My Learning Journey: Reference Materials (Thematic Blog Post #3)
My key takeaway from this Theme: information is everywhere!! As long as you know where to look, you will find vast amounts of information. Growing up, I was not aware of all the print and online reference materials available to me at home and at school. I learned to use a dictionary and atlas in my early intermediate years, but that was the extent of it. As a teacher (and future teacher-librarian), it sometimes feels daunting the amount of information we need to know in order to effectively direct students to the information they need. Theme 3 has allowed me to reflect on just how MUCH information is out there and how I can help elementary aged students and their teachers to make use of it.
I would like to work in collaboration with classroom teachers to offer students opportunities to explore topics they are interested in. Rather than simply searching in Google or Wikipedia, I would like to teach students to use the appropriate print or online reference materials. In the past, I have seen many teachers check out a collection of non-fiction books for their students, or select specific websites with information. Depending on what the focus of the task is (taking notes vs. conducting research), reference materials are often overlooked in the library. In my school, this is because of the lack of reference materials available (more on that in a different post!). My goal would be to find print and online reference materials that directly help students in their research.
My key learnings from Theme 3:
When it comes to print material, quantity does not equal quality. With the cost of print materials, it is difficult for TLs to maintain a current and accurate print reference collection. The print materials end up collecting dust because they may be outdated.
Online reference material is valuable, when students are given the tools to use it. Online tools such as The World Gazetter, Kids World Book, and Encyclopedia Britannica are only a few of the many available resources. My school has several online subscriptions that are accessible to students. My goal would be to host professional development opportunities for teachers so they can teach students to use these appropriately.
Each type of reference resource has its own evaluation criteria. I enjoyed exploring the various reference resource types each week, including databases, bibliographies, biographies, encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauri, and maps/atlases.
My Learning Journey: The Basics of Reference Services (Thematic Blog Post #1)
Laying the Foundation
This theme reiterated the various roles that a Teacher-Librarian plays in a single day, particularly as an “information specialist”. It made me think back to the very first course I completed in the TL Diploma program, LIBE 461, where I initially learned about the many roles of the Teacher-Librarian. As TL’s we guide students and other teachers towards the right sources of information, as well as help them develop skills to use those resources appropriately and accurately.
I appreciated the exploration of terminologies in Riedling’s text, such as ‘Gazetteers’ and ‘Digital Divide’. I learned that my understanding of the term ‘Reference’ was quite simplistic, and that a reference collection includes a plethora of materials and resources.
Reference Collection: The section of the library which houses the print copies of reference materials, such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc.
Reference Source: Riedling defines a reference source as “materials, from books to periodical to photograph, deigned to be consulted for definite items of information rather than to be examined consecutively” (2019, p. 18).
Although this in not an exhaustive list, some types of resources include:
Encyclopedias
Yearbooks
Almanacs
Handbooks
Dictionaries
Biographical sources
Atlases
Reference Services:The activities required to meet the information needs of the SLLC’s clientele. Eg. answering research questions, locating answers to quick information requests, instructing users in the selection and use of appropriate tools and techniques for finding information, conducting searches, directing users to the location of library resources, assisting in the evaluation of information, selecting, weeding, and evaluating resources.
I like to use videos to help students learn and reinforce information searching skills. This year I plan to go one step further and have my students create their own videos to show other students.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0rYSYLGFfo
The Research (and Inquiry) Process
Another significant takeaway for me was the Reference Process. Riedling outlines a five-step process:
A need for information
A question
The search for information
An answer or response
An evaluation
In my own experience as a classroom teacher, I found that it is crucial to explicitly teach students how to progress through each of the steps. I conducted a science inquiry unit with my class this year and a large component was searching for information and evaluating if the information is accurate and credible. It is definitely daunting as a teacher to go through the research process with 28 students… but I feel that Theme 1 has already helped me develop better strategies. In addition to helping students follow the research process, I was able to reflect on my own understanding of the research process, my patience in dealing with frustrations and helping students stay positive, and my own eagerness to help students reach their literacy goals and become Information Literate Citizens. Consequently, the research process goes hand in hand with the inquiry process. I was already familiar with the BCTLA Points of Inquiry, but I appreciated exploring other models, particularly the Big 6 Model. I found it to be simple and student-centered.
Much of the material around building a reference collection was review from a previous course (LIBE 463). Still, it was a great refresher to read about collection evaluation, selection, and the overall Evaluation Process, especially focusing on the specific reference collection. I have some experience using the Ministry of Education’s Evaluation Criteria , which is a fantastic guide for evaluating resources for the SLLC. It is important to note the specific evaluation criteria for each type of reference source. I also like to review the Leading Learning – Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada (Canadian Library Association). This document has been essential in learning about the best practices for SLLC in various aspects, including the reference collection and helping students succeed in their information and critical literacy.
Furthermore, based on the reading Achieving Information Literacy (link) I learned that my school SLLC falls short of what is deemed an “Acceptable” reference collection. It was also interesting to read others’ discussion posts about their SLLCs and how they may fit with the standards. Funding issues and high costs of reference materials make it difficult to maintain an up to date reference section in the SLLC.
Print and Electronic Resources
In my opinion, electronic resources may often be more timely and therefore more useful to students when finding information. My school district has various subscriptions to electronic reference resources, providing free access to all students and staff. Each year I share our online catalogue website with my students and we take time to explore the various resources. I then show my students explicitly how to use each resource so that throughout the year they can use it a tool for research in various subject areas. I like how many of the electronic reference resources such as World Book Kids and National Geographic Kids are easily adaptable to various learning needs and abilities.
Our district subscriptions to electronic reference materials.
The digital world is a magical place of endless information, and when students learn the skillset to navigate through the digital world, great things can happen! Some helpful resources for teaching students digital information literacy are Commons Sense Media and Media Smarts. As our Theme 1 comes to an end, I look forward to learning more in-depth about the reference materials and how to best serve the school community.
Asselin, M., Branch, J., & Oberg, D., (Eds). Achieving information literacy: Standards for school library programs in Canada. Ottawa, ON: Canadian School Library Association & The Association for Teacher-Librarianship in Canada.
Canadian Association for School Libraries (CASL) 2003. Achieving Information Literacy Standards for School Library Programs in Canada. Retrieved from http://accessola2.com/SLIC-Site/slic/ail110217.pdf
Riedling, A. M., & Houston, C. (2019). Reference skills for the school librarian: Tools and tips (4th ed.). Libraries Unlimited.
Topic: Fostering Reading Cultures in Schools (And Classrooms!)
In your school and practice, how do you already foster a reading culture?
First of all, what does reading culture mean to me as an educator? I’m sure each person in the education system would have a slightly varied response, but I think in the simplest definition, reading culture is “an environment where reading is valued, promoted, and actively encouraged.” (Wilson, 2020)
As a classroom teacher, my main goal for building a reading culture in the classroom is to foster a love of reading among my students. I share my love of reading with them through picture book read-alouds, with different voices, enthusiasm, and pausing to talk about the different elements at play. I also share books that I’ve read with my 4-year-old nephew and tell my student about his funny reactions to the books we read.
Students are encouraged to share what they are reading by completing a Book Review and posting it on the wall above our classroom library. I first teach student the basics of opinion writing, formatting a book review, and using respectful language. All students complete one book review as part of a writing assignment. However, I found that many students continued to write book reviews on their own time throughout the rest of the school year!
This year (grade 3/4), I played an audiobook of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series during the time that students ate their lunch. All of the students, even the ones who are reluctant readers, were so excited to listen to the books and follow along with the words I projected on the big screen. Some would even check the book out from the library and follow along on their own. I found this to be great for my class because it got students excited about hearing the stories, reading the next books in the series, and finding other books by the same author. This school year, we managed to finish listening to the entire Diary of a Wimpy Kid series during our lunchtime listening sessions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FZ9imqzI6Y
Before Covid, I planned a field trip each year with my students to visit the beautiful downtown branch of the Vancouver Public Library. Students enjoy a book talk with the Children’s Librarian, and each student would have a chance to sign up for their own personal library card. (You can plan ahead so all the forms + parents signatures are completed before the field trip). I always love seeing their faces light up when they find out their new library card gives them access to books from ANY branch of the Vancouver Public Library. I hope to continue with this once Covid is over and we are able to go on field trips again. Not only does this create a new community connection for students, it also provides more accessibility (in person and in the digital world) to reach for books they will enjoy.
Photo from: vpl.ca
I also believe that sharing personal stories and experiences of hardships with students can build a sense of empathy, connection, and inspiration. I like to share my experiences as an ELL student with my class, where I didn’t know how to speak fluent English in Kindergarten, and how I struggled with decoding and reading comprehension in my early years in school. I also talk about how I overcame obstacles and started to gain a love for reading, which I still carry into adulthood. By sharing these stories, I hope to encourage some of the reluctant readers in my class to continue with their efforts in reading. I find that at the grade 3-5 levels, students are very aware when their reading skills are lower than their classmates, which sometimes deters them even more from reading. However, I found that cultivating a safe, inclusive classroom community where we explicitly talk about kindness, helping others, and different learning styles, helps students show empathy towards their peers, even when it comes to reading levels.
In the school setting, our current Teacher-Librarian fosters a school reading culture by organizing book talks, hosting reading challenges, and creating vibrant book displays with new and interesting books each month. She also manages our school library website/blog.
School Library Commons Blog
What tools, strategies and resources can be implemented to encourage and support a school-wide reading program?
Most of my experiences in fostering read culture have come from a classroom context. In the coming years, I would like to take it further into the school and try to engage my students with their school community in building a love of reading. I think that the School Library Learning Commons can play a significant role in the school reading culture.
Standards of Practice in Canada
Starting from a theoretical framework, I decided to revisit the Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Common in Canada. All around Canada, the “school library” is making a shift to becoming a “school library learning commons” (SLLC), which means the methods, tools, and strategies for fostering reading culture in the school may also be shifting. Among the five Standards, the one that stands out to me in this context is “Fostering literacies to empower life-long learners”, and more specifically “Engaging Readers”.
Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada
Growth Indicators for ‘Fostering literacies to empower life-long learners’. See Engaging Readers.
I think it’s important to first assess where we are as a school, and then come up with strategies for moving forward along the continuum. Based on the growth indicators for the Engaging Readers section, I would place my school around the Emerging or Evolving categories. As a school team, we would discuss and come up with a plan to progress forward in building a school reading culture. The Leading Learning document also includes useful resources such as Recommendation to Support Continued Growth (p. 25), Discussion Starters for Learning Leadership Teams (p. 30), and Action Planning Templates (p. 31-33).
Seven Pillars of Creating a Thriving Reading Culture
This video helped me to better understand the important of taking a more holistic and multi-faceted approach to creating a better reading culture in school. The authour outlines Seven Pillars to Creating a Thriving Reading Culture and provides research evidence of his findings.
The Pearson International Schools blog site outlines Ten Ways to Create a Reading Culture in your School. I like this list because it provides simple, straightforward suggestions (to implement right away or gradually) for helping students discover their love of reading. I have used some of these strategies in my classroom already, but I would love to bring this post up to my school team, and try to plan ways that we can implement more of these strategies on a school level.
Introduce “Drop Everything and Read”.
Be a reading role model.
Read books in different subject areas.
Explore a variety of genres.
Create individual classroom libraries.
Create reading nooks across the school
Engage with authours.
Set reading challenges with prizes.
Celebrate book-themed day.
Get your students to recommend books to one another.
There is so much to explore and try out in the world of reading in schools. I appreciate this assignment helped me to dig a little deeper and find simple strategies to implement in my teaching practice, and I look forward to exploring even more so I can bring strategies to our school planning.
This video helped me to better understand the important of taking a more holistic and multi-faceted approach to creating a better reading culture in school. The authour outlines Seven Pillars to Creating a Thriving Reading Culture and provides research evidence of his findings.