Winter 2023      Volume 52, Number 1

Growing Modern Literacy Skills Through the Library Interactive Read-Aloud Framework
By Janice Mattheis, Margaret Mary Policastro, and Colleen Seick

Document: Article  

Introductory Paragraph:  The excitement and anticipation is palpable as students enter the bright library space for the day’s lesson. As they gather, the library teacher greets them warmly. In class, students have been learning about the Pacific Ring of Fire. Today in the library, students are learning more about the destructive force of volcanic eruptions and how they affect people around the globe. The library teacher instantly engages students by telling them that a volcano had just erupted in Indonesia. The students are directed to a large touch-screen display with Google Earth projected. The library teacher enters the name of the volcano into the search bar. Students “ooh” and “ahh” as the Earth spins around and the volcano zooms into view on the large screen. Students take turns exploring the volcano by interacting with the image on the screen and then start asking questions. The library teacher encourages their wonder. Virtually visiting a part of the world they have never seen before excites them. Next, the library teacher explains that one in 20 people live within the danger range of an active volcano and shows them a book with an exploding volcano on the cover, Disasters by the Numbers: A Book of Infographics by Steve Jenkins (2021). The students are on the edge of their seats wanting to learn more about natural disasters and the people who are at their mercy. Schools are realizing the need to provide students with school library experiences beyond checking out books and research projects. Their focus has shifted to modern literacy instruction. In our opening example, the students are developing social literacy by empathizing with people around the world who live in areas impacted by natural disasters. They are also learning media literacy skills as the story is told in infographics. Developing modern literacy skills is essential for individuals to fully participate in modern society (LIRA Literacy LLC, 2023a; Figure 1). School libraries are evolving to meet these changing needs of students and continue to be valuable resources for supporting student learning and growth.

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.33600/IRCJ.52.1.2023.34

Page Numbers:   34-43