In the Library: Using the Cephalonian Method

for English Language Learners

Laurie Bridges, LibrarianOregon State University

American Library Association Annual Conference 2015ACRL Academic Library Services to International

Students Interest Group Discussion

What is the Cephalonian Method?

• Large and small groups

• Facilitates audience participation

• Uses color-coded structure

• Suitable for many situations (classroom,

tours)

• Developed at Cardiff University by Linda

Davies and Nigel Morgan

Our Initial Process (2012)

Team of three:

Two librarians (Anne-Marie Deitering and me) Evening reference

desk manager (Kristin Swetland)

Purpose:

Introduce students to the idea of the library as a partner in their

academic success. Give students some familiarity/experience

with resources and processes that will be unfamiliar to them no

matter how good their high school library was (e.g. reserving

study rooms or finding course reserves).

Our Initial Process (cont.)

Audience: The primary audience for this

workshop will be u-engage (first-year

orientation course) students who are required

to attend one of the library workshops by

their instructor. These students could be

required to attend this specific workshop, or

they could be given the choice of attending

Our Initial Process (cont.)

Learning Outcomes: After completing this workshop,

students will be able to:

– Point to multiple ways to get help from Valley Library

librarians.

– Locate useful service points in the Valley Library.

– Tell another student about useful services offered by the

Valley Library.

– Demonstrate how to to use library services or spaces to

accomplish academic goals, including: completing class

readings and facilitating group study.

Re-Purposed for ELL Students (2013)

• Nearly 4,000 international students at OSU

• INTO OSU Private/Public Partnership

– Nearly 1,500 (of the nearly 4,000)

• Language Learning

• Pathway Language Learning

– Class: American Survival

• 4-6 sections a term

– 1 visit to the library

• Lower-Level English

Why for English Language Learners (students who have not met TOEFL requirement)?

• Teaching with Visuals (photos in

powerpoint)

• Encourage Participation (U.S. classroom

culture)

• Background Knowledge (libraries in home

country)

• Academic Vocabulary Development

Materials

• Presentation / Powerpoint

• Color-coded questions

• Prizes

Plan

• Hand out color-coded questions at

the beginning of class.

• “Who has the green question?”

My Chemistry professor said that I should get help with my homework in the Mole Hole

What’s a Mole Hole?

Free, drop-in service.

Tutors available after Week 2

Math, Physics, Writing Center, Chemistry, CAMP & more.

Appointments required for the Writing Center.

After Question(s)

• Students select their prizes for asking a

question during class.

– Highlighters

– Notecards

– Notepads

– Pins that say OSU Libraries

– Other OSU takeaways

Future Possible Changes

• Group work to discuss and answer questions

afterward (partner learning)

• Handout an outline of the presentation along

with my name and contact

• Introduce a short writing activity (currently read,

listen, and speak, but no writing)

• Activity focused on library (academic) vocabulary