Literacy and access to quality literacy instruction and resources is an issue of equity and an issue of social justice. Being literate represents the difference between inclusion in and exclusion from society. Examining how literacy experiences are being provided to children is critical to fulfilling this basic human right. This guide--written…

The all-in-one resource you've been clamoring for, this book presents a comprehensive package of literacy-based public library programming ideas designed for children in kindergarten through the early tweens. Chock full of strategies and best practices for promoting literacy and reading skill development, it also features numerous planning…

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) "Standards for the 21st-Century Learner" is filled with objectives that are mostly unobjectionable--and that would have been just as applicable in the twentieth century. Who, after all, would oppose the idea of "organizing knowledge so it's useful"? Who's going to deny the value of effective…

Students learn best from well-designed instruction. To what extent can a school district design a curriculum that supports inquiry learning? How can a district implement consistent inquiry practices in forty schools? In this article, the author discusses Newport News Public School District's journey to inquiry which began in 2004 with a…

The author's school had just been labeled a failing school by No Child Left Behind when its new principal arrived in the fall of 2007. In this demoralizing climate, teachers can get frustrated and choose to give up, or they can rise to the challenge, create a plan for improvement, and plunge into uncharted waters. This article discusses how the…

The Position Statement on the School Library Media Specialist's Role in Reading, adopted by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Board in February 2009, is a guide to help practitioners build library programs that support every learner's development in reading. As part of the Learning4Life (L4L) plan to implement the Standards for…

This videtape is a guide hosted by Judy Woodruff to starting and enhancing a library-based family literacy project. Librarians and literacy providers learn: how to do a needs assessment, how to build a team within the library; how to develop a community coalition; how business partners contribute to family literacy programs; and how to recruit…

During the 1890s, the library media specialty was established through "a School Library Section as an integral part of the National Education Association" (Cole 90). In the ensuing decades, this role has expanded and changed; it demands a balancing act between the more traditional roles surrounding books and reading, and the newer expectations and…

Keeping a good balance in the classroom and in the library media center is no easy task. It is an on-going process that will continually involve reflective thinking, research, professional reading, networking among other professionals, and collaboration among teachers and fellow library media specialists. In this article, the author discusses what…

Written for teachers of adult literacy students and administrators of literacy programs, this book discusses a multitude of ways to use books appropriate for adult new readers. The book's first six chapters provide annotated lists of 639 books suitable for new readers, including titles, authors, dates, publishers, and suggested reading levels.…

This book promotes a library-based curriculum for teaching reading and suggests a wide variety of books to use with new readers. It provides an outline of basic skills that literacy students must master to become good readers. It also suggests numerous skill-building activities for teachers to develop using the words and ideas derived from…

During the summer, thousands of soon-to-be college students will read books as part of campus-wide "shared reading" programs (also referred as to common reader programs, one book programs, etc.). Such programs are designed to provide incoming students with a common experience and invite exploration of particular themes (e.g., diversity, etc.),…

This document is an annotated bibliography of recommended print materials for English-speaking adults reading at the seventh-grade level or below. (Sixty percent of the titles are at fifth-grade level or below.) More than 95 percent of the titles are paperbacks. The titles were selected for their broad appeal to the average adult new reader.…

"Between the Lions" is an award-winning PBS television series based on a comprehensive literacy curriculum that combines phonics and whole language. This guide has been created to help first grade teachers use "Between the Lions" in their classrooms to enhance their reading lessons. The guide is filled with engaging activities,…

Intended to challenge readers of all ages to celebrate the wonder of words arranged on the printed page, this book contains descriptions of activities that have been highly successful in drawing children into literacy and keeping them there. The 64 activities presented in the book can be performed in the home, at school, in the library, around…