NBCDI presentation

Interactive Discussion:Improving the Effectiveness of

the Accelerated Reader Program orRelationships among Multiple Contextual Factors

of the Accelerated Reader Program as Reported by Urban Teachers

of African American Students

Debra R. JohnsonDoctoral Candidate in Reading Education

Oakland University10.13.14

The Accelerated Reader Program

• Created in response to Becoming a Nation of Readers: The Report of the Commission on Reading (Anderson, Hiebert, Scott, & Wilkinson, 1985)

• Nation’s most popular reading program (Biggers, 2001)• For many urban teachers of African American students, the

Accelerated Reader program is the only tool the teachers can use to increase their students’ reading scores.

African American Children and Reading

• Reading achievement gaps by race still persist among the nation’s school children (Flowers, 2007).

• The lives of African American children may be negatively impacted as the direct result of a reading deficiency (Melton, Smothers, Anderson, Fulton, Replogue, & Thomas, 2004).

• Teachers of African American students must seek practical solutions to improve African American students’ reading skills (Flowers, 2003).

Significance of the Study• To reveal elements and strategies that urban teachers may believe increase the STAR

reading scores of African American students who use the Accelerated Reader program.• To determine whether these independent variables:

• the teachers’ highest level of educational attainment, • years of teaching experience, • number of Accelerated Reader workshops attended, • years of experience using the Accelerated Reader program• Current grade level(s) of students taught

have a significant effect on those elements and strategies related to the Accelerated Reader program as reported by urban teachers of African American students. The results of this study may be used to improve the effectiveness of the Accelerated Reader program when it is used with African American students.

Data Collection Instrument:The Teachers’ Survey

• Designed by the researcher and based on her experiences as a high school English teacher of African American students

• Based on research (a partial list):• Wayne and Youngs (2003) on advanced degrees and student achievement in

English• Antrim and Beard (2010) on teacher-librarians and successful literacy programs• Cooke (1974) on black literature and African American students• Classroom libraries and student learners (Hall, Hedrick, & Williams, 2014)• Parental involvement and African American achievement (Jeynes, 2011)

Please complete a survey!

Discussion of the Teachers’ Survey

• Which parts of the survey should be changed?• Which questions or statements may have been unclear?• Were any parts of the survey enjoyable?• Questions or comments about the Teachers’ Survey?

• Reading Achievement of African American Elementary School Students• Black children have not been well served by our nation’s public schools (Boykin, 2002)• Black first-graders’ reading achievement moderated by schools they attended

(Chatterji, 2006)• Inauthentic texts, incompatible learning styles, and institutional disciplinary factors

contribute to black reading underachievement (Husband, 2012)

• Reading Achievement of African American Middle School Students• By middle school, struggling black readers

• May disconnect from learning• Get referred to special education programs• May be retained• Behavior problems may escalate, resulting in suspension and expulsion (Beaulieu, 2002)

A Review of the Literature

A Review of the Literature, continued

• Reading Achievement of African American High School Students• Older students become less interested in reading• Large numbers of secondary students require targeted reading instruction• Teachers have less time to implement reading strategies (Wilson, 1999)

Good News!• NAEP 2012 results indicate a narrowing of the white-black gap in

reading since the 1970s; specifically, the average score for black students was 36 points higher in 2012 than in 1971.

Methodology of the Study

Obtain permission from a school system that utilizes the Accelerated Reader program and serves African American students from grades five through twelve

Obtain IRB approval from Oakland UniversityMail teachers’ survey with $5.00 addressed to 125 English teachers at schools within the school system that utilizes the Accelerated Reader Program

Ten business days after initial mailing, send reminder post cards to potential participants

Twenty business days after initial mailing, send final reminder postcards to potential participants

Perform a linear regression analysis using SPSS to determine if the five independent variables have a significant effect on the Accelerated Reader elements and methods teachers may report as increasing African American students’ STAR reading scores

Share results and conclusions of study

Statistical Analyses of the Study

Educational attainment of participants

Years of teaching experience

Number of AR workshops attended

Number of years using AR in the

classroom

Grade level(s) of students

The researcher will use linear regression analyses to determine whether these independent variables have a significant effect on the five elements of the Accelerated Reader (AR) program and the fourteen methods that teachers may use to increase the STAR reading scores of African American students.

Independent Variables Dependent Variables

3 STAR tests/year

Inform students of STAR and/or

AR results

Allow STAR retakes

Inform class of STAR reading

level

Reward students for passing AR

tests

Five Elements of AR Fourteen AR Methods or StrategiesLibrarian helps students find AR books

Only teacher helps students find books

Teacher recommends AR books

Teacher recommends AR books by African American authors

Teacher recommends AR books about African Americans

Teacher maintains AR classroom library

Students can borrow AR books

Teacher notifies parents of STAR and/or AR quiz results

Teacher visually displays STAR and/or AR quiz progress

Students participate in AR contests

Teacher meets with students to discuss STAR and/or AR quiz results

Administration encourages teachers to use AR

AR is important part of School Improvement Plan

I am the only AR teacher in department

Limitations of the Study

• Sample will consist of teacher participants of African American students. Results may not be generalizable to students of other cultural backgrounds.

• Eight weeks may not be enough time to collect data on effective methods and strategies that may increase reading scores of African American students.

• Since contact with teachers will occur by mail, the teachers may prefer email communication or electronic surveys.

• The Accelerated Reader program does not measure student interest or motivation, which are influential factors in students’ reading achievement.

ReferencesAnderson, R. C., Hiebert, E. H., Scott, J. A., & Wilkinson, I. A. (1985). Becoming a nation of readers: The report of the commission on reading . Washington,

D.C.: The National Institute of Education.

Antrim, P., & Beard, T. H. (2010). Reading workshops are most effective with a teacher-librarian. Teacher Librarian, 37(5), 24-29.

Beaulieu, L. M. African American children and literacy: Literacy development across the elementary, middle, and high school years. In S. J. Denbo, & L. M. Beaulieu (Eds.), Improving schools for African American students: A reader for educational leaders (pp. 133-146). Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, Ltd.

Biggers, D. (2001). The argument against AR. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 45(1), 72-75.

Boykin, A. W. (2002). Talent development, cultural deep structure, and school reform: Implications for African immersion initiatives. In S. J. Denbo, & L. M. Beaulieu (Eds.), Improving schools for African American students: A reader for educational leaders (pp. 81-94). Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, Ltd.

Chatterji, M. (2006). Reading achievement gaps, correlates, and moderators of early reading achievement: Evidence from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS) kindergarten to first grade sample. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98(3), 489-507.

Cooke, G. (1974). Reading works by black and white writers: Effects on students’ attitudes. Journal of Black Studies, 5(2), 123-133.

Flowers, L. A. (2007). Recommendations for research to improve reading achievement for African American students. Reading Research Quarterly, 42(3), 424-428.

Flowers, T. A. (2003). Exploring the influence of reading for pleasure on African American high school students’ reading achievement. The High School Journal, 87(1), 58-62.

Hall, K. W., Hedrick, W. B., & Williams, L. M. (2014). Every day we’re shufflin’: Empowering students during in-school independent reading. Childhood Education, 90(2), 91-98.

Husband, T. (2012). Addressing reading underachievement in African American boys through a multi-contextual approach. Reading Horizons, 52(1), 1-25..

Jeynes, W. H. (2011). Parental involvement and academic success. New York: Routledge.

Melton, C. M., Smothers, B. C., Anderson, E., Fulton, R., Replogue, W. H., & Thomas, L. (2004). A study on the effect of the Accelerated Reader program on fifth grade students’ reading achievement growth. Reading Improvement, 41(1), 18-23.

National Assessment of Educational Progress. (2012). Trends in academic Progress. National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.

Wayne, A. J., & Youngs, P. (2003). Teacher characteristics and student achievement gains: A review. Review of Educational Research, 73(2), 89-122.

Wilson, J.D., & Casey, L. H. (2007). Understanding the recreational reading patters of secondary students. Reading Improvement, 44(7), 40-49.