Monday, November 8, 2010

Research tells us how

It's good to be reminded every so often that much of library practice can and should be based on research rather than just our gut feeling that something works. SLJ this month has an article outlining some of the beliefs about reading that most librarians hold and tying them to the research that has been done. The first and probably most basic belief that is backed up by research is that children get better at reading by reading--frequently and for sustained periods. Booktalking and letting children know about what is available may lead to reading, but it is the actual sitting down and reading that helps. Silent sustained reading has been demonstrated to increase reading skills and yet it is being cut back in more and more schools, perhaps because adults think that letting children simply read and enjoy a book doesn't look enough like hard work. Librarians should push to keep this program alive. Another proven method of encouraging children to read and improving their skills is to offer a free choice of reading matter. Reading programs that rigidly limit the books children are allowed to borrow and read do not help nearly as much as letting children follow their own interests and choose their reading. In these times of testing and measurable skills, librarians ought to be strong voices for helping children find their own way through reading and giving them plenty of time to do it. That's the only way we are going to grow a nation of readers for the future.

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