Reading incentive programs

Greene, Shannon

CA

“Accelerated Reader: Once again, evidence lacking", American Library Association, November 14, 2007. http://www.ala.org/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/knowledgequest/kqwebarchives/v36/361/361krashen (Accessed October 30, 2013)

Stephen Krashen, famous to me through his theory of affective filters,  has made another argument against the use of reading incentive programs for encouraging children to read. Although he acknowledges there can be short term gains, in this, and his earlier article from 2005, “Accelerated Reader: Evidence Still Lacking”, he claims that the advantages of children spending more time reading and more access to books are good things, however there is not yet any proof that expensive software programs to test comprehension and/or prizes for reading are producing any tangible effects and instead, may be harmful in the long run.

This article interests me because with the roll out of Common Core, discussions of reading programs are occurring throughout our school district at all levels.

http://www.ala.org/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/knowledgequest/kqwebarchives/v36/361/361krashen