Accelerated Reader Program Proves To Be A Success
Accelerated Reader Program
Proves To Be A Success
By Susan Coney
With this summer being such a scorcher, Newtown children seem to be fully utilizing the beautiful and comfortably cool Reed Intermediate Media Center to get away from the heat and keep their reading skills up to par.
The Accelerated Reader Program was designed to allow children to create an individual reading goal. Students can read at their individual pace and level. After finishing a book, students take a quiz, which provides an objective measure of their reading comprehension. The quizzes are short, concise, and consist of one to 20 factual questions.
The program is offered to students entering the fifth and sixth grades and takes place on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 9 am until noon through August 17. Children are welcome to browse, check out and return books, read or take an Accelerated Reading quiz on the computer.
Media Center librarian Ginny Snowden states that the program has been a huge success. âThe parents are loving it. The kids are reading up a storm. They really like the interactive component of using the computers,â she stated. Ms Snowden went on to say that approximately 30 children a day come in to participate in the program. Students receive incentives along the way as they read and Accelerated Reader keeps track of each studentâs progress.
The Accelerated Reading website has more information about AR including sample tests that may be accessed from the link page on the Reed library website at www.reedlibrary.com.
Parent Lisa Paynter is thrilled with the program. Her son Griffin will be a sixth grader this fall at Reed has been participating in the program. Initially he was hesitant but he finally sat down and succumbed to the program and has done very well. Griffin now is very enthusiastic about the reading program and has felt a sense of accomplishment by participating in it.
In the fall each student who has met his or her goal will receive a small trophy. In addition Accelerated Reader gives each participant an Accelerated Reader T-shirt.Â