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Lisa C. Campbell Paula K. Flageolle

Accelerated Reader Usage and Reading Proficiency Scores During Second Grade Presented to R. D. Head Elementary Staff and Administration November 30, 2002. Lisa C. Campbell Paula K. Flageolle. The Question:.

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Lisa C. Campbell Paula K. Flageolle

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  1. Accelerated Reader Usage and Reading Proficiency ScoresDuring Second GradePresented to R. D. Head ElementaryStaff and AdministrationNovember 30, 2002 Lisa C. Campbell Paula K. Flageolle

  2. The Question: • Does a high level of participation in the Accelerated Reader program translate into significantly improved reading scores, compared with two classrooms with average use? • Can we in good faith support this widely used and expensive program?

  3. What does previous research say? Other case studies

  4. A researcher followed two second grade classes over a six-week period. One class read Accelerated Reader books and took the accompanying quizzes to earn points. The other class read books of their own choosing for thirty minutes per night over the same time span. Conclusion: The study ended with both groups taking a reading comprehension test. There was no difference in reading comprehension scores at the end of the six weeks (Toro, 2001) . Study #1

  5. A study was written on the effects of the AR program in Tennessee's K-5 schools by comparing comprehension scores from schools with AR to those without AR. Conclusion: It was concluded that students using AR did not fair as high in comprehension as those that did not use AR (Paul, 1997). Study #2

  6. At the Annual Meeting of the National Reading Conference on November 30, 2000, researchers presented findings of a study on whether seventh grade students who had participated in the Accelerated Reader program in elementary school read more books than seventh graders who had not. Conclusion: Use of the Accelerated Reader at the elementary school level did not make a difference in the reading habits of seventh grade students, as measured by the Title Recognition Test. Study #3

  7. Additional Findings of Study #3: • Moreover, there was no significant statistical difference in reading volume between Accelerated Reader participants and non-Accelerated Reader participants as a whole. The trend in test scores actually showed that those seventh graders who had not been exposed to Accelerated Reader in elementary school were reading more than their counterparts were (Pavonetti, Brimmer, & Cipielewski, 2000).

  8. At the National Reading Research Center conference in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 4, 1996, Accelerated Reader data gathered on over 659,000 students from 13,000 schools nation-wide was presented. Conclusion: The researchers concluded that there is a positive correlation between Accelerated Reader data and the reading scores from National Assessment of Educational Progress (Topping & Paul, 1999). Study #4

  9. Confused? • The results of available literature seem confusing. Each study had strengths and weaknesses that might have altered the resulting conclusions.

  10. Background: The Unique Opportunity • Mrs. A., who teaches second grade at R. D. Head Elementary, participated in the AR program to such an extent that her students read over three times the number of books that two other second grade classrooms (Mrs. B. and Mrs. C.) read during our one year study.

  11. Our own study develops: • How would we accurately measure the number of books read and reading comprehension levels? We used: • Star Reading • Accelerated Reader

  12. Instrument for Defining Reading Scores: Star Reading software was used to collect data. Each time students took the reading test, the software calculated several norm-referenced scores; including grade equivalent (GE) scores, instructional reading levels, and percentile rankings. The Summary Report provided the scores for each student. The focal interest of this research was the GE score.

  13. Instrument for Defining Student Participation: • As students took Accelerated Reader quizzes on books they read, the software kept track of their scores, the number of books read, and the number of quizzes passed (defined as a score of 60 percent or better).

  14. Research Process: • To begin, we needed to capture the data on these students who were currently in the third grade. This demanded unenrolling each student from their classroom and enrolling them into last year’s second grade classroom. • Students who did not participate for the full school year were excluded. • The participants were predominately Caucasian children of both genders. There were • 19 children in Class A • 18 children in Class B • 18 children in Class C

  15. Collecting Data: • We ran Star reports at three checkpoints throughout second grade for all three classrooms, and once more at the beginning of third grade. • Individual Student Summary reports were run concurrently with the Star Reports revealing the number of books read at that point.

  16. Comparisons: • We compared the number of AR books read by Mrs. A’s students with the control classrooms at these four checkpoints: three throughout the second grade school year and one at the beginning of third grade. • Reading proficiency tests were compared with this data.

  17. Analysis of Data: • We entered data into Excel spreadsheets, but needed a software program that was more user-friendly to generate the statistics. • We downloaded the demo version of GraphPad’s Prism. • We copy and pasted from Excel into Prism. • We ran the various automatic analyses and consulted the online help.

  18. The Numbers: • Mrs. A’s students: 161 books per student • Mrs. B’s students: 53 books per student • Mrs. C’s students: 40 books per student

  19. The dramatic difference:

  20. Reading Proficiency GrowthDuring Second Grade • Class A gained: 12 months • Class B gained: 7 months • Class C gained: 8 months

  21. Comparison of Data: There is a direct correlation in our study between the average number of books read and the average change in grade equivalent reading levels.

  22. Statistics at the First Checkpoint: • There was no significant statistical difference in students’ mean reading proficiency scores among the three classes at the beginning of the 2nd grade year (One-way ANOVA test, P<0.05).

  23. Statistics at the Final Checkpoints: • There was significant statistical difference in the mean number of AR books read among the three classes at the end of the 2nd grade year (One-way ANOVA test, P<0.05). • There was significant statistical difference in students’ mean reading proficiency scores among the three classes at the end of the 2nd grade year (One-way ANOVA test, P<0.05). • There was significant statistical difference in students’ mean reading proficiency scores among the three classes at the beginning of the 3rd grade year (One-way ANOVA test, P<0.05).

  24. Our Interpretation of the Results: • Statistically there was no difference in the beginning second grade reading levels in all three classes. • There was significant statistical difference in the ending second grade reading levels. • The students in Class A retained the statistical difference over the summer. • Therefore, we believe that the level of AR usage (i.e., the number of books read) had a valid and notable impact on increasing students’ reading proficiency.

  25. Conclusions and Recommendations • We conclude that the AR program at R. D. Head Elementary is most effective when used as a major component of a reading program during the second grade. • We recommend that second grade teachers expand their usage of the AR program. • Further, we recommend that AR usage and its benefits should be explored more thoroughly.

  26. Implications: • The results of our study imply that the benefits of using AR increase with its level of implementation. • Gains in reading proficiencies at the second grade level suggest wider usage throughout the school. • The sustained gains over the summer lead us to believe that AR is a worthwhile reading tool.

  27. References McKnight, D. (1992). Using the Accelerated Reader and other strategies and varied techniques to improve the reading attitudes of fifth grade students. Dissertations/Theses-Practicum Papers (043). Retrieved September 8, 2002 from ERIC Dissertations/Theses. Pavonetti, L. M., Brimmer, K. M., & Cipielewski, J. F. (2000). Accelerated Reader: What are the lasting effects on the reading habits of middle school students exposed to Accelerated Reader in elementary schools?. Scottsdale, Arizona: Annual Meeting of the National Reading Conference. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED456423)

  28. References Topping, K. J., & Paul, T. D. (1999). Computer-assisted assessment of practice at reading: A large scale survey using Accelerated Reader data. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 15, 213-231. Toro, A. (2001). A comparison of reading achievement in second grade students using the Accelerated Reading program and independent reading. (Eric Document Reproduction Service No. ED455510)

  29. Links for further information • Research Proposal • Instrument and Materials • Research Plan

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