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Calvary Academy Accelerated Reader

Calvary Academy uses and promotes the Accelerated Reader program for a variety of reasons, but with one goal in mind.   Our aim is to produce quality readers who have with excellent literacy skills.  The program permits students to read books of their own choosing and interests from a wide range of categories.  The computerized tests challenge students with a variety of reading skills that are necessary for being life-long readers. 

The National Reading Panel recommends that teachers guide students to material appropriate to their reading abilities, and provide the practice necessary to improve reading skills.  Teachers are encouraged to develop the five essential types of skills and strategies of effective reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. 

Reading inside the classroom or at home, the primary grades acquire a working understanding of how sounds are represented alphabetically - the necessary phonic skills to decode new words and enrich a child’s vocabulary. It is vital that a child read outside of the classroom to practice and build-up the skills learned in the classroom setting with different kinds of text. A student is also exposed to frequent, regular spelling-sound relationships. The computerized tests provide opportunities for testing their understanding of these materials and give teachers extra resources to make sure that the student is progressing correctly. 

Teacher Expectations for Primary Grades
·           Read book at least 2 times. (1^st & 2^nd grade)
·           Expect the child to sound out the unfamiliar words
     themselves
·           Write down words that your child has problems decoding.
·           Identify the simple – who, what, where, when, & why

Teacher Expectation for Intermediate & Jr. High Students
·           Comprehension
·           Vocabulary Building
·           Diversified reading materials
·           Literary Identification