Promoting Literacy for All Learners
Physical Environement
Reading Materials
Student Lead Initiatives
Creating a Positive Attitude
Access
Organization
Atmosphere
Have a space in the library, and all of the classrooms throughout the school, that is comfortable, quiet and inviting.
Small tents, canopies, shelters, or just some bean bag chairs/pillows or lounge chairs in a corner of the room.
A place for students to be alone and comfortable. Somewhere where they have access to books and can go when they need a break, need to come down, or have some free time and would like to read.
Increased access to literature outside of the learning commons.
Bookshelves with a variety of age appropriate reading material in all classrooms.
Instructions on how to access reading materials online via e-books and opportunities to use technology devices (including their own to access them).
Organize books in the learning commons according to reading level.
Familiarize children with the organizational system in the library, teach them how to circulate literature and educate them on the various genres and types of media.
Host open library times where students are encourages to use the learning commons area to read, study, help re-shelve books or work on other independent projects.
Incorporate daily five activities into the classrooms weekly routine. During the daily five activities children rotate between five stations (independent reading, guided reading, read with a partner, listen to reading, word work).
When doing projects such as book reviews or story summaries allow students to choose their own reading material
Include a student published section in your learning commons. When students complete a writing piece they are proud of or create a story, comic, etc. have a shelf in the library where is can be displayed and shared with other students.
Encourage students to bring in and share reading materials about topics that they are interested in.
Include a variety of different reading materials
Magazines
Comic books/Graphic Novels
E-books
Young Adult Novels
Early years Story Books
Audio Books
Encourage a Growth Mindset
Success through mistakes and repeated attempts
Create an atmosphere that is comfortable and trusting and children do not fear failure or persecution when they mispronounce a word while reading aloud.
Encourage children to find books that are "Just Right". After reading a page have children indicate how many words they had trouble de-coding, 1-2 words and the book is to easy, more than 5 and the book is too hard, 3-4 words and the book is just right
Modeling
Read aloud to children on a daily basis
Take part in small group guided reading sessions
During independent reading time choose to join the children while they are reading with a book of your own.
Make Reading Fun
Flashlight Fridays (Reading under a flashlight)
Trading Tuesday (Choose a book for a partner to read and trade books)
Play comprehension games after reading exercises