We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people. ~John F. Kennedy
I thought we might close out our discussion by focusing on one of the most popular programs in many schools in our area: Accelerated Reader. I visited a school today where all of the books were shelved by AR levels and where shelves holding titles without AR tests were clearly labeled "These are not AR books." What does our profession have to say about the practice of labeling in general and AR in particular? Here's a quote from a longer Q & A document:
Is it okay to restrict certain sections of the collection based on the patron's age or grade level?
Restricting access to library materials based on age or grade level does not respect the individual needs, interests, and abilities of users and violates the Library Bill of Rights.
Pretend you're a new media specialist in a school like the one I visited-AR books are not only labeled, they are shelved by grade level AND students are only allowed to select books from their ZPD (zone of proximal development). Do you believe these practices violate the Library Bill of Rights? What are some short term and long term steps that you might try to address this issue?
47 comments:
I agree that this is a violation of the Library Bill of Rights. As a student who read above my grade level throughout the entirety of my education, this practice would have been very upsetting to me. I wonder if this might even hamper the development of students who read above the grade level but are restricted to grade-level material. Might this also cause problems for those children who read below their grade levels? Common sense combined with my experience teaching special education students in my English classroom tells me that a student who is incapable of reading and/or comprehending a text and then is tested on that text will do poorly on the test.
As for steps to take to confront this issue, as a teacher, I do not really know the lines of communication that might get changes brought about. However, I would definitely begin researching the issue to try to bring about a change.
If you restrict their access and not allow them to check out anything outside of their ZPD then that is a violation of civil liberties. But, giving a child their ZPD and telling them that it is best if they choose in their range is not restricting their access. Knowing their ZPD helps kids choose correctly. Also, AR is a program to get kids reading MORE! The point system used is supposed to entice them to read. Labeling the books, to me, is just a courtesy to the kids who are trying to earn as many points as they can. They can still read non-AR books, but they know which are which.
I do not believe that children should only be allowed to check out books from their lexile level. I do believe however that they should be required to check out at least 1 from their level. Reading is so important to a childs success in school. They must read to get better at fluencey and comprehension. In order to do this they need to read books at their level. Research shows that repeated reading helps this process. School is for helping children to learn. Students are usually able to check out 2 to 3 books a week. So why not have at least one of them be on their level and they can have the freedom to choose the other two.
I’m not in the school system and don’t know much about the AR program so I asked one teacher her opinion on the AR program. She said that when a school purchases the AR program the students are only allowed to test on AR books in their ZPD. At her school students may only check out 2 books at a time and they must be AR books in their ZPD. Once their AR goal is met then students can check out any book they want regardless of their ZPD. I feel this process is wrong because it limits the books that students can check out. If students were allowed to check out 3 books at a time and 2 must be AR books in their ZPD and one book could be ANY book of their choice then I feel that may be more of the right way to handle it instead of restricting books to only their ZPD until the point goal is met. There’s got to be some way to regulate what students read and are tested on. Teachers would not want a 5th grader reading a 1st grade reading level book and making 100’s on every test. I don’t know what the answer is because I don’t know enough about how the school reading programs work, but I think there is some need to regulate or control to a certain extent what students are reading and tested on.
I think that it is in violation of the Library Bill of Rights to limit students to books that are only in their grade level. This goes against the whole idea of differentiated learning and does not meet individual students' needs. If a student wants to read a book that is above his or her grade level, that's GREAT! We should be encouraging students to challenge themselves. Even if a student wants to read something that is below his or her grade level, they should be allowed to do so. I know that sometimes I'm in the mood for an "easy" read :) Regardless, it is a form of censorship and it should not happen.
What would I do if I was at this school? First, I'd figure out who is responsible for this aspect of the library and I'd try to talk to them and ask them why it is set up the way it is set up. It may be that it has always been that way...and there is no reason for it. In that case I'd offer an alternative way to do it. If the person in charge gives a reason, I'd ask them why and tell my point of view...nicely, of course :)
I think I can see why they would want to group all the AR books together. I'm guessing it's to make it easy for the students who only want to read AR books? But, I really don't understand limiting students to only reading books on their level. It seems backwards not to encourage students to challenge themselves...isn't that how they learn???
In my school some of the books are shelved by A.R. level, this really is to help the younger students, kindergarten and 1st grade, who might have trouble locating books on their level. I don't think shelving the books by A.R. level is a violation of the students rights, but I do feel that only allowing students to check out books on their level is a violation. At our school students are encouraged to check out 1 A.R. book on their level and 1 fun book that can be off their level. This ensures that students can test on at least 1 book they check out and then they may choose to read another book. I however am not a complete fan of A.R. but that is a different story.
I am unsure about the AR program. In the high school where I teach we have the AR program loaded but it is not used. After completing some research, I agree that it is against their civil right but I also think it may be a good idea. If a student chooses a book which is above his level, he will not finish reading it because it is to hard. So if given a book on his level, he is likely to continue reading. I think the labeling of the materials is a great idea. I am all for organization. So labeling will help the students find the book quickly.
I don't think I've shared this story this semester but I went to school in a small town in Quebec for many years. There was no access to books in English except for a few classics in the French public library. We had no school library-just a couple of sets of encyclopedias in a closet. The bookmobile did come around every 6 weeks. My goal was to check out however many books were the limit (6 stays in my mind) and I always picked the BIGGEST ones b/c I knew they had to last me for 6 weeks!
I also agree that it is a violation of the Library Bill of Rights. It is in a sense a form of censorship, depending on how it is used in certain schools. I don't think that students should be forced to only check out books in there range. At our school, we use the AR program. In our media center, the books are labled AR, but they are not seperated by level. Our students are allowed to check out any books they want. They are just required to take at least four AR tests each nine weeks. I teach at a middle school, so we don't have as wide a range of reading levels as an elementary school has, that is why this works for our school. If students are trying to read a book that is too hard for them to read, I do think the teacher or media specialist should try to help him or her find some different books, but I don't think that it should have to be based on a specific ZPD or be an AR book for that matter.
I agree with many of you that it depends on how the school uses the labeled books in the AR program. If the books are just labeled as a courtesy to students so that they can easily find books for testing, but they are allowed to check out any level book, then I think it is o.k. to do this. At the school that I work at students are allowed to test on books that are above their grade level. They are even allowed to test on books that are one grade below level. If students are only allowed to check out books on their level then of course this would be a violation of their rights.
I believe that limiting students to only checking out books at their ZPD level is censoring their rights to intellectual freedom by limiting their choices significantly. Especially when they are allowed to check out only one book at a time, and that book has to be an AR book. Someone stated that AR is meant to motivate students to read more. While this may be true for some children (usually those that are good readers, high achievers, and already enjoy reading), I have definitely seen many children who hate AR and do not enjoy reading because the only time they get to "pleasure read" is actually an AR book for AR purposes, so they've really never had the chance to truly read for pleasure. As a matter of fact I was speaking with a group of fifth graders a few days ago, and one of them brought up AR books, and all of the students then talked about how much they hate AR and wish they could get different books out of the library that were not AR books...and went on and on about it, all of them in agreement. I can sympathize with these students, because if I were pleasure-reading, but knew I had to take a test on it, it would not be pleasurable! So you say, then read one AR book and one non-AR book-- that could be a good idea, if our students were inclined to read "extra" books or had the time to. Unfortunately many are not & do not, so they read that AR book and are done with reading. Not all books have AR tests to go with them, or the school may not have bought the tests, so they could be missing out on good literature just because it's not correlated with AR. Labeling the shelves could be viewed as a courtesy, or it also could be viewed as restricting access--either by requiring to only choose from that section, or by causing the students who hate AR to stay away from that section, where there might actually be a book they would like.
I do not think that the books should be labeled in a way that would deter students or not allow any students to access them. I believe it is our job to help steer children to the types of books and levels that are most appropriate for them. If they are curious about other books or have been told by friends to read books that are not on their level then they should be able to find this out themselves. I totally think that the students should be able to access and explore in the library. I know this was very helpful to me when I could but, I did feel intimidation for looking for books that were of interest to me but were the "forbidden" topics.
The AR program is a very controversial program. Especially if it is not used correctly. I teach at an elementary school and our library is organized by ZPD levels and the books are grouped into colors. As many have said this is type of censorship and may violate individual rights. However, many students are not avid readers like most of us. The problem with AR levels is that it is based on a timed test and sometimes can be inaccurate. Students are given a level in which to read. The level is helpful for students, because the goal of reading is to understand and comprehend a majority of the stories that you read. The problem is that we can read at different levels based on whether the book is fiction, nonfiction, or even high interest. Students above grade level may miss out on age appropriate classics and may be reading about situations that are too mature. I have a fifth grade student reading Gone With The Wind. I just wonder how enjoyable it will be because she lacks the maturity to get all that is going on. I hope she reads it again later.
I have often though about ways to reorganize our library. I think it would be great to organize books by subject. I guess that would like using the dewey decimal system. I also like when libraries have highly recommended books that are displayed and changed regularly for students to see what they might be missing. I do believe that the more choices and freedom that students have the more they will enjoy reading. I think it is important promote reading and enjoying what you read but also small students need some accountability or they will just end up carrying books back and forth to the library.
I also feel that limiting students to a certain level or ZPD zone is a violation of First Amendment Rights. My son, who is in seventh grade, is above grade level in reading and gets very frustrated that he is required to check out books in his "zone." His school requires students to read 25 AR books throughout the school year. He feels penalized by having to read longer books just because that's his reading level when other students get to read small books because of theirs. Students should be allowed to read books because they are interested in them. We are supposed to motivate them to read not put a bad taste in their mouths about reading.
I think one way to handle the whole AR/ZPD issue is to recommend that students get one book on their "level" and one book from an area of their choice.
It is more challenging when dealing with younger students. As a first grade teacher, I want my students to be able to read the books that they check out. Many of them are just learning to read and they get frustrated or give up when they can't read the words in a book. Several of them do not have a support system at home to read the books to them. I think that young students SHOULD have a CHOICE in what they check out. However, I feel that it is crucial to guide them in the right direction in choosing books that they will be successful with.
This is tough!
I feel that the way this media specialist had her books labeled and separated is a form of censorship. I believe that students should be able to read the books that they find interesting. If we try to restrict their access, then we are violating their rights. We have AR in our high school. In the past it became a very big issue because all classes had to require students earn a certain number of points each nine weeks. A lot of our students would not read becuase they were required to do it. For the past two or three years AR has become an incentive program. If they earn 25 points, they can drop a low daily grade in the class of their choice each nine weeks. The top three readers in each grade level and over all receive cash rewards at the end of the year.
If we restrict the level of books that our students read, we are discouraging from reading. There may be a book that looks interesting to them, but since it is not in their ZPD, they can not check it out. We want our children to read. Therefore, they should be allowed to choose what they want and not have someone choose it for them.
If I was in this media center, I would recommend shelving all of the books together regardless of thier AR status. I would look into other ways to assist students with checking out books other than labeling them. I don't feel that is is appropriate to have the grade level posted on the book because not everyone reads on grade level and may be embarassed for someone to know their reading level. I am not sure how a media center would continue to have AR and try to eliminate labels, but I would definitely look into some alternatives.
ALA's position on labeling does seem to cause some issues when we also try to consider doing things that make the library experience better for our students. I think I could probably live with some form of identifier for AR books if students can check out books that aren't AR and if the whole ZPD thing was not seen as cast in stone. It's interesting to see that the new Georgia requirement for all students to read 25 books per year (which we should see as a good thing) has been turned into yet another use for AR. YIKES!
I honestly believe that one reason that AR has become so "big" is that for many years media specialists were very involved with technology and were pulled away from the reading promotion part of our role/mission. There was a void and AR filled it. I also think that AR appealed to many b/c it can be seen as an instructional use of technology. Sigh.
I strongly agree that for media centers/libraries to group or shelve the AR books according to their specified level is a violation of the Library Bill of Rights. Also, allowing students to ONLY check out books within the ZPD is a violation of these rights. In my media center, all of the AR books are shelved according to their classification, not AR level. I will have to say that pull 20-25 AR books for my kindergarten students and put them in a designated location. This is done about every 2 days. By doing this, my little ones are able to learn how to use a shelf marker and place the book back in its proper location. Besides, not all of the books in my collection are AR and if these books were put on certain shelves according to their AR level, then none of the non-AR books would ever get checked out.
As far as students only being able to check out books within their ZPD, I totally disagree. The hidden rule at my school is one grade below and one grade above their ZPD. Most teachers follow suit, unlike a few who come to my mind. There is a 4th grade teacher who brings her class to the media center 2 times a week. They are only allowed to check out books on their assigned level(according to her) and before they can check out the books, she must approve of them first. I totally disagree with what she is doing, but so far, I have not had any luck with getting her to change. I have voiced my concerns to the principal and needless to say, she still makes the final decision. When these students are in the 5th grade next year, they will probably never set foot in the media center because they will not have someone standing over them "choosing" their books.
I could spend all day on this topic. I worked in an independent school library that had the books for 1st grade -8th grade shelved by AR level. It took the two years I was there to put the fiction section back by author's last name and teach that to the students. When I left, 8th grade down to 3rd grade had been reshelved correctly.
There was a shelf just for kindergarten students shelved by author. They could only choose books on that shelf and other students could not choose books from the kindergarten shelf. They didn't want the kindergarten students taking AR books because there might not be enough. K5 did not participate in AR. I inherited this situation and we worked on changing it.
I definitely do not think the books in the library should be arranged by AR! We had to teach students how to browse the shelves because they would just run in and pick one in their level and go.
I found that 2nd -5th graders did not know authors/illustrators hardly at all. They only selected a book by AR level (their ZPD). I heard "Oh, I can't read that book-it's not in my level" all day long! I think every teacher needs to attend an AR training before utilizing AR. I don't think it was designed to be used as I have sometimes seen it used where children begin to hate reading because of AR.
I like the idea suggested in some posts of students choosing one AR book and one of their own choice. Guidance in book selection with children is a good thing but the way AR is used sometimes has gotten the situation out of balance. I think it would be nice for every person who works with students to know about the Library Bill of Rights. It is definitely needed.
A young student told me just today that he had reached his required points and now he could read whatever he wanted.
First of all, I have some real issues with AR...not really the program itself but with how it is being used. For example, for four years now AR has been used as a punishment for my daughter. She has been made to sit out recess and fun time because she has not had enough AR points. This year, if she doesn't get the right number of points each semester, 10 points are subtracted from her grade. And this is supposed to encourage reading and make it fun? My daughter who used to love to read hates reading now. This in itself is, in my opinion, a violation of her rights. I can't tell you how many times we read a book together at night...a book that she actually got into and took an interest in and wanted to read...only to find out that she could not "count" this book or test on this book because it was not in her ZPD range. No, it is not right to limit a child's reading selection merely because it does not fall into that range. As a parent, I always wrote a note to the teacher explaining that my daughter and I read the book together and, even though it was higher than her zpd, she should be allowed to test since I read it with her. I understand that we want children to feel success and that there is a great potential for children to fail AR tests if they check out books above their range and we are, I guess, promoting laziness and stifling progress if we let children test on books that fall below their ability level. But you know, I still enjoy pulling a Judy Blume or Laura Ingalls Wilder or Jk Rowling book off the schelves and revisiting it every now and then for my own enjoyment...even though I'm quite certain they do not fall within my ZPD range. We cannot and should not tell children that they may only choose the books from certain shelves. I have no problem with labeling shelves for AR books, simply to help children find an AR book that is on their level and that they find interesting if they so choose. But I think as a media specialist I would choose both AR and non-AR books to read aloud to children so that they have the exposure and enjoyment of both. I am not sure it is a good thing to make children check out one AR book and one non-AR book(whether you call it a "book for fun" or whatever, that is still what it is ... a non-AR book.) I think children should always have the choice of what they would like to read. If I were in the media center mentioned, I would not stop a child from checking out an AR book that was not on their ZPD level anymore than I would stop a child from checking out the banned book I read for this blog. The decision of whether or not to let the child take an AR test on the book because it is not in the correct range, is for the teacher. But even if that is the case, the child should have the opportunity to make the choice of checking the book out even if he/she cannot test on it.
I can not speak directly from experience about AR because I taught kindergarten and we did not participate in the program. I will say I that I do not have a problem with labeling and sorting books according to reading level. I think that it is helpful to be able to find books on a certain grade level. What I do NOT like is students being forced to read books that they are not interested in reading all the time. I really feel that it takes the fun out of reading. But then again isn't everything forced upon our students? They don't have a choice about what curriculum is taught in their school. As teachers we are required to make students better readers and improve reading scores and I am not sure how teachers can do this unless we make students read on their reading level. I guess my point is, where do you draw the line? Should the media center be used only for the purpose of letting students select materials of their choice and maybe leave the leveled readers for the classroom? Is that possible? It would certainly be nice if the students could have some choice in what they read. Yes, I do think that the AR program does violate the Library Bill of Rights but what can teachers do about it? Can they refuse to participate in the program?
SH (forgot user ID) I didn't realize that AR was so controversial! And, I also didn't realize that schools enrolled in the AR Reading Program were limiting their students to checking out only AR books - and only their designated ZPD. Obviously this situation is a violation of the Library Bill of Rights.
Students should be allowed to check out whatever they'd like from the school library. Although, I don't think that readily displaying reading levels on the book spine cover violates any rights, as long as it is used to inform students; where they can decide what reading level they would like to try.
I will say that my Kindergartner just started checking out AR books and testing on them in January. His ability to read during this limited time period has dramatically improved - he really is reading on his own, with full comprehension. I think that the difference in my reviewing AR books with him, verses library books before AR - is the questioning and reviewing for reading comprehension. I didn't do much of that before, because we were simply reading for pleasure and he was not going to be "tested" on the material. Right now, he really enjoys the AR program - he's already earned a couple of "dog tags" and has been invited to an AR achievement party. But, it will be interested to see if this enthusiasm continues as he gets older, or if he comes to resent it like the students described by "aimster" and "bellsl."
The elementary school that he attends organizes all books by the Dewey Decimal System. AR reading levels are indicated on jacket spine covers as a service to students and teachers. I've never seen teachers hovering over students, indicating what they can and cannot check out. But there is an expectation that they will complete at least one AR quiz per week. My son's MS is a defender of the Library Bill of Rights, and has already had to formally defend a challenged book. I can't see the media staff enforcing ZPDs, although I'm not sure that all of the teachers would feel the same way.
I didn't realize that AR was so controversial! And, I also didn't realize that schools enrolled in the AR Reading Program were limiting their students to checking out only AR books - and only their designated ZPD. Obviously this situation is a violation of the Library Bill of Rights.
Students should be allowed to check out whatever they'd like from the school library. Although, I don't think that readily displaying reading levels on the book spine cover violates any rights, as long as it is used to inform students; where they can decide what reading level they would like to try.
My Kindergartner just started checking out AR books and testing on them in January. His ability to read during this limited time period has dramatically improved. He really reading on his own, with full comprehension. I think that the difference in my reviewing AR books with him, verses library books before AR - is the questioning and reviewing for reading comprehension. I didn't do much of that before, because we were simply reading for pleasure and he was not going to be "tested" on the material. Right now, he really enjoys the AR program - he's already earned a couple of "dog tags" and has been invited to an AR achievement party. But, it will be interesting to see if this enthusiasm continues as he gets older, or if he comes to resent it like the students described by "aimster" and "bellsl."
The elementary school that my son attends arranges shelf books by the Dewey Decimal System. AR reading levels are indicated on jacket spine covers as a service to students and teachers. I've never seen teachers hovering over students, indicating what they can and cannot check out. But there is an expectation that they will complete at least one AR quiz per week. My son's MS is a defender of the Library Bill of Rights, and has already had to formally defend a challenged book (one that she didn't personally care for). I can't see the media staff enforcing ZPDs, although I'm not sure that all of the teachers would feel the same way.
I think that this is a violation of the Library Bill of Rights because student’s reading choices were limited to a certain reading level. I think AR is always going to be an issue when it comes to library rights because it is a reading program that is housed in the library. If the program was in the classroom and students were required to read in a particular zone, it would be OK. In the library, it is not OK. Our school still uses AR, but it has gradually moved away from using it as a "reading program". There are incentives for points and students participate if the want to. Kind of like an extracurricular program.
AR is a big deal at our K-5 school. Teachers require the students to read a set number of books or have a set number of points each 9 weeks. Some even state that their students read 2 chapter books with 5 or more chapters in each book and then they may read a book of their choice as long as it is in their ZPD. Most of these teachers average student AR scores in with class grades. For students who like to read and meet their requirement, this is a good thing. But those poor students who do not like to read or are poor readers it really hurts. Not one of them is turned on to reading which is what we as teachers are suppose to do, isn't it?
As a Media Specialist I have tried to talk to the teachers but they do not want to hear it. I feel sorry for the students who come in with a certain book in mind, find it on the shelf, and then discover that it isn't in their zone so they have to put it back and begin the search over again.
Also, there are many books on the shelf that are not checked out because there is not an AR test. Students know not to go to class with these "Non AR" books because the teacher will send them right back to the media center to get a book that they should have checked out to begin with (the teachers words). Which means I have wasted money on a book that no matter how good the information, it is just going to sit on the shelf and collect dust. Heart breaking! The book vendors even know which schools buy only AR books and shake their heads!
Getting back to the original question. Yes, I think that this is violation of the Library Bill of rights and that it is wrong for us to limit what the students can and can't read. How would we like it if we could only buy books in a certain part of the store according to our physically characteristics? Isn't it pretty much the same thing?
I have similar feelings about AR. I grew up reading anything I wanted from the library as long as I was interested in reading it! I, to this day, love reading!! However, since becoming a teacher and dealing with AR, I have seen more and more kids "turned off" to reading instead of excited about it! I am not sure that teachers are trained well enough on how to properly use AR to enhance, not ENFORCE, reading!
I think that labeling the books with a color code is fine. It helps the students locate books that are in their level. However, I do think that it is wrong to limit them to only their ZPD.
Having said that, as a teacher, I do put their "colors" on the back of their agendas so that they know which books they should be able to read independently. I am guilty of not telling them that they can check out books of other colors, and see that I need to change my instructions about AR at the beginning of the year. Students should definitely feel free to choose whichever book they would like to read!
I used to set weekly goals in order to encourage practice with the reading quizes, but maybe that is too restrictive as well. I really wish AR would just go away so that students (and teachers)wouldn't feel that it was just another thing that they HAVE TO DO! Reading should be something we all WANT to do!
The AR program is designed to help guide students toward increasing reading and comprehension development. My son loves reading and taking AR test as he progresses toward increasing his reading skills. However, the school limits the number of off-level books to one. The only thing I can figure is that the media specialist or teacher may not want the students to become over challenged by acquiring books above their current reading level. I believe that a challenge can actually increase our abilities above the current. My son does complain about not being able to check the cool looking books but says if he works hard and learns to read his books he can check them out one day. I like the AR system but do not agree with limiting kids to one block of a giant foundation.
I can really relate to this issue. Our school groups the books in our library according to AR levels and then the others are in a different section. The students get a shelf marker at the beginning of the year to use when visiting the library. This is a way of marking their spot when they preview a book. It has their AR number and level written on it. It is a handy tool, but aggravating at times. The students must have it with them in order to check out a book. They cannot check out a book if it does not match the level on their marker. The levels are determined by their benchmark level. I think that it keeps them from failing the AR test, but prevents them from leisurely reading materials that they are interested in. After all, how else are they going to be exposed to some of the topics presented by books that are higher than their AR level. I have really had a time with this issue because I have had some students interested in topics that they cannot check out. I have had to check the books out in my name for them to be able to read them. For example, I have a student that can read anything that you put in front of him, but because he cannot comprehend, he is on a much lower level. He is interested in many non- fiction topics but hasn't been able to read the books this year unless I check them out for him. I would not have thought that this was a big deal had I not been faced with this topic this year!
I also agree that this is a violation of the students' rights. It is a good IDEA to have students read in their ZPD, but there are many students that read above or below grade level. Is this adjusted for each student? Does the student keep up with the "zone" he or she is in, or do they just get to the check-out counter and find out then whether or not they can read the book.
Once again, the idea is good because it is to prevent students from reading books that are too easy or too difficult/inappropriate for their level, but this should be a RECOMMENDATION rather than a REQUIREMENT. Or, they need to be able to pick from a range of levels.
Grrrrrr, AR! :(
I certainly believe that this is a violation of the Library Bill of Rights. Last year I taught at a middle school that did not utilize AR because the faculty felt that it was a dangerous program that encouraged students to read only a narrow scope of books. Imagine my surprise this year at an elementary school! I teach Spanish, so each class begins with a read-aloud so as to fulfill QCC requirements. At least 3 classes a day has someone ask, "Is this an AR book?" When I say that it is not, it is as though they lose all interest in the book because there is not some test that they can take and receive a score on. I'm afraid that AR might discourage an intrinsic motivation to read. I understand that some students need that extrinsic motivation, but it still worries me.
I think that it would be interesting to look at the situation described by Dr. Repman, and to interview the faculty at that school to see if they agree with the media specialist's position on AR. If so, why? If not, how does this impact their use of the media center?
My only experience with AR is with my son who is a second-grader. He is in the PACE program and is required to read 3 AR books at his ZPD level per gradig period. The problem we have encountered with being LIMITED to the AR books at his level is that he is not finding many he is interested in reading. No matter how well you read, if you are not interested in the book, it will be difficult to get through...almost a punishment. Certainly this is not what we want for our children as parents, or our students as educators!
If I were in the situation that Dr. Repman described, I would start by hosting an educational meeting with the teachers about how the Library Bill of Rights addresses this issue. I would try to persuade them to allow their students to also read "outside" of their ZPD. I would put a plan into action to rearrange the shelving, and purchase more non-AR books! If this was the way my son's media center worked, he would not be reading much at all! We need to ensure there are a variety of titles in the media center, both AR and non-AR.
This is the way they are shelved in my media center. It makes it easier for the children to find the books they are looking for.
I think that it is a small form of censorship because children are not given absolute free choice in what they read. They do get to choose the book from their level though.
We have introduced free choice Friday at my school. They may choose any book they wish on Friday. The funny thing though is that some children will still choose an AR book in their level. Others do enjoy the freedom of choosing a book from a particular interest.
I totally agree with libbab's comments. However, it is the teacher's responsibility to make students feel that it is okay to check out Non-AR books. Teachers need to make a conscience effort to equally promote good AR books as well as Non-AR books. If more teachers do this, they will see more students reading a variety of books. This will increase reading levels as well as interests.
TB
Accelerated Reader is almost like a bad word to me. As a former middle school math teacher, AR drove me insane. You could always tell when it was time for them to have their goal met because students would constantly ask to go take an AR test. Now as a high school media specialist, I see the long-term affects that Accelerated Reader has on most students. The first question rising freshman ask is "do I have to take AR test?" When we tell them no, they pratically jump for joy! I believe that the use of AR has taken the enjoyment out of reading. By using AR, we have accomplished several things. We have made kids read more, which is a good thing. Unfortunately, we have not allowed them to freely choose the kinds of books they want to read. Very seldom do students in the AR program come in and ask for a book not on the AR list. They have a goal to reach and they don't have time to read anything not pertaining to that goal. We have also made reading a job. Reading is something they have to do or they will get in trouble. I'm not necessarily sure how to do it, but there has to be a way to encourage and monitor reading without making it seem like a chore to students. In the high school media center, we have very few students that checkout books for pleasure. Many times seniors will have to check out a book and they will happily tell us that it is the first time they have ever checked out a book. I believe that the use of AR not only violates the Library Bill of Rights, but it also has a negative effect on the pure enjoyment of reading.
My experience with AR and my second graders has been pretty good. Although, I do have to agree that AR does violate a student's rights. For the most part my students like AR and rarely complain about reading books on their level, but they are still young and reading is a very new concept. However, I am flexible when it comes to their reading books either on or above their level. I try not to set their goals too high in order to give them some freedom to read other books. Yet, I do hear complaints from older students about AR and how restricting it can be for them when choosing books to read. Some teachers really hound AR and make it out to be a punishment - like if you aren't close to meeting your AR goal then you have to read at recess. Well that right there sends a negative message to students. I use it as an incentive and set my goals realistically. Also, for read alouds I let my students choose the books they want me to read to them - some are AR some are not. I think it's all about how the teacher/media specialist presents the program to the students.
I think that these types of practices do violate the Library Bill of Rights, and I think that it is unfair to restrict a student’s access to books in the media center due to his or her ZPD. If a student is interested in a certain topic but there are no books on his level then I guess he is just out of luck. I am not familiar with all the ins and outs of AR, but from what I have seen, it turns reading into a chore for students rather than a joy. If the AR program is in a school system, I still don’t understand why students can only check out certain books. They take a test on the material, right? If they chose a book that was too difficult for them, would that reflect on their reading comprehension test? If a student wants to attempt a more challenging book, then why limit them? The first thing I would in a situation like the one presented is shelve the books together. I would also give them more access to materials in the library. I liked the idea that others have presented – If they are forced to check out an AR book from their ZPD, let them also have the freedom to select another book from any section of the media center.
I think that this a complete violation of the Library Bill of Rights. When reading, I am prone to search for books that are by authors that I enjoy. It would be very discouraging for me as a student if I read one of Beverly Cleary's books, enjoyed it and then was told that another book I wanted to read by her was unavailable for me to check out since it was not in my reading level. I think this is extremely discouraging to children and makes them not want to read instead of reading more. Regardless of whether a book is above or below a child's reading level if they are wanting to read educators should be encouraging them.
I agree that it is a violation of the library bill of rights. As a current 3rd grade teacher, we do give tests that check students reading levels and then tell them there levels and have them check out books on those levels. I am not sure how you could address this issue. Especially in schools where A.R. points and A.R. reading average scores are monitored by the administration and the program is required.
Many students under this requirement never get to read for enjoyment. They are always checking out A.R. books to meet those goals.
I think A.R. can be a good and bad thing. Too much importance is placed on the program and forcing the students to read can be a problem. Students who already love to read do and those that don't really begin to hate reading even more.
The media specialist probably felt the need to follow the guidelines placed by the school. I don't think I would put a label up that says this section is not A.R. At my school the books have color coded dots on the spine that show what reading level the book is.
I think the students need to know that because you don't want them struggling through a book they can't read or understand, but you also don't want to hold them back.
I am not sure how to confront this problem. I think students need to know there reading level and check out books in the ZPD range, but the teacher needs to also know if the ZPD range is accurate. I have adjusted many of my students ranges either higher or lower based on their performance, not just a score on a test.
It is a difficult problem. Even in public books stores books are divided into ranges; children, teen, adult. They are also divided by genre. I think some type of label is necessary but a label that says this is not A.R. is going to discourage students from reading that section. I think the books should be mixed together, A.R. and not. At my school, a label is placed inside the book that show the A.R. level and points. If there is no label, then it is not an A.R. book. It is not as obvious, but still informs the students of what they need to know.
Accelerated Reader is flawed on so many levels. I agree with A. Lee. As a teacher, you have to use common sense with this reading program, especially when it pertains to the subject of reading levels. I do believe that it is not right to forbid a child to read a book based on the adherence of some reading level scale. I think that the creators of this program did not take into account that a reading comprehension and vocabulary test cannot measure a child's maturity level. A child's maturation rate also plays a significant role in his or her appropriate book choice.
Since I am in a high school I don't know a whole lot about AR. What I have heard about it has all been negative. I do think it is a form of censorship because students can only read books on their level. Not only is it censorship, but when you tell a child what to read, that is not really encouraging them to enjoy books. I don't know how many books have AR tests, but I would think the selection would be limited, which would also keep them from reading certain books. When I was in elementary school we didn't have AR, and I loved to read, as did most students in my class. We really enjoyed our weekly trip to the library and we were allowed to check out whatever we wanted--that was the fun of it!!!
I don’t think that students should be restricted access to books; yes this would be a violation of the Library Bill of Writes. I am really not for AR even though I know is supposed to motivate students learn to read. I have seen it consume too many mc budgets and I have seen children read at the bottom of their level just to rack up points quickly. Then there my son, he is in the 4th graded a reads a little below reading level. He doesn’t like to read, but we have finally found a genre and author he likes. He has read all the books from his favorite author that is on his AR level. The mc has other books by this author, but he cannot read check them out because they are above his reading level (AR wise). Another issue he is not allowed to check the books out is that he is a slow reader and must read a book a week to meet the states book reading requirement. If he checks out the books above his AR level then it would take longer than a week for him to read. He has never been told not he couldn’t check out the book, he is being discouraged by comment like, “These are not in your level.” or “Why don’t you check out this book.” So in a since we are seeing this sort of thing happening to our child.
With my son, there is nothing I can do. I have spoken to the teacher and she listens but still doesn’t help. As a ms, I would see to it that students are allowed to check out books they enjoy, even if was above their AR level. I would talk to the teachers to see if more time could be spent on a book, because the purpose of AR is not so much the point but to instill a love for reading (for enjoyment) in the students.
Yes! Teachers that restrict their students to ZPD levels and AR books are in violation of the Library Bill of Rights. As a former classroom teacher, I encouraged my students to read AR books of their choice to earn points but I also allowed them to read anything they choose. I have always has a problem with AR. It is a wonderful program and I have found reading scores do go up but limiting students to only AR books is wrong. At my school, which is a Pre-K - 5, the teachers mandate the students to check out one fiction and one non-fiction book according to their ZPD level. There are many wonderful books on the shelves that are not AR. So, I have decided to stop buying AR test for each new book I purchase for the Media Center. I remind the students what they are to check out but I do not tell them they can not check out the books they choose. This makes most of my teacher angry - but, they've gotten over it for the most part. I have explained my job is not to choose what the students check out. If they want that responsibility fine it is theirs - not mine.
I teach at a school where AR is used and the books in the media center are organized by level. There are other books around the media center that are not shelved this way. The only books that are shelved by level are the ones used for AR. Students are only allowed to check out books in their level. I teach Kindergarten and AR is not required. By choice I have started doing AR with my class. When the students go to the media center to check out books I make sure they are appropriate for them. In my class the students only check out one book a week.
I do think in some ways AR is a form of censorship. It is restricting students to a certain level and type of book. Students should be allowed to check out other books, not just books in their level.
I teach at a school where books in the media center are shelved by AR zones. Not all books are shelved this way, just the ones used for AR. AR is used and graded for grades first-fifth. I teach kindergarten and use AR with my students. It is not mandatory in kindergarten, just optional. I usually start AR with my students after Christmas. I begin to teach them how to check out books, where they find their books and how to return books. During this process I also teach them how to use the program. When they check out books I allow them to choose their own book. I do check the book to make sure it is okay.
I do think in some ways that AR is a form of censorship. When using AR you are only allowed to read and test on books in your zone. This does not allow students to check out what they want to read. Students should be allowed to check out other books, books they are interested in.
As a classroom teacher, I am very happy to say that my school does not have Accelerated Reader. I agree that the program does go against the library bill of rights. I was not exposed to Accelerated Reader until I started middle school. I can tell you that from experience I totally hated having to read those dotted books. Many of the books that I was interested in were not on my level and our teacher would have our heads if we read anything above our proposed level.
I feel that by confining students to the Accelerated Reader program is not very helpful. Our students need to be able to read materials that they will enjoy and then they can truly expand their knowledge.
I think this is a violation of the Library Bill of Rights. I have a student in my kindergarten class that began the school year reading at a 3rd grade reading level, and he got very upset when my school's media specialist made him choose a kindergarten-first grade level accelerated reading book. Also, my principal decided that all students must meet their A.R. goals in order to participate in Field Day. As you can see, participation in A.R. is heavily enforced. Yet for kindergarten, guidance for taking the tests is limited, and the media specialist is not often available to assist these students. I think students should be able to choose the book that interests them, whether it is due to the title, illustrations, or word-of-mouth. The students need to feel as if they are entering a magical world,where they get to choose their journey, and that does not need to be taken away. In fact, I believe that most of us would agree that we felt something special upon entering our elementary school library.
If participation in A.R. is a must in a school, I would begin by allowing a child to check out one A.R. book and one free-reading book.
have never used AR, so I am writing based on what I have read about the program and what I have learned from others about the program.
I do think it is a violation to have students only check out books at their grade levels. I think students should be able to be tested through AR according to their performance level. I currently have children that are in the first grade but who are on a third grade reading level. I like that the point system, as a fellow classmate pointed out, can be used to entice readers. It seems to be a good incentive for the children. However, I think that we have to think about how a child feels when they are doing something that is too easy OR something that is too hard. Most children are not exactly on grade level and we must find a way to evaluate based on performance levels.
I have been in a school system that adopted AR when I attended Elementary school. I feel that it teaches students to look at books with a different view point. The students do not pay attention to the quality of writing or any elements of the story. The attention is on the point value and what strategy they can use to reach their goal. It is very depressing to see pieces of literature used this way and these types of activities being taught individuals. The AR system is not totally a bad idea but it should not be the only means of reading.
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