Consider the key arguments presented in the theory you have read and how this is evidenced in the varied activities incorporated in the Read Like a Girl project. Identify one strategy that you could leverage in your school or library to promote a love of reading.
The big takeaway I got from the readings on this topic was that access is the crucial first step in helping students develop a love of reading. Much like Kevin Costner’s character in Field of Dreams, if we offer enough opportunities for our students to engage with our collections then hopefully it will tap into the one of the 5 reasons Howard (2011) gave for personal pleasure reading: entertainment, escape, relaxation, imagination, and reassurance.
I work in a high school and since teenagers are naturally social creatures (despite their occasionally anti-social behaviours!) I’ve been trying to leverage their love of social capital with the activities I’ve implemented this year in the library, such as:
– Student Media Team which allows students to publish reviews and content that they’re passionate about
– Babble, Books and Breakfast which encourages students into the library space where they can catch up for breakfast with our Welfare team (and hopefully talk about and borrow reading materials while they’re there!)
– Staff and Student Book Club which I’ve been promoting via emails, social media and posters
Next year we’re unfortunately removing our DEAR program and shortening our roll calls to 10 minutes, which means that I’ll have to find new, creative ways to encourage students to read for pleasure. It’ll also be interesting to see if the current cohorting model remains in NSW, since this will drastically limit the scope of my plans. I’m taking a Year 7 English class in 2022, and I’m in discussions with the English faculty to encourage fortnightly lessons in the library which allow students to choose their own reading materials. I’m looking to implement new social gatherings such as First Chapter Friday (where I’ll read a chapter of a favourite book to our students; hopefully other teachers will also jump on board!) and fan-fiction competitions. I’d also love to show that our school values reading achievement in the same way it values sporting achievements, and have put in a budget submission to allow me to purchase and award medals to our monthly top borrowers. Fingers crossed that it gets approved, though even if it doesn’t I will probably take it out of the library budget anyway.
