READING LITERACYThe Importance of the

Library Media Specialist

Reading at Risk, July 2004Less than half of Americans now read literatureBook sales dropped by 25 millionReading is in decline; steepest rate at the youngest adult age groupsNational crisis

Who cares if we read?A decline in reading leads to….

Declines in social interaction, civic participation, cultural attendance

The average secondary student:

Less than 1% of time in reading

Enjoyed reading until 3rd grade

Outside reading nosedive in middle school

Non-reader by high school

Reading Problems

National Study of the Effectiveness of Reading Comprehension Interventions http://readingcomp.mathematica-mpr.com/SPONSORED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES

National Assessment of Educational Progress revealed that

•37 percent of the nation’s fourth-graders have difficulty reading.

•As many as 30 percent of elementary, middle, and high school students have reading problems that severely curtail their educational progress and ultimately hurt their educational attainment.

What is Reading Literacy?

The ability to read at a basic level.The ability to gain information from reading.

The Purposes of Reading

Reading for literary experience

Reading for information

Reading to perform a task

Reading ~n~ Test Scores

38 out of 41 studies show Free Voluntary Reading Programs benefit students’ reading comprehension standardized test performance.

The Role of the School Library

Teach Reading LiteracyProvide easy access to books targeted to specific age level and interest

Research finds School Library media specialists directly affects students’ reading by:

Having access to a school librarian = more readingRicher print environment = better literacy developmentLarger school library collections = higher reading scores

Krashen, Stephen. The Power of Reading. Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. 1993

Research finds School Library media specialists directly affects students’ reading by:

Having access to a school librariam = more readingRicher print environment = better literacy developmentLarger school library collections = higher reading scores

Krashen, Stephen. The Power of Reading. Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. 1993

Sources:Burke, Jim. I Hear America Reading: Why We Read; What We Read. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1999.Donhan, Jean. Enhancing Teaching and Learning. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc. 1998.Gallagher, Kelly. Reading Reasons: Motivational Mini-Lessions for Middle and High School. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers, 2003.Kailua Intermediate studentsKrashen, Stephen. The Power of Reading. Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. 1993.

SourcesLeslie, Roger and Wilson, Patricia Potter. Igniting the Spark: Library Programs That Inspire High School Patrons. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 2001.“Pillows graphic” http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/luisc/assetsNichols, Mary Anne. Merchandising Library Materials to Young Adults. Englewood, CO, Libraries Unlimited, 2002.Pilgreen, Janice. The SSR Handbook: How to Organize and Manage a Sustained Silent Reading Program. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2000.“Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America”, Research Division Report #46, June 2004, National Endowment for the Arts, Washington, DC.

Questions?

F. YokoyamaLibrary Media Specialist