Please help me understand the AR levels

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Please help me understand the AR levels

by Tracy

Sep 11, 2009

OK, my 6th grade daughter's teacher wants her reading AR books at a 7th grade level or above, however, we (the teacher too) are confused on what exactly is the AR level. For many books there is a reading level, for example 7.4, but then the AR level is listed at a 5.6. So would that book be too easy for her or is it ok? We really don't understand what the AR level stands for. Our librarian says it has to do with the point system of AR but we couldn't really understand her explaination, so we are turning to you guys for help. Can someone explain this in simple terms? I hope this make sense...Thanks so much.

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Wayyy confusing "Everybody is wrong" sure gave an "easy to understand" lesson on how to have a child pick their own book...lol. AS I SAID PREVIOUSLY, each school may do it differently, to make it EASY for a CHILD to pick their own book, since AR is our INDEPENDENT reading program. (parents also need an easy-to-understand method for helping their child to choose an...See More"Everybody is wrong" sure gave an "easy to understand" lesson on how to have a child pick their own book...lol. AS I SAID PREVIOUSLY, each school may do it differently, to make it EASY for a CHILD to pick their own book, since AR is our INDEPENDENT reading program. (parents also need an easy-to-understand method for helping their child to choose an appropriate book based on their interest and independent reading level- and our method is easy for parents) My school puts COLOR CODED LABELS on each book level. They are sorted into " grade levels" and shelved together in the library. The kids pick their own books. I DO NOT have to "take into account the interest level" - the kids pick books by themselves. So, not all schools assign a ZPD range. We use the Gaites test, the SpEd kids use the Woodcock, and we assign kids a "color coded" range to pick from. It's not WRONG it's DIFFERENT from what you do. We have had EXTENSIVE training on AR....and great success with the program, as AYP/National Blue Ribbon status has been achieved. Imagine that! And apparently we're doing it 'All wrong...?' On 9/12/09, Everybody is Wrong wrote: > A student is to be assigned to a ZPD RANGE based on the > student's reading level. > > A child in his fifth month of sixth grade is not limited to 6.5 > level books. Few students are EXACTLY on grade level all the time > anyway. Plus, you're severely limiting student choices by giving > ONE level of book. > > Let's assume, for the sake of simplicity, that the sixth grader in > the sixth month of school IS reading on a 6.5 grade level. In > that case, he or she should be reading books in the RANGE of ZPD > levels from 4.9 to a 6.3. > > However, not ALL books within that range will be appropriate for > that student. You also have to take into consideration the > interest level. Let's take a 4.9 level book for instance. > > Adele & Simon in America is a 4.9 book level. But it's a LG > interest level, meant for children in K-3. It is not appropriate > for a sixth grader. > > On the other end of the spectrum, many novels by James Patterson, > Agatha Christie, and Sue Grafton--just to name a few--are in the > 4.9-5.1 range. They are meant for adults, and are also not > appropriate for a sixth grader. > > A sixth grader with a on-grade reading ability should be reading > MIDDLE GRADE INTEREST LEVEL books, such as Artemis Fowl, > which is a 5.0 level . . . but with situations appropriate for a > child that age. > > The book levels are only readability levels . . . can the child > read the words. The interest level is for age-appropriateness. > > Sounds like people need training.

Sep 13, 2009

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Ima Teacher "Everybody is Wrong" is actually correct.

There is more to picking a book than a readability level. You just have to take into consideration the interest level.

AR is not an easy program to understand or implement correctly. There are many ways to choose books, but not all of them are the best way to do so. The "basics" aren't a...See More

Sep 13, 2009

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Life Sucking My school is now implementing both AR goals and 100 book challenge goals. Kids are not only required to meet point goals, but also log every 15 minute block of reading. And they can't read for an hour and write "one hour"...they have to log four separate 15 minute slots, and get the "coach" to sign in on that. It's sucking the life right out of our...See More

Sep 15, 2009

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CityTeacher Our library color codes the books too, but they are on carts based on colors. We have Kindergarteners who choose their own books, so they know to pick Purple. Several color levels are on each cart. No kid ever worries about carrying a book that's below their grade level- they all read on different color levels, and we never had a problem. Some kids...See MoreOur library color codes the books too, but they are on carts based on colors. We have Kindergarteners who choose their own books, so they know to pick Purple. Several color levels are on each cart. No kid ever worries about carrying a book that's below their grade level- they all read on different color levels, and we never had a problem. Some kids ask to move down a color because the books are easier or they like a particular author or series. Its FINE if they move a color up or down. As long as they read, who really cares? Geez, let them read what they like. I personally dont care if they are reading the back of the ceral box- as long as they are reading! We tend to micromanage and force books that they have no interest in reading, make them fill out long reading logs followed by a writing assignment.....no wonder the previous poster claimed that its "sucking the life" out of reading. This is just my opinion. I know there are teachers who feel that kids should be reading challenging or "frustration level" all the time, or they won't learn to read. I'm not one of those teachers. Reading should be fun. AR is not the only reading program- they still participate in the regularly scheduled "shared" and "guided" reading curriculums which are grade-level appropriate. AR is independent, enjoyment- reading only. If a 6th grader wants to read Dr. Suess, so be it! In my school, motivating a 6th grader to read anything is a feat in itself. The Lorax and the Butter Battle Book were written for adults anyway...they have hidden messages.

On 9/13/09, Ima Teacher wrote: > "Everybody is Wrong" is actually correct. > > There is more to picking a book than a readability level. You just have > to take into consideration the interest level. > > AR is not an easy program to understand or implement correctly. There > are many ways to choose books, but not all of them are the best way to do > so. The "basics" aren't all that complicated, but those kids who fall > outside the norms can be difficult to place in books and serve well. > > As far as color-coding the books or sorting them by "grade level", that's > not best practice. Imagine that you were a 7th grader who was reading > three years below grade level. It would be rather embarrassing to have > to go to the 4th grade book section or walk around carrying a 4th grade > book. And I've seen students who weren't able to use a library properly > because they thought the books were supposed to be organized by book > level. >

Sep 15, 2009

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Test Life Sucking, I feel sorry for your situation. Sad part is AR is not the issue here. The system and how you are using it seems to be the problem. I've never been a fan of forcing 1 system to students. Goals are just that. They are goals for students. Just like Grades. Shouldn't every student strive to get an A? The one nice things is that every stu...See MoreLife Sucking, I feel sorry for your situation. Sad part is AR is not the issue here. The system and how you are using it seems to be the problem. I've never been a fan of forcing 1 system to students. Goals are just that. They are goals for students. Just like Grades. Shouldn't every student strive to get an A? The one nice things is that every student can have a differnt goal. So if everyone is held to the same level, that would not be fair.

Sounds like you school is trying a standard that is hard to adjust to. Involves Reading and writing to further comprehension and using a standard and goals to ensure students follow thru with the system.

On 9/15/09, Life Sucking wrote: > My school is now implementing both AR goals and 100 > book challenge goals. > Kids are not only required to meet point goals, but > also log every 15 minute block of reading. And they > can't read for an hour and write "one > hour"...they have to log four separate 15 minute > slots, and get the "coach" to sign in on > that. It's sucking the life right out of our very best > readers, :( . > > On 9/13/09, Ima Teacher wrote: >> "Everybody is Wrong" is actually correct. >> >> There is more to picking a book than a readability >> level. You just have to take into consideration the >> interest level. >> >> AR is not an easy program to understand or implement >> correctly. There are many ways to choose books, but >> not all of them are the best way to do so. The >> "basics" aren't all that complicated, but >> those kids who fall outside the norms can be >> difficult to place in books and serve well. >> >> As far as color-coding the books or sorting them by >> "grade level", that's not best practice. >> Imagine that you were a 7th grader who was reading >> three years below grade level. It would be rather >> embarrassing to have to go to the 4th grade book >> section or walk around carrying a 4th grade book. And >> I've seen students who weren't able to use a library >> properly because they thought the books were supposed >> to be organized by book level. >>

Sep 16, 2009

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