Setting Reading Goals

[AFI221]

I want to set up a new way to establish reading goals for my students this semester. We use AR (Accelerated Reader) at my school. We used to base everything on points. All students had to get so many points per nine weeks. Next, we moved to each student had an individual point goal based on their reading level for the nine weeks. NOW students only need to achieve 85% comprehension on their tests to get an A. That doesn't seem fair to me because a student could get away with reading only one, very small book for a nine weeks and get an A.

SO, I want to establish a new system to encourage students to read and hold them accountable. How do you accomplish this in your classroom? Looking forward to hearing from my fellow Language Arts teachers. Thanks!

[mopar]

I used pages with my middle school students. Everyday I would take a status of the class and ask them what they were reading and what page they were on. It took about 5 minutes a class (can do this during role) and I could easily see who was or was not reading.

[orangepurple]

I am curious about this too as we are starting to use AR and I have no idea how to incorporate it. I have been just monitoring reading by having kids reflect on their reading a couple of times each quarter, keep a list of books they are reading, occasionally comparing things they like about their books...very informal, but it seems as if everything I do that is more structured (projects, written work) ends up being a lot of work for me, and it always seems as if some kids are deliberately reading something way too easy or that they read last year or saw the movie on just so they can get an easy grade. Everything seems to work with the kids who like to read, and nothing seems to work with the kids who don't like to read!

[Furthuron]

I do reading logs to go along with their AR reading, and the kids have to get 60 minutes a week signed off. Since they do 10 minutes with me every day, I at least know they're reading for those 10 minutes. Last year, my reading logs were more advanced and required reflection, but I had very few kids turn them in (the kids who read voraciously anyway), so I didn't do it this year. I like your idea of putting more focus on it. We're so standards-oriented here that my principal wants to get rid of AR entirely.