Expanding Literacies Through School Libraries
A Panel Presentation for
The National Council of Teachers of English
2010 Annual Conference
Orlando, Florida
Why do libraries matter in literacy learning?
“Connecting literacy and libraries is not always as intuitive as we would like”
-Loertscher, 2009
Kristin FontichiaroSchool of InformationUniversity of [email protected]@activelearningblog.schoollibrarymonthly.com
The School Libraryas a Space for Innovative Thinking
Fall Kindergarte
ners
Playing Chess?!?
That Was Then
http://flickr.com/photos/kcls/2384986129/
This is Now
That Was Thenypsigleanings.aadl.org
This is Now
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That Was Then
This is Now
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelsphotos/252591429/
That Was Then
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelsphotos/252591429/ Some rights reserved.
ThisIs Now
2 months later – during summer vacation!
Last week of school (June)
Notteaching aboutresources
Butteaching THROUGHresources!
Laura Warren-Gross
Maple Street Magnet School
Kalamazoo, Michigan
@readernirvana
Some Findings
“When children have access to more books at home, at school, or at the public library, they read more.”
“Children from higher-income families have access to reading material they like, but children from lower-income families do not”
What hit me . . .
• “ . . . the ability to read well is the single best indicator of future economic success—regardless of background.”
• “An extra 15 minutes of reading per day can lead to three months of additional growth.”
2008
Questions• What multicultural
resources did my library offer?
• What did the students want to read?
• How could I provide more access to the materials students wanted?
The Bin Project
• Bins in all instructional areas of the building, as well as offices• Accessible, interesting titles that mirrored student culture • Encouraged staff to read and share the books• Added and replaced titles as necessary
The Results• Added interest in all types
of books
• Increased library circulation
• More staff participation in literacy projects
• A culture of reading
• Increased test scores
Libraries Increase Learning Potential
Stephens NCTE 11/20/10
Conceptual Processes
Prediction
Stephens NCTE 11/20/10
Conceptual Processes
PredictionStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Conceptual Processes
ModelingStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Conceptual Processes
ModelingStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Conceptual Processes
ModelingStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Conceptual Processes
ModelingStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Stephens NCTE 11/20/10
Conceptual Processes
ExperimentationStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Conceptual Processes
ExperimentationStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Conceptual Processes
EvaluationStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Analytic Processes
PlanningStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Analytic Processes
PlanningStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Analytic Processes
PlanningStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Analytic Processes
JudgmentStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Social Processes
TeamworkStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Social Processes
TeamworkStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Stephens NCTE 11/20/10
Social Processes
TeamworkStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Social Processes
InfluenceStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Social Processes
InfluenceStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Social Processes
InfluenceStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Social Processes
InfluenceStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Social Processes
NegotiationStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Social Processes
DescribingStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Social Processes
DescribingStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Social Processes
DescribingStephens NCTE 11/20/10
Student Circulation, 2003 to date
Stephens NCTE 11/20/10
Teens Served, 2003 to 2009
Stephens NCTE 11/20/10
An Updated Vision: Libraries and Literacies
Beth Friese - University of Georgia
[email protected] - @librarybeth
NCTE, 2010
Research Process:What about the product?
Multigenre Research
• Follows inquiry principles• Familiar research process• Main difference is in research products• Examples from my students and our
Inquiry into Diversity Projects
Journals
Poetry
Concrete Poetry
Wordles
Brochures& News
Comics
Glogster
Books
Commercials& Songs
Annotated Maps& Passports
Examples from Buffy Hamilton’s Unquiet Library
Partner with New Teachers
Libraries as Literacy Laboratories
• Raw Materials (Mentor Texts, Primary Sources, Other Resources)
• Procedures (Research)• Tools (Technologies, 2.0)• Experimentation (Curiosity, Inquiry, Failure,
Mess)• Ideas, Collaboration, Celebration• Publication of New Discoveries (At all Levels)
Changing from Nouns to Verbs
Libraries continue transforming from
places to get stuff into places to do stuff
Create!
Your Questions, Comments, and Contributions
References
Allen, C. A., & Swistak, L. (2004). Multigenre research: The power of choice and interpretation. Language Arts, 81(3), 223-232.
Hamilton, B. (2009). Students creating content with multigenre learning artifacts. The Unquiet Librarian [blog] http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/students-creating-content-with-multigenre-learning-artifacts/
Loertscher, D. V. (2009). Connections with people and ideas and the Learning Commons. In D. V. Loertscher (Ed.), Connections: Papers of the Treasure Mountain Research Retreat (pp. 9-32). Salt Lake City, UT: Hi Willow Research
& Publishing.
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