NMRT (New Members Round Table)

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The mission of the New Members Round Table (NMRT) is to help those who have been association members less than ten years become actively involved in the association and the profession.

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  • 1.  Methods for encouraging reading

    Posted 3 days ago
    Hello.  I work at a K-12 special education school.  What do other librarians do to get kids interested in, and interacting with, the collection?

    --
    Theresa L Davidson
    (M) 267-797-4897


  • 2.  RE: Methods for encouraging reading

    Posted 2 days ago
    Edited by Andrew Evans 2 days ago

    It's hard to tell exactly what you're needing by the information you've given, so I'll just throw the kitchen sink at you (and hope you'll forgive me for it):

    I highly recommend the books Creating a Reading Culture in Primary and Secondary Schools, by Margaret Merga, and Read or Die, by Daphne Russell.

    Don't underestimate the power of doing the simple (but not easy) things: read-alouds, independent reading time, sitting and listening to students read aloud and retell, book recommendations (match kid with book), book talks by adults or by students, video book talks (record brief audio of students talking about their favorite books, and set it to pictures of the students with the books or images of a few of the pages, then share it with families or other students.  You can use Openshot editor to do this).  And since you work at a K-12 school, you could have older students who regularly come in and read to or with younger students (under adult supervision, of course).

    I have special education students at my school who are integrated into some of my gen-ed library lessons, but I am not really able to give them the types of differentiation and attention that they deserve in that setting, so I started going to their classrooms and reading to them in small groups. So if you can't get students to interact with the library for whatever reason, bring the books (and you) to them.

    Also, during the latest AASL conference in St. Louis, I went to an incredible special-education focused session given by Ashley Scotto.  Here are my notes from that session:

    Title: We are All Readers: Story Immersion and Creative Techniques to Engage Elementary Special Education

    Time: 11:00 AM to 11:50 AM

    presenter (s):  Ashley Scotto

    Topics & links


    ALA online 6-week course in sign language


    Live feeds for animals:  

    https://www.marylandzoo.org/animals/live-cams-feeds/giraffe-live-cam/

    https://www.beardsleyzoo.org/zoo-cams.html

    https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams

    https://sdzsafaripark.org/live-cameras

    https://www.zoonewengland.org/stone-zoo/live-cams/


    story/sensory bins:

    https://www.gluedtomycraftsblog.com/sensory-bin-ideas-for-story-time-fun

    notes

    SPED audience, creative ways to engage

    Greeting:  "good morning, readers and leaders."

    Leadership lessons?


    weighted bookworm


    Find out student's interests, and send relevant books home.


    Expect expectations – don't adjust.  Use incentives, though.

    Engage:  cognitive / affective / psychomotor

    For instance, Eric Carle, Head to Toe: identify animal, match movement, make sound


    Interacting with a book is a skill


    Jack Hartman, parts of a book video.


    Give students an opportunity to show that they are the experts (you can even play dumb to do it)


    End with "happy reading!"

    I also have this to offer, if you'll consider it:  You can't really motivate anyone to do anything till they trust you.  Teaching is leadership; leadership is built on trust; and trust is built on a foundation of showing up every day, getting to know your students, and demonstrating that you care about them.  I don't want to assume how long you've been at your current position, but it takes time.

    Best of luck!



    ------------------------------
    Andrew Evans
    School Librarian
    Douglass Elementary School, KCKPS
    He/Him/His
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