LIBE 477: Inquiry Blog #1 - Creating Lifelong Readers

Meena Rakhra Creating Lifelong Readers
LIBE 477 Blog Post #1

In Leading from the Library, Miller & Bass (2019) talk about teacher librarians being leaders and champions for their LLC ‘programs, initiatives, students, staff, and community’ (pg. 49). Currently, I feel there is not a school-wide reading culture at my school. I hope to champion and foster a reading initiative once I begin my TL journey next year.

From a previous course I viewed the ‘Power of Reading’ video by Stephen Krashen (2012). I knew reading was important, and that it was good for you and held so many benefits, but Krashen really broke it down with his talk and the impact it left in my mind was powerful and I do not think I will ever forget it.

The Power of Reading - Stephen Krashen

Another place I found inspiration was from Gaiman and Riddell’s (2018) essay in pictures. There were so many images and words that resonated with me.

Gaiman, N. and Riddell, C. (September 6, 2018). Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell on why we need libraries - an essay in pictures. The Guardian. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/books/gallery/2018/sep/06/neil-gaiman-and-chris-riddell-on-why-we-need-libraries-an-essay-in-pictures

Through these resources, I learned so much. It is important to find books that children enjoy, give them access to those books, and then let them read them (Gaiman, 2013). Krashen (2012) explains that the best motivator of reading is reading itself and that all it takes is a ‘homerun book’; one’s first best book. All it takes is one positive reading experience to make one a reader’ (Krashen, 2012). Whether that book is a Garfield comic, Captain Underpants, or a graphic novel, allow children to pick what they are interested in. According to Gaiman (2018), there are no bad authors or books so it is important to ‘not discourage children from reading because you feel they are reading the wrong thing’. A chosen book could be a route to other preferred books (Gaiman, 2018). The benefits of reading are enumerable. Krashen attributes free voluntary reading, reading because you want to, as the source for our vocabulary development, reading ability, ability to handle complex grammatical construction, ability to spell well, ability to write with a good writing style and knowledge of the world (Krashen, 2012). Therefore it is important to keep the focus on not only teaching students the skills necessary to read but also teach them that it is a pleasurable activity so that they do it willingly and voluntarily. Libraries can play an integral role in cultivating life-long readers. They can mitigate problems with access and be a place for users to receive information about programs in the school and community.

Literacy Opportunities in the Library:

Sustained silent reading
Book club
Author visits

1. Sustained Silent Reading

According to Krashen (2018), the development of language proficiency can be

gained simply by reading. In early childhood, listening to stories and read-alouds stimulates an interest in books. Hearing stories is something that all children enjoy (Krashen, 2018). Once there is an interest in reading, children are motivated to participate in self-selected voluntary reading. The best motivator of reading is reading itself (Krashen, 2012). ‘The simplest way to make sure that we raise literate children is to teach them to read, and to show them that reading is a pleasurable activity’ (Gaiman, 2013). This is why it is important to provide students an opportunity to practice reading everyday for an allotted amount of time. I hope to initiate an SSR goal within my school community. I will share the video of Krashen (2018) with my colleagues and hope they will continue to forward it to others until everyone gets on the sustained silent reading bandwagon. Because why wouldn’t you? In collaboration with administration, staff and students, I think it can become a school wide achievement. I started a ‘reading stamina’ chart with my grade 2/3 students this year. As a class we discussed the importance of picking books that they enjoyed reading so that they would be able to read continuously without losing interest. Gaiman (2013) explained that allowing students to select ‘anything that they enjoy reading will move them up, rung by rung, into literacy’. Through this process I hope my students grow to love reading, choose to pick up a book instead of their IPads or phones, gain all the benefits of reading that Krashen outlined, and begin making a list of all their favourite books throughout the years. Sustained silent reading can push students to become free voluntary readers, reading because they want to (Krashen, 2012). The benefits of reading are innumerable as illustrated by Krashen’s (2018) studies and the need to create a positive culture of reading within a school community can be enhanced by the library commons.

2. Book Clubs

According to Kelley & Miller in Reading in the Wild (2013), to challenge the negative stereotypes connected to reading that influence kids: ‘readers are intellectual snobs, socially inept nerds, and bookworms’ (pg. 91), it is important to create a positive culture of reading. This can be attained through regular book club meetings.

Promoting books and talking about them, invites students to a place that puts importance on readers and reading (Kelley & Miller, 2013). Surrey Schools Book of the Year is a great way to introduce and talk about new books. Establishing book clubs provides a place for readers to connect with other readers who enjoy discussing and sharing books. This environment provides an opportunity for students to build relationships that enrich their lives and their reading experiences (Kelley & Miller, 2013). students to build relationships that enrich their lives and their reading experiences (Kelley & Miller, 2013). When we read for pleasure, when others see us reading, when we learn, we exercise our imaginations and show others that reading is a good thing (Gaiman, 2013).

A reading community fosters connection with other readers, and reinforces that reading is an acceptable and desirable pastime causing students to sustain an interest in reading (Kelley & Miller, 2013). Reading communities also increases how much a reader reads because reading alongside a friend is enjoyable and fuels their desire to read more as well wanting to fully participate in book discussions and ﬁnish books their peers recommend (Kelley & Miller, 2013). Furthermore, reading clubs build confidence in student’s book choices, bond students with each other when agreements and disagreements are shared. Likewise, students can share recommendations and further their reading goals, perhaps expose them to genres and topics they may not have explored and become more mindful of what friends or peers enjoy and share accordingly (Kelley & Miller, 2013).

3. Author visits

It is the role of a teacher-librarian to take the traditional school library where students simply borrow books, and move it towards a learning commons where students have opportunities to have collaborative and valuable learning experiences. As part of the learning commons program and initiative to work collaboratively with the community, providing students and staff opportunities to experience the rich learning that can occur through author visits is important. This may only occur once a year depending on funding and availability, but it can still create lasting impressions. A recent Google search exposed me to The Children's Writers & Illustrators of BC (https://www.cwillbc.org/) where TLs can connect with authors and illustrators and invite them into the school community. This is a great way to build a relationship between students and the written word, inspire them to pursue creative endeavours, and connect lessons learned in the classroom with the wider world. Authors can explain the creative process of writing and make books more real and less like artifacts for children. This can encourage even reluctant readers to read more and others to read more variety. When authors describe the writing process as one that involves goal-setting, discipline, and perseverance, students can see real-world application for skills that teachers are teaching them daily for classroom learning and success. Students will understand that writing involves revision and using feedback especially if an author tells them that the book they are listening to required many drafts. Hearing about an author’s path to becoming an author can inspire students to work towards their goals no matter how unreachable they think it may be. The school library learning commons is a place where TLs can reach out to the community and bring learning in.

Other fun activities that can occur throughout the year that I’ve gathered from my fellow classmates and google searches can include:

surprise books: maybe during the holiday season, books can be wrapped up with paper, a brief description can be written on the outside and students can select a book based on the description or first lines of the story rather than the cover. This is a fun way to expose students to new authors or genres

Source: Pinterest

engaging bulletins: books can be presented on a bulletin resembling mainstream ideas like Netflix, but instead call it Bookflix, or the Mario video game.

Source: Pinterest

School libraries can play an integral role in influencing a school’s reading culture and literacy goals. By establishing a few literacy programs throughout the year, students can be encouraged to enjoy reading and give them opportunities to spend lots of time with books and showcase the value of literacy. Through these initiatives, students have the potential to become life-long readers.

References:

Gaiman, N. (2013, October 15). Why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/15/neil-gaiman-future-libraries-reading-daydreaming?CMP=twt_gu

Kelley, S., & Miller, D. (2013) Reading in the wild: The book whisper’s keys to cultivating lifelong reading habits. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. p.88-128 (Book Excerpt)

Krashen, S. (2012, April 5). The power of reading. The COE lecture series. University of Georgia. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSW7gmvDLag

Krashen, S. (May 1, 2018). The conduit hypothesis. Language Magazine. Retrieved from: https://www.languagemagazine.com/2018/05/01/the-conduit-hypothesis/

Miller, S., & Bass, W. (2019). Leading from the Library: Help your School Community Thrive in the Digital Age. International Society for Technology in Education.

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