Accelerated Reader #3

Mallette, M. H., Henk, W. A., & Melnick, S. A. (2004). The influence of "Accelerated Reader" on the affective literacy orientations of intermediate grade students. Journal of Literacy Research. 36, 73-84.

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the Accelerated Reader program on students’ affective literacy orientations. The reading attitudes and self-perceptions of 167 fourth graders and 191 fifth graders in two school districts were compared. The two school districts were similar in socioeconomic demographics (both had low to moderate family incomes). Approximately 60% of the fifth grade students in both schools met or exceeded the standards on the 2002 state assessment in reading. The study design was a Non-Equivalent Control Group type. A t-test was used to compare the initial reading ability of both groups, and the differences found were not significant (t= 1.60). Students in one school district experienced A.R. as their basic reading instructional program. These students had participated in A.R. since first grade. Students at all grades were expected to participate in one full hour of A.R. activities per day. The students in the control school had been exposed to A.R., but their primary instruction as literature-based and centered on the use of novel units. The use of A.R. varied, but in all cases it was an addition to the reading curriculum.
The main independent variable was treatment (Accelerated Reader). At the end of the 2001-2002 school year, students in both school districts were assessed using the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey- ERAS (McKenna and Kear, 1990) and the Reader Self-Perception Scale- RSPS (Henk and Melnick, 1995). The analysis indicated that A.R. positively influenced attitude toward academic reading, but not recreational reading.

While this study indicates A.R. did not have a positive influence on attitudes toward recreational reading, it did have a positive influence on attitudes toward academic reading. This alone to me justifies the use of the program. Many students cringe at the thought of academic reading, so anything that helps take away this stigma would seem to be good for a student's attitude in their academic future.