This document summarizes a presentation given at the 2010 IASL Conference about the Portuguese National Reading Plan and School Libraries Network Programme. It discusses how the two programs have partnered to promote reading culture in schools. An initiative called aLeR+ provided funding and guidelines for schools to develop comprehensive reading strategies. Evaluations found the projects increased reading engagement, developed school-wide reading policies, and highlighted the important role of teacher-librarians and school libraries in transforming schools into reading communities.
1. 2010 IASL Conference
Diversity Challenge Resilience
SCHOOL LIBRARIES IN ACTION
Alexandra Marques
National Reading Plan
Ana Bela Martins
School Libraries Network
Programme
Ç
2. Alexandra Marques
National Reading Plan
Ana Bela Martins
School Libraries Network
Programme
es
2010 IASL Conference
Diversity Challenge Resilience
SCHOOL LIBRARIES IN ACTION
6. 2. School Libraries Self Evaluation Model.
Improving quality through a culture of evidence based practice
and advocacy
Pilot testing the School Library Self Evaluation Model since 2008;
In-the-field training of teacher librarians;
Implementation of the model by
all school libraries in 2010.
2010 IASL Conference
Portuguese School Library Landscape
7. 3. School Libraries Network Programme External
Evaluation
Leadership;
Team motivation;
Quality and effectiveness of network development;
Regional coordinators supporting school libraries in the field;
School Libraries Self Evaluation Model;
Guidelines.
2010 IASL Conference
Portuguese School Library Landscape
8. Teacher librarian is the actor
of change
2010 IASL Conference
4. Legal recognition of the teacher
librarian professional position
All clusters of schools have a teacher
librarian
9. National Reading Plan – launched in 2006 to improve reading skills
and reading habits.
It is a response to the concerns of the levels of literacy of the
general population, especially youths, as this level is significantly
lower than the European average.
the target audience which is given priority in the first phase and
which will run for five years, are children who attend Pre-School
Education and children who attend Basic Education, especially during
the first six years of school.
NRP and SLNP work together and school libraries have an
important role to place the book at the centre of the school activity,
preparing innovative projects.
2010 IASL Conference
10. An action plan was conceived, involving several institutions, schools,
public libraries, social institutions, private institutions, civil associations
with relevant significance to educational system, namely throughout
the network between School Libraries and the National Reading
Plan.
2010 IASL Conference
11. Coordination of NRP
Coordination of the National Reading Plan – an Agency based at
the Ministry of Education
Strategic partner responsible for programmes in the Education
area – School Library Network Office (RBE)
…
2010 IASL Conference
12. National Reading Plan (cont.)
Programmes to encourage and promote reading:
in school contexts
- classroom
- school libraries
in the context of public libraries and other community spaces
in the family/leisure time context
in unconventional reading contexts
Experimental projects for the promotion of reading
the project aLeR + shows the partnership between School
Libraries Network Programme and National Reading Plan
2010 IASL Conference
13. Main goal of this project:
• Creation of a culture of school where the pleasure of reading and
reading are central elements cross all curricula and extracurricular
activities, involving all elements of the educational community.
Financial and technical support by SLNP and NRP
2010 IASL Conference
National Reading Plan and the School Libraries Network Programme
launched aLeR+ Project, in 2008/09 in a partnership with National
Literacy Trust and Reading Connects Project.
14. 2010 IASL Conference
“…finding ways to engage students in reading may be one of
the most effective ways to leverage social change…”
Reading for Change, OECD, 2002
15. Seeking to encourage schools to set reading and the pleasure of
reading in the centre of their educational project and its activities,
following a set of guidelines:
•To set the pleasure of reading in the centre of its efforts to raise the
standards of learning for students and educational success;
•To involve all the elements of the educational community in reading
promotion - educators, teachers, staff, parents and librarians, local
authorities, etc.;
•To work in partnership with families to encourage reading at home...
2010 IASL Conference
Develop an integrated culture of reading
16. 2010 IASL Conference
Key areas:
• All school reading strategy
• Reading promotion (visible)
• School library
• Groups with specific interests
• Reading events and groups
• Integrating reading for pleasure into
transition levels
• Family involvement
• Community involvement
Each school has chosen the key areas according
its reality and interests
17. The project aLeR+
33 schools in 2008/2009
33 + 30 schools in 2009/2010
14 schools in 2010/2011
30 CIBE (Regional Coordinators of SLNP)
74 teams coordinated by teacher librarian
National level
All educational levels
Reading practices already in the field
Recognition of the importance of reading for school success and
educational
Reading literacy as a main goal in School Project
Involvement of School Board
Public library articulation
Teacher librarian
2010 IASL Conference
18. Resources
• Financial support
• Guidelines: presentation, guidelines, family toolkit
• Materials to support the development of projects ( online)
•Certificate and access to the logo
• Financial and technical support
2010 IASL Conference
20. Communication and dissemination
moodle platform
a summary of reading activities - film
NRP portal and SLNP portal
meetings, seminars …
an annual meeting
2010 IASL Conference
Annual Conference (July 2010)
21. Internal evaluation based on:
Supervision visits of the lead team
“The close supervision by the lead team to all schools within the
project, was considered a positive aspect and seems to became a
greater responsibility and recognition by all shoos and school boards ”
In, 2010 NRP Evaluation Report
Documentation produced under the project
Presentation of activities in the annual conference of the project
2010 IASL Conference
22. Findings:
• a real progress in different reading areas
• reading promotion related to literature was the main focus in
the first year
• second year, 90% of the projects work with curricula and in
articulation with all school
• a strong impact in school community
2010 IASL Conference
23. External evaluation :
Findings:
• the added value of this project in the promotion of a
reading culture
• the teacher librarian and school library as the main actors
of the change
• relevance of the partnership between the two programs:
SLNP and NRP
2010 IASL Conference
24. a major sensibility to reading issues,
reading as a cross curricula activity,
reading is a daily routine either in formal or informal schooling
activities,
“... diverse and originality of activities developed by schools. Involving
all school community, in a reading environment spread out to families
and community…”
Teacher librarian, in 2010 NRP Evaluation Report
2010 IASL Conference
25. more coherent and consistent reading promotion activities
a greater interaction between school library and teachers
increasing of collaborative work between teacher librarian and
teachers
2010 IASL Conference
26. aLeR+ is developing a “reading policy in schools”
“I think that now we can talk about a truly reading policy
and that makes the difference... a major engagement of
teachers of different subjects “
“ All teachers have the same focus, they try to achieve the
same goals and not isolated activities (as it was in the
beginning) “
Teacher librarian, in 2010 NRP Evaluation Report
2010 IASL Conference
27. a greater interaction between public library, school library
and school community,
parents and local community, including local authorities
are much more involved
“Reading club works for parents, too…and a lot of them do
the recommended reading…”
Teacher Librarian, in 2010 NRP Evaluation Report
2010 IASL Conference
28. the added value of teacher librarian
“… a major factor of improvement, evidenced in the study
cases, is the teacher librarian position and the practical
results of this measure…All school recognize the central role
of school library in the organization and in performing
activities…”
in 2010 NRP Evaluation Report
2010 IASL Conference
29. 2010 IASL Conference
What schools say:
“…The school library is the heart of school. School library is
leading
and keeps students, teachers and others moving… “
Teacher Librarian, in 2010 NRP Evaluation Report
“…The project has contributed to turn reading a main focus in
school community…”
“… More time in classroom contexts addressed to reading in
different kind of reading (scientific, poetry, literature, maths…)”
“… a reading plan to each class is conceived with the support of
school library …”
30. “School as a reading community is a very difficult task,
but if we have three conditions:
A lot of books, lot of good books for instruction and
pleasure
A lot of teachers as good reading models
A school library which are able
to put reading at the center of the school
-this is the way, we are sure…”
2010 IASL Conference
Lina Duarte, teacher librarian, in Noesis (2010), 82, Jul./Sept.