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Accelerated Reader Software Program

Accelerated Reader Software Program in the Elementary Classroom

Tracey Wetzel
UMUC

Accelerated Reader Software Program

Abstract
This paper analyzes the effect of the Accelerated Reader software program in the
elementary classroom. Accelerated Reader allows students to take computer generated
quizzes on books read, and earn points based on correct responses. There are many
conflicting views on AR. Some find the program to be very beneficial, motivating

students to read, while improving reading comprehension and test scores. Others find the
program to be stifling, full of pressure, and a burden on students. Case studies have
shown both positive and negative effects of AR, and the debate continues to live on.
Keywords: Accelerated Reader, Elementary classroom

Accelerated Reader Software Program

Description of Software
Background Information
Accelerated Reader (AR) was first developed in the 1980s by Judith and Terry
Paul as a reading management system for the classroom (Cox, 2012). Under a company
called Renaissance Learning, AR is a software program which categorizes books by
reading levels and provides computer software allowing teachers or librarians to keep
detailed records of what students read and whether they pass a computer-scored quiz
about that book (Cox, 2012). Students can read books, and then choose to take either a
comprehension or vocabulary quiz on the book, and earn points for their correct answers.
Students are provided with immediate feedback after their quiz, in the form of questions
answered correctly. They are also given a percentage of correct answers, which continues
to change as the student takes more quizzes. Colored stickers are placed on the books to
help students identify which ones can be used with AR. There are more than 100,000
quizzes in total that the students can have access to while following the program (Patton,
2006). Although AR does not include a reward system, many schools choose to give out
prizes and other rewards for points earned. Prizes can include: pencils, homework
passes, pizza parties, toys, and extra recess. This serves as a huge motivating factor for
students when it comes to reading. Accelerated Readers philosophy is that by using the
system, students are motivated to read more and better books. Consequently, because
reading is a foundational skill, other academic domains improve in conjunction with
reading skills (Cox, 2012).

Teacher and Parent Uses

As students take quizzes, the program develops very detailed teacher reports that

Accelerated Reader Software Program

can be used for numerous things. Some teachers choose to track student progress in the
classroom for all to see, using the reports as a basic guideline for adding points and
percentages. Others send the reports home with report cards, and even use them as
talking points during parent-teacher conferences. Parents also can log on to AR from
home, and see how their child is doing on the quizzes. They even have the ability to
select an option where they will get an email each time their child takes a quiz, with the
score that they earned. Because AR is accessible from home, it provides a way for
parents to keep up with their childs schoolwork, and be more involved. Unfortunately,
quizzes cannot be taken from home, but that is primarily to prevent cheating, and parents
helping students. On the Accelerated Reader website, one can also find a list of ageappropriate books for AR. This allows parents to buy and borrow books for their children
to read at home for AR. The children can then take a quiz on their book at school. Some
students have been known to complete a multitude of summer readings, and then start off
the school year with numerous AR quizzes to take, building up points very quickly.

Book Levels and Motivation

Another benefit of AR is that it specifically levels books so that students know
which ones are appropriate for them to read. For example, students in the third grade
generally want to read books that fall in the 3.0-3.9 level ranges. If a third grade student
is an above grade level reader, though, they may want to select books in the 4.0-4.9 level
ranges. On the contrary, if they are a below-grade-level reader, books in the 2.0-2.9 level
ranges may be better suited for them. This helps the teacher to pull appropriate books for
students, and guide them in the right direction when choosing books to read for pleasure.
Students are instructed on how to locate a good-fit book, but AR levels help to simplify

Accelerated Reader Software Program

this process (Patton, 2006). Many teachers also choose to have AR conferences with
students, informing them of their book level, and setting goals for points earned each
quarter. Rewards can also be earned when students meet their goals. While rewards can
be very motivating, some studies have shown that students become dependent on the
rewards for their motivation, need more prodding to read, and read less frequently when
the reward is discontinued (Biggers, 2001). While extrinsic rewards cannot be
completely done away with in schools, this is an important piece of information to think
about when giving out prizes for AR. Teacher praise is also a big motivating factor, so
encouraging students, and simply giving them a high-five when they pass a quiz is
always encouraged (Biggers, 2001).

Case Studies
Positive Effects
In a 2004 study in Memphis Tennessee, a random trial was completed with 45
teachers, and 572 students in grades K-3. Eleven schools were involved in the study. In
each school, two teachers in every grade were assigned to implement AR in their
classroom over a period of ten weeks. The students in the classes spent 90 minutes a
week reading independently, and taking AR quizzes on each book that they read. The
students in the other classes also spent 90 minutes a week reading independently, but they
were permitted to read any book of their choosing- not just the AR books. They did not
take any quizzes. Below are the findings of this particular study:
Reading Fluency- No significant effect of Accelerated Reader on third- graders
when measured using the Oral Reading Fluency subtest of the Dynamic Indicators
of Basic Early Literacy Skills.

Accelerated Reader Software Program

Comprehension- The study shows a positive and statistically significant effect of

Accelerated Reader on third grade student performance on the STAR Reading test.
General reading achievement- Accelerated Reader has positive and statistically
significant effects on a measure of general reading achievement (STAR Early
Literacy test) when results are combined across kindergarten, first, and second
grade students ("What works clearinghouse," 2006).
Although there are no statistically significant effects on reading fluency, reading
comprehension, and general reading achievement increased with the students
participating in the AR program. This shows that AR does motivate students to read
more, while encouraging them to focus on comprehension of the book. Because students
want to do well on the quizzes, they are more inclined to re-read, use context clues, and
work more on their general understanding of the book. These practices then become a
part of students general reading habits, helping them to become better, more
sophisticated readers (Patton, 2006).
Today, the use of AR in classrooms is steadily on the rise. More than 63,000
schools nationwide are using Accelerated Reader and Renaissance Learnings other
reading programs in a wide variety of academic settings ("What works clearinghouse,"
2006). When using AR in ones classroom, it is suggested that a block of 30-60 minutes
each day be set aside for reading. This can be done easily in elementary school if the
Daily Five system is implemented in the classroom. This gives students the independent
time that they need to read and take AR quizzes. As long as the classrooms have
computers, taking a quiz should take no more than five minutes (Renaissance Completes
Strong First Half, 2008). Studies have shown that AR may increase standardized test

Accelerated Reader Software Program

scores, and is most effective when used on a daily basis (Long, 2012). In another
interesting study, it was found that females generally had a higher average percent correct
on their quizzes than males. This goes hand in hand with the fact that many studies that
have determined that female students commonly outperform their male counterparts on
reading assessments (Long, 2012).

Negative Effects
While many believe that Accelerated Reader is a fabulous program to use in
schools, others have a different opinion. Like any software program, AR does come with
its downfalls. One major downfall is its cost. Unfortunately, AR is not a free software,
and does cost anywhere between $1,500-$2,000 (Melton, Smothers, Anderson, Fulton,
Replogle, & Thomas, 2004). The school also must invest in purchasing books that can be
found on the AR list for their media centers (Hart, 2007). This is a big investment for a
school, when that money could be used in so many other ways. It is also important for
teaching staff to have adequate training before implementing AR in their classrooms.
Without proper training, there comes frustration, and lack of proper use, making the
program a waste of money. Unfortunately, this happens many times to teachers when
trying to implement new technology into the classroom.
Although AR is very motivating for students, and encourages them to read,
reading for the sake of rewards or higher grades marginalizes reading for authentic
reasons and sends the message that reading has no intrinsic value to the individual (Cox,
2012). It is very important for students, especially in the elementary years to enjoy
learning and reading without the pressure of earning points and rewards. This is why it
may benefit to begin the AR program in the later elementary years, when children have

Accelerated Reader Software Program

already had the opportunity to establish a love for reading on their own. Another
downside to using AR is that it may lead some students to acquire a negative perception
of themselves as readers. Because AR allows teachers and schools in general to track
points in a very public way, it is easy to see which students are the better readers. More
difficult books may earn a student 7-10 points on a quiz, while simpler books may only
earn 0.5 points. This can be frustrating for students who are below-grade-level readers,
as they see their peers making much more progress than themselves, no matter how many
books they read (Cox, 2012). One parent even sees this as a form of abuse. She states,
Schools reward those who are meeting their goals with cookies, milkshakes, and
extra recess, while those who dont make the goal for whatever reason are forced
to sit by and watch the others have fun and eat cookies. Most children in my
experience hate this program and only do it because it is part of the grade and they
have to participate (Newman, 2004).
This same parent also stated that her daughters were thrilled when they graduated from
elementary school, and no longer had to participate in the AR program. Her daughters
were not advanced in reading, and she claims that AR hindered their self-confidence, and
turned reading into a chore for them. (Newman, 2004) Unfortunately, AR can affect
students in a negative way, making them feel pressured to earn a certain score, or read a
certain number of books so that they can match up to their peers.
In a case study by Bert Eliason on the effects of Accelerated Reader on student
attitudes toward reading, Eliason found also found that AR had a negative impact on
student attitude. This study took place in Oregon, and gathered results from one hundred
twenty-eight third, fourth, and fifth grade students. Before and after implementing AR,

Accelerated Reader Software Program

Eliason gave the students a reading attitude survey, and also interviewed students one-onone. Eliason concluded that all students of all reading levels showed a decrease in
attitude toward reading after using the AR program (Eliason, 2006). While it is meant to
be motivating software, not every student sees competition in school as a fun challenge.
Another complaint is that sometimes the books are not properly leveled. While
the reading level may be correct, the content of the book is not always appropriate for
some students. According to one parent, her daughter had the unfortunate experience of
reading a Judy Blume book ranked at the 4.8 reading level when she was in fourth grade.
This book ranked by AR contained situations clearly leveled at the middle school child
(Newman, 2004). The book also contained the F word, which this parent deemed
completely inappropriate for a fourth grader. AR provides what is known as a STAR
test for students to determine their reading level. Some students have increased multiple
levels over the summer, with little to no reading. This makes some parents wonder if the
STAR test is accurate (Newman, 2004).
Most reading programs contain independent student assignments and reading,
coupled with guided reading, and direct teacher instruction. With AR, there is
absolutely no mention of the teachers role in providing direct instruction in reading
strategies as would be done in balanced reading programs (Biggers, 2001). The
teachers role is defined as a record keeper when keeping track of classroom points, and
one who guides students in book selection. It is important that one does not confuse AR
with an instructional program, and base their language arts classroom around it. AR is
meant to enhance the reading class, but not support it. It is still essential for elementary
students to participate in guided reading groups and whole class instruction to help them

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become successful readers.

Besides providing unnecessary pressure, and skewed book levels, there have also
been studies that show negative educational effects of AR. In one particular case study,
the reading achievement growth of fifth grade students in Jackson Mississippi was
analyzed after a year of participation in the AR reading program. Three hundred, twentytwo students who participated in the study used the AR program for one year, while two
hundred seventy students in the study did not. After the study, it was determined that the
students who did not participate in the program, actually showed a larger growth in
reading achievement than the students who did participate. Growth in reading
achievement was based on standardized reading assessments for the state of Mississippi.
(Melton et al., 2004).
In a similar study by Sandra Hart, involving eight, second grade classes in
Atlanta, Georgia, results also showed little to no difference in reading achievement
between students who used AR in their classroom, and those who did not. The study
results were based on the DIBELS reading assessment, and the STAR Early Literacy
Test. While the students did show a significant increase in their pre and post test scores,
from the beginning to the end of the year, this can be attributed to the normal learning
curve of a second grader, and the amount of progress that they would typically make in a
school year (Hart, 2007). These findings, as well as the Mississippi case study findings do
not show a positive impact of using AR, and make it difficult for one to support the
implementation of Accelerated Reader in the school system.

Conclusion

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Accelerated Reader Software Program

Clearly, there are multiple perspectives and opinions about the AR program, and
whether or not it has a positive impact on students in the elementary classroom. There
are conflicting case studies, providing results on student achievement based upon the AR
software. Some studies show increased student motivation, as well as standardized test
scores, while other studies show the complete opposite. As the debate lives on, it is up to
each individual school/county to decide if this program is right for them.

References
Biggers, D. (2001). The argument against Accelerated Reader. Journal Of Adolescent &
Adult Literacy, 45(1), 72. Retrieved from Education Research Complete

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Cox, D. (2012). Is Accelerated Reader Best Practice for All?. California Reader, 46(2),
14-22. Retrieved from Education Research Complete
Eliason, B. (2006). Effects of Accelerated Reader on student attitudes toward reading.
Dissertation Abstracts International Section A, 66. Retrieved from proquest.com
Hart, S. S. (2007). Accelerated reader in a primary school: An evaluation of time spent on
classroom implementation and student achievement. Dissertation Abstracts
International Section A, 68. Retrieved from proquest.com
Long, T. (2012). Accelerated reader: The relation to age of entry into formal education.
Reading Improvement, 49(4), 168-182. Retrieved from Education Research
Complete
Melton, C. M., Smothers, B. C., Anderson, E., Fulton, R., Replogle, W. H., & Thomas, L.
(2004). A Study of the Effects of the Accelerated Reader Program on Fifth Grade
Students' Reading Achievement Growth. Reading Improvement, 41(1), 18.
Retrieved from Academic Search Complete
Newman, M. (2004). A parent's view of AR. Journal Of Adolescent & Adult Literacy,
47(6), 445-446. Retrieved from Education Research Complete
Patton, C. (2006). Accelerated Reader Enterprise. District Administration, 42(8), 76.
Retrieved from Education Research Complete
Renaissance Completes Strong First Half. (cover story). (2008). Electronic Education
Report, 15(15), 1-5.
What Works Clearinghouse. (2008). Accelerated Reader. What Works Clearinghouse
Intervention Report. What Works Clearinghouse. Retrieved from
http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED502922

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