO.