Fostering Reading Cultures in Schools

Fostering Reading Cultures at ASMatheson

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At ASMatheson there are many ways in which the library learning commons and the teacher librarian help to foster a reading culture.  Here are a few.

Global Read Aloud:  Pernille Ripp introduced the GRA ten years ago.  It is a lovely opportunity to be included into a community of readers.  "Global collaboration is necessary to show students that they are part of something bigger than them.  That the world needs to be protected and that we need to care for all people." (Ripp, 2019).  This year I am participating in the GRA with our grade 4 class and our grade 1/2.  We are delving into the picture books and the young reader pick.




BCs DEAR Day:  The BCTLA put forward the initiative to drop everything and read as a school community.  The past few years we have uploaded a book to google slides and a student has read it aloud over the announcement system for all classes to follow along with.

Library Learning Commons Space:  Our library has had a recent makeover with flexible seating arranged in lounge type areas.  My next goal is to get an electric fireplace.  Our signage has changed to locate subject matter instead of using the dewey decimal system with kids.  Having easy access to high interest material creates a reading culture.

Library routines:  We are part of a financially vulnerable catchment area.  We do charge for overdue books, but all are $5.00 regardless of the actual price.   Students are allowed to choose any books from the LLC as no books are kept as reference only anymore.  

Assemblies:  All assemblies begin with a story.  This is such a simple and effective way to create a culture of story lovers.

Chocolate Lily Award:  It was just brought to our attention at our Kelowna COTLA meeting that there is a locally run program called the Chocolate Lily Award.  This program celebrates BC authors and students read the books together and vote on their favourites.  

Challenges remain in the LLC.  Availability of the space is challenging with schedules not allowing for students to freely use the space for reading.  Bridging the gap between home and school reading can be difficult when students live busy lives.  Parents become frustrated when library books go missing.  Parents and teachers don't often get the opportunity to model silent reading in our fast paced day.  

WORKS CITED

BCTLA. (2019) DEAR and Love Your Library Day. Retrieved from: https://bctla.ca/member-services/dear/

International Literacy Association.  (2015, September 9) Global Read Aloud: One book to connect the world.  Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoJo5wbK54I

Pernille, R. (2019).  Global Read Aloud.  Retrieved from: https://theglobalreadaloud.com

Comments

  1. Kaitlin SchellenbergOctober 5, 2019 at 10:45 AM

    I loved reading about your reading culture at your school. I am personally trying to convince my teacher librarian to convert to the dewy less system. I honestly think this will help elementary students discover more books as they seem to like the browsing factor. Also what a great idea to make every book $5. I think the parents would really appreciate this. It makes a statement that we are more concerned with students having books available at home and the cost shouldn't matter. I to tend to work at a school with a financially vulnerable catchment.

    You make a great point when you say parents and teachers don't often get the opportunity to model silent reading. I think the important thing teachers need to do is be reading role models. This incorporates many things; giving time in a day dedicated to reading, do read alouds, talk about the books we are reading, showcase our own reading goals, procure more books in our classroom, if time permits we can actually sit and read with our students.
    Reading can sometimes get a bad reputation but I'm my classroom I make it clear it is something enjoyable and can make someone day!

    I read another teachers blog about being a reading role model and these were the things that stuck with me! Here it is https://pernillesripp.com/2017/04/25/how-to-be-a-teacher-reading-role-model-without-actually-reading-in-front-of-your-class/

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    Replies
    1. A Library Learning Commons from SD23October 14, 2019 at 5:25 PM

      I have taken a few library courses now and I really do see the benefit of a Deweyless system. I would like this to be a district direction though. I would gladly be on the committee, but I am hesitant to go it alone and change up my LLC since I rely so heavily on cataloging systems that use Dewey. I did however make sure to purchase new labels that support a Deweyless system if we were to switch.

      Delete
  2. Macushla Myles-FrankOctober 5, 2019 at 12:36 PM

    Thank you Catherine for your insights into the reading culture at your school. I love the idea of starting assemblies with a read aloud. Our principal sometimes does a read aloud on special topics but having a regular routine of starting the assembly is a great way to get all of the students settled and focused. Also I have just started the Global Read Aloud for the first time so it is great to see that you have found it to be meaningful with your students as well. You also bring up a good point about the challenges to reading culture. I find the lost books and parental frustration to be a tough one as well. I try to chase the books when I can but I also hate to think that one negative experience with losing books and having to pay for them would put families off from using a library in the future. It's a delicate balance!

    And thank you Kaitlin for the link to Pernille Ripp's blog post - such great ideas for how to be a reading role model without actually having to read our own books during independent reading time. I never felt comfortable doing that as a teacher so it is great to have those alternatives to model being a reader.

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  3. Aaron MuellerOctober 8, 2019 at 5:56 AM

    A good overview of all the ways you and your entire school are approaching literacy support and to lower barriers and challenges to student participation. Lots of good, easy to implement ideas here that go a long way in supporting and fostering whole school literacy initiatives. Excellent work on the consistent role-modelling and a few good resources to follow up on. Try and see if you can start adding "Labels" to your blog posts, as these are good subject heading connections that will help organize and sort all your blog posts in the future.

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  4. Book Room DragonOctober 9, 2019 at 9:39 AM

    I'm inspired by your comment about the Global Read-Aloud as a "lovely opportunity" - this positive, exploratory language is key in fostering a positive posture toward reading. I also really love that your assemblies begin with a story - what a brilliant way of drawing the entire school community into reading initiatives! This is a really simple idea, but it is making me wonder what other areas we can adjust to develop reading culture: teacher book clubs, add library time for snow/rain indoor recesses, have shared libraries between classes...I don't know, the options and opportunities seem endless! I really appreciate how your school engages in activities with the broader (provincial) reading community, this is such a rich way to show students that reading doesn't just happen at school!

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    Replies
    1. A Library Learning Commons from SD23October 14, 2019 at 5:27 PM

      Thank you for your comments! The opportunities are endless and fostering a love of reading is such a fun initiative!

      Delete

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