Engaging Reluctant Readers - SLANSW Webinar (February 2025)

The School Library Associaton of NSW (SLANSW), commenced its monthly webinar series this week. The theme was Practical ways to engage reluctant readers and featured contributions from Allison Tait (Author), Jade Arnold (NSW Premier’s Program Officer – Reading and Spelling) & Amanda Craig (Teacher Librarian - Telarah Public School)

I attended because I facilitate a READ group at school for students in Years' 10-12 that struggle to actively participate in the daily 20 minute session, where all students engage a time of silent reading, and wanted to be informed of some strategies applied to by others to encourage reluctant readers to add to my "tool kit".

I know two other READ groups that provide additional support to students in my school, and I should invite those groups to borrow during READ time. I have a small group already, and with my session in the library, I can open up the space to invite groups to borrow during that time and provide the opportunities that my group has access to, such as the lounges and beanbags to encourage them to relax. This would support the suggestion to make all students in a class borrow a book, unless there is a book of their own that interests them.

Reading goals are essential as well to encourage reluctant readers. I applied this strategy with general class groups e.g Litgym at MLC School (2014), but should use this to both groups as well. It has worked for me with regular groups and I cannot see why it would fail with both groups.

Book labels also arose, and I didn't realise the impact they could have on reluctant readers, given that genre labels can guide students in selecting related texts or reading particular stories that interest them. I have been involved in the setup at my school. While it has consumed time and resources, it is a good investment, even if it's not a financial one because my goal is to have students borrowing and reading books that interest them. If students borrow and read more, I will be happy, and feedback from the wider student body will be favourable to date. 

Influencing Tactics

On Tuesday, I attended an online webinar on Advocacy and was presented with nine influencing tactics. It was food for me, as I need to think about how I can better influence others in my day-to-day duties and life.

• Logic
• Inspiration
• Participation
• Uplift
• Deal
• Favour
• Collective
• Policy (seen as unfavourable)
• Force (seen as unfavourable)

I will need to reflect on this and identify how I can approach others to persuade them to support a proposal or idea. 

 

ASLA Webinar - The 2022 CBCA Shortlist- and Beyond (1 June 2022)

I decided last night to attend another ASLA webinar and it was because I was guaranteed a good presentation if Paul McDonald was the presenter.

He own's The Children's Bookshop, a specialist bookseller catering to schools and school libraries in NSW. It originally began as a physical bookstore at Beecroft, trading between 1971 and 2019. McDonald had run the store for its final fifteen years.

I enjoyed listening to his insights into the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) shortlists for 2022, predicting who is likely to win and their suitability for various audiences. 

As a bonus, we were also treated to some of the latest trends on Young Adult and Children's reads. He is always "on the ball" with the latest developments and he does it with alot of passion. It was surprising to hear that Historical Fiction is gaining some appeal. I guess people either want to explore a different world from that of 2022. As a history teacher, this is encouraging, because it allows the reader to learn about different historical periods through fiction texts.

Not surprised about Graphic Novels and Manga continuing to gain a broader appeal. I see it at school myself as fans of Graphic Novels crave the next set of books in the series in that they may be interested in.  

 

ASLA Webinar – Creating Internal Wide Reading Challenges

On Wednesday Night, I presented my first (solo) professional learning session for the Australian School Library Association (ASLA) as part of their monthly webinar series. I had set myself a challenge for 2022 which was to lead a professional development session through a non-school provider. It has been five years since I presented my first professional learning session, but it was at a school level. I knew who my audience was at the time and was not daunting. 

Late last year, I attended one of the ASLA webinars and a question was asked in the feedback form if attendees were interested in presenting monthly webinars. I expressed my interest and it went from there. I decided to focus on Creating Internal Wide Reading Challenges as I felt that I owed a debt to those who provided their ideas to help me organise the Cover 2 Cover wide reading challenge for Bethany College Hurstville in 2019. 

I believe that there were people out there who wanted to create one and why not lend them a hand and share my experience and give them ideas. Even in 2019, I remember one teacher librarian on the OZTL-NET Forum who was looking to do the same and for me to share their ideas with them. 

I felt it was a “dry topic” when it came to school libraries and wide reading, again raising opportunities to share. It also encouraged me that one of my fellow members of the Management Committee from the School Library Association of NSW was present along with others within my professional network, some of whom contacted me to ask about the webinar before the evening. 

As for the presentation itself, presenting it online was not scary at all even for a virtual audience. If it were face to face, I would have had a few nerves, but as I was able to organise the presentation and reinforce it with my experiences, it was straightforward. The feedback is positive so far from the attendees, but will need to post a little more in an upcoming post.

Professional Development for Casual Teachers

Casual Teachers find access to professional development to be challenging, even at the best of times. This would also involve forgoing work and income just to complete any professional development that is essential to their work.

Fortunately, even before COVID-19 stretched its tentacles around the world, there were providers already providing on-demand professional development for casual teachers.

I am going to share three providers that will provide professional development to casual teachers. Some of these providers are also available for full-time teaching staff. Some full-time staff may even find courses for casual teachers useful in their everyday teaching. Win/Win.

Relief Teachers Association

Yearly membership is $99 but there may be offers that allow for reduced fee membership. It is the main provider of professional development for casual teachers. While there are some curriculum and technology offerings, options may be limited. Curriculum offerings are limited across all key learning areas and focus on essential skills, pedagogies and technology that is provided as part of the curriculum. However courses relating to classroom management are excellent. Some courses are also NESA accredited. Those seeking more in-depth professional development may need to go elsewhere.

Teacher Learning Network (TLN)

At this stage, a yearly subscription costs $350 but they do charge pro-rata rates after March 31. If you can hold off until after March 31, and you have the time, it becomes better value for money. Even at the full rate, I believe its great value for money. I signed up early this term after finding it while investigating on-demand PD options and have completed nine courses so far. Some of the areas covered include leadership, professional network/learning, diverse learners and technology. For casual teachers, there is also a portal with even more courses available designed for casual teachers. The courses featured are initially presented live to members but are available for viewing up to two years after they have been presented. Certificates are available on request and will be handy for a professional portfolio.

TTA

Do not let the $299 annual fee deter you from accessing this site but caters to all key learning areas. You can attend individually but note that individual courses cost the same as a yearly subscription. All courses are delivered online. I am exploring taking a one year subscription.

Finally, did you know its easy to become an Apple Teacher. All you need is an iTunes account and you can complete modules to become a certified Apple Teacher. I took it this year, and though good with technology, discovered some new ways that I can intergrate technology into my teaching.

Click here to visit the Apple Teacher Website.

Learning to facilitate Professional Development

The Teacher Learning Network (TLN) has delivered quality professional development courses for a number of years. I came across it recently as I was seeking providers that can provide on-demand professional learning. You can either attend a live or recorded course, complete an evaluation and you will receive a certificate.

One area of interest has been their courses focusing on the delivery of professional development to colleagues.

In my practice, there have been several occassions where I have presented professional development workshops, whether it may be a ten minute session in a whole school staff meeting or spending an hour with colleagues guiding them through the application of a resource in their teaching or learning.

But there is scope to further develop and refine my knowledge and skills in the delivery of professional development and do an even better job. The feedback that I receive has been good, but I aspire to do better.

So far I have done one course on presenting profssional development to colleagues. While it might be targeted to those who may want to be a provider of professional development, the knowledge presented is applicable to conducting it with fellow colleagues at school level such as planning the session itself, persuading the school executive to allow the presentation, organising time to prepare and undertaking the presentation. 

I also have completed a course on how to present professional development online. I learnt how to structure a presentation or course that engages with the audience i.e. encourage attendees to undertake short activities. This is based on the structure that the TLN follows.

I would recommend that teacher librarians sign up to TLN. It usually costs around $350 for 12 months but I think there are benefits to be gained. There are also courses relating to leadership which I intend on doing to brush up on my leadership skills. 

SLANSW Professional Learning Summit: Digital Design & Delivery: Using Digital Technologies to Support Reading Programs

The School Library Association of NSW (SLANSW) held its second professional learning summit for 2021 and was not left disappointed by what was offerred and what I learnt from it.

I was introduced to three elements that before attending I lacked familarity with in terms of research but upon reflection was already applying or experiencing it without noticing:

• Digital ecology of teen reading
• Fan Fiction
• Micro-credentialling

The digital ecology of teenage reading focused on the use of social media platforms to promote literature. Reflecting on it, I had identified at least one situation where I had already applied it in practice - Starting a Goodreads Group for students at the MLC School in 2014. 

I think promoting and sharing content is straightforward, especially if it is curated and can be embedded into a wide reading lesson. My recent completion of the Apple Teacher courses for Macbook computers and iPads opens up scope for content to be created by the students. My view has been that recommendations by peers are more likely to encourage others to read. I should select students to record their content and then provide it through a suitable channel e.g. YouTube.

I may not have known the concept of "FanFiction" in research but have been practicing it. I consider my decisions to order literature tied to popular media e.g. Star Wars and Minecraft. I agree that it bridges popular media/culture and reading. If a person has a particular interest, it is that interest that should be used to motivate them to read.

Micro-credentialling also interested me, especially in terms of information literacy skills development because I can create a program e.g. incoming Year 7 cohorts and they can complete activities to earn certificates and attain skills in an area. I would like to investigate it further. I had also encountered tools that could support this such as badgr while undertaking a Google Fundamentals Course through Catholic Online Learning recently. 

I am currently a member of the SLANSW Management Committee and this month was re-elected for a two year term at the recent Annual General Meeting. 

Apple Teacher Courses

I recently completed two courses that are provided by the Apple Teacher Learning Centre focusing on Foundational skills for Mac and iPad. 

I confess to being a big fan of Windows due to their availability and simplicity along with their famous office software which can easily be utilised on either Windows or Apple operating systems without the integrity, layout and formatting of files being comprised. Microsoft have removed those problems in recent years.

From doing both Mac and iPad courses, I was impressed by the options that software such as Pages, Numbers and Keynotes offer. I found that content can be more interactive than Microsoft office such as the easiness in embedding audio and media files and with Keynotes - animinations.

I found iMovie to be incredibly easy to use, even when editing some TV clips that I sourced for enjoyment and Garageband makes recording audio or creating music to be an easy process. 

You can view my learning logs by accessing the following links:

Mac

iPad

I have been advised that courses undertaken through the Apple Teaching Centre can count towards your Teacher identified PD hours as part of maintaining accreditation at Proficient Level in NSW.

For Catholic School Teachers in NSW, Catholic Learning Online also provides courses. You can either complete the ones provided online for 2021 or you can wait for 2022, when they intend to provide the courses again. 

But what does it mean for me? If a school has Macs as part of its device program, the opportunities open up. I can see myself sharing my knowledge with my colleagues, particularly in encouraging interactive presentation of information in the classroom. Students can record their own videos, take photographs or audio and embed them into their work. 

I can see that digital storytelling has the greatest scope, because Apple software allows creativity in the drafting and publication of books. They can be shared online too. It also makes me think of the school where Year 7 students as part of their English studies, are required to prepare a picture book. They should use Pages to prepare their book. 

Vicki Courtenay Presentation - SLANSW Presentation

Last night, I had the opportunity to attend an online presentation by the School Library Assocation of NSW (SLANSW) Teacher Librarian of the year - Vicki Courtenay. Vicki is a Teaching and Learning Librarian at Trinity Grammar at Summer Hill (Sydney). 

I enjoyed listening to some of the work that she has engaged in but also provided insights into the work of the team at the Arthur Holt Library at their main campus in Summer Hill.

I was impressed with the idea of a booking sheet that teachers can use to book for Teacher Librarians to undertake research skills workshops with their classes. I was left wondering why I never had the idea in my head in previous years. I could have even created a flyer that could have provided an overview of ideas for possible research skills lessons. I believe that it could even be used for wide reading lessons etc if the English teacher wanted to focus on a specific aspect of wide reading.

It left me with better ideas as well on how to collaborate with teachers in the preparation of assessment tasks and also educating students in skills associated with academic integrity. Reflecting on it, I think I may have missed opportunities for collaboration even though I did collaborate actively with colleagues focusing on their students specific needs.

Finally I was interested by her insights into wide reading and promoting a positive reading culture. There are many ways that one can promote a positive reading culture, but did enjoy hearing insights into how Trinity Grammar has promoted reading and literature e.g. the book that changed my life. I actually liked the idea that they applied because it makes one reflect on the impact that reading a particular book has changed their lives and how it has changed for the better. Books can inspire us to make the decisions that ultimately shape our lives, whether it may be to change our behaviour, our lifestyles, our perspectivcs, develop our interests or even shape the career path that we choose to take. It may have even had an emotional impact in our lives or help us to discover something.

I could relate to one aspect of the wide reading program that they implement there - sharing reviews of books that have been read as part of wide reading sessions. I have encouraged this. I believe that students are more likely to read a certain title if a friend recommends it than that of a teacher. I think it also helps others to be aware of the books that are popular or are available. I know personally that hearing reviews by other people has even helped me decide what to read next, especially if I am uncertain about it.

The Laureate & The Literacy Leader - SLANSW Summit

Last Saturday (March 13), the School Library Association of NSW (SLANSW) presented its first blended summit where attendees could either attend in person or online. Instead of the State Library of NSW, it was hosted by The Kings School. 

For those who enjoy attending face to face, it was the first time in one year that we could gather in person for a summit or conference. Last year, SLANSW were fortuante to have one face to face summit prior to COVID-19 Restrictions and presented an online speaker series instead of a second face to face summit.

Providing it online enabled those in regional areas to participate or for those in the city, participate from the comfort of their own home. 

Karen Yager was fantastic in explaining how we can use Australian literature to encourage students to improve their writing by focusing on landscapes then collaborating actively on creating lists of resources to share with English Teachers.

Ursula Dubosarsky (Author & Australian Children's Laureate 2020-2021) shared her insights in the role of libraries in engaging children with reading and how we can support them. I asked her a question based on experiences where schools do not have a wide reading program and students have presented statements such as "I don't like reading" and "I don't read" and what we could do. She admitted that she could not answer the question, but she had her concerns about schools that have not encouraged a positive reading culture. I for one have concerns for schools that do not have a wide reading program or encourage reading for pleasure. Ursula and I have common ground on this.

Also we had an opportunity to discuss different wide reading intiatives and programs applied by different schools and I was encouraged by the opportunity to share within a small group some of my successes to date with wide reading programs and the interest attendees within that group had.

I hope to comment further once resources are finalised but found the day to be well engaging. 

I am a currently a Metropolitan Representative on the Management Committee of SLANSW. If you wish to join, please feel free to contact me at fabian.amuso@syd.catholic.edu.au

Reading and Wellbeing

Last week, I attended Reading for Wellbeing presented by Judith Wellman as part of the School Library Association of NSW (SLANSW) conference - Reach out through Reading.

It was a highly informative presentation and gained some new insights that I didn't expect to know.

One point that was emphasised is that we should get to know Student Welfare officers and school counsellors who can guide Teacher Librarians to identify issues that may be need to be focused on.

Doom and gloom seems to be state of the world at the moment, but literature can help us address them through reading stories that are motivating and inspiring.

The COVID19 outbreak is one such example. Should we be looking at stories that focus on overcoming health challenges in our lives.

Climate Change is another example. Cli-fi can be used to address this.

At the end of the day, literature relating to our wellbeing can help us build resilence in times of need but also help one another combat the day to day challenges that may confront us.

OLT Autism Training

I have recently been given the opportunity to undertake some Autism training through my school which is a mixture of face to face and online training.

The insights that have been given onto Autism today have interested me, especially the changes in the definition of Autism under DSM - 5, where Autism Spectrum Disorder is classified by levels and is determined by assessment by medical professionals.

Two matters have stood out for me which I will need to consider as a Teacher Librarian:

1. Ensuring that I provide explicit instructions in how to access library services. I have focused on providing step by step guides in how to access database or undertake a particular task in a program or application for the general school community. Could breaking it down further be better and/or identify an area that may require explicit instructions or ensure effective use.
2. Inquiry Learning - We have been presented with a hypothetical case study as part of the course. The person who was one who found creative tasks and answering open ended questions difficult. While inquiry learning is great in formulating questions of our choice to help us in research, for a person with autism, it may be overwhelming. Obviously there is a need for detailed steps to be followed including templates and scaffolds. But what about what to choose as their area of focus. I have thought about it and I would suggest at this time to focus on the persons specific interest area to narrow it down and allow them to enjoy a research task that accommodates their interests.

Games as Text

Last week, I attended the School Library Association of NSW conference at the State Library of NSW I had the opportunity to attend a seminar presented by Bill Cohen (Teacher Librarian, Asquith Girls' High School) titled: Games as Text.

I remember in primary school playing educational games like Punch & Judy and Granny's Garden on what I think were Acorn Computers.

In the past 25 years, such games have come a long way. I was introduced to a popular interactive fiction game known as 80 days, where you can set the plot line.

Some might see computer games as lacking educational relevance, but one should identify the relevance of the game and what you want them to learn.

Games that are inspired by real events or situations like The Westport Independent can teach skills in ethics associated with publishing and apply business principles i.e. advertising.

Another game that took my interest was Paper's Please, based on the checkpoints between East and West Berlin in the 1980's. The player must assess each person's suitability to cross the border. Literacy skills are developed in the viewing of information but also supports the development of critical thinking skills. As the game progresses, more information is presented, and the situations become more complex. The player has to consider each situation in more depth before making a final decision.

The question now, is how I am going to encourage their use in the classroom in line with school technology policies?

Accommodating for students with a disability

I have been a keen advocate for providing equitable access to library services and recently accepted an opportunity to undertake some free professional development provided online through the Association of Independent Schools.

The course Disability Legislation Online Module on the impact of legislation of the following:

• Disability Discrimination Act (1992)
• Disability Standards for Education (2005)

I would encourage Teacher Librarians to enroll in this course. It is free for those in Association of Independent Schools but non-member schools will charge a fee.

As Teacher Librarians, we do collaborate in the programming of units of work across each key learning area. We do need to remember that we need to accommodate various learning needs for those who may be disabled.

It also affects how we provide library services including resources and furniture. We should ensure that any activities that we provide can include those with a disability. If not we need to provide an alternative.

We should also liaise with learning support as to how the school library can improve its provision of library service to those with disabilities. 

AISTL Professional Development Day - The Liminal Library - March 23 2018

I had the opportunity to attend a Professional Development Day organised by the Association of Independent Schools at The Kings School at North Parramatta.

My motivation to attend was because my current school is intending to undertake a renovation of the library. I wanted to obtain an insight into the process that is involved in redesigning library spaces and also examine some case studies.

The keynote speaker was Anne Whisken who is the Head of Resource Centre at the Carey Baptist Grammar School in Kew, Victoria.

After her presentation, I felt that I will need to consider the following in any school library renovation:

• Providing a library space that is unstructured and trans formative.
• Use research to inform your decision making.
• Be flexible.
• Include stakeholders in the process.
• Consider future proofing the library and allow for adaptation.
• Library spaces should allow for creative spaces.
• Blending traditional services with new expectations.
• What learning experiences do I want to see occur in the spaces?

St Andrews Cathedral College undertook a change recently to its provision of library services to provide a branch for the junior school, middle school and senior school. More ideas that I may wish to consider include:

• How to provide a taster of what is to come e.g. introduce new furniture before major renovation works or purchase a small set of furniture that can be expanded on.
• Make decisions quickly.
• Furniture may to be custom made.
• Consider the needs of the school.
• Considering what I see as a dream library.

It has left me with food for thought but also I am looking at doing a follow up visit to St Andrews Cathedral School to see the branches for myself. 

Are you an innovative educator?

It is expected as teachers that we are all innovative educators. This article lists the attributes that an innovative educator would possess.

In a nutshell, an innovative educator is one that is committed to continuous improvement  in their teaching. They draw on professional knowledge and practice to apply new ideas. There is constant reflection and improvement along with a desire to improve teaching and learning practice.

Maintainence of Accreditation

Many teachers like yours truely as post 2004 teachers have to undergo a maintainence of accreditation every five years (full time employment) or seven years (casual/temporary) which involves undertaking 100 hours of professional development.

Yesterday afternoon, I went to Ermington Public School, where the NSW Department of Education offered a workshop to provide an overview of the process involved.

I gained insight into the process involved. It dismissed the motion that I had that it was merely keeping a record of courses, but also about reflecting on how I apply the professional development in my teaching.

I have done some professional development, but admitted that I have made some errors in not having some of the courses signed off by the school that I completed the training at (where relevant). I will need to check through the diary and make sure it is validated ASAP with the relevant principal/s including documentation.

Also a handy check of the diary to fill any missing entries is needed as well, not to mention to do the entry at the point in time that it is done.

I think this blog will be handy in itself, because I am reflecting on my learning, what I did and how I might apply it in practice.

I would go as far as recommending that people keep a journal of their professional development in addition to the diary that they might keep through MyPL for instance or BOSTES. I will need to follow up with the presenters if certificates can be valid evidence as well for validation. I am sure it would because I remember speaking to colleague as I was working towards accreditation at proficient and that as part of my learning log, could provide some course certificates to support the diary.

AIS TL Network Meeting - March 3 2017

For the first time since 2015, I was able to attend a meeting of Teacher Librarians from the Association of Independent Schools.

The hosts were The Kings School at North Parramatta. The library team including Di Laycock, Tim Ross (university friend) and Mark Kelly presented two items.

Firstly they shared with the group an ICT program (Operation TechSync) that has been introduced for Year 7 students that introduces them to the school's ICT network including their laptop and essential applications. Digital safety skills are also developed so the students can use technology in a safe and professional manner.

What fascinated me most was how the program is delivered. Using a mixture of real (and virtual) characters, they used software including Camtasia (video editor) and Crazy Talk (avatar creating software) to bring it together.

Mark Kelly spoke about assessment and how teachers were able to monitor progress online.

Then the team spoke about the Makerspace which is a key part of their library and how it relates to learning. I was encouraged by the need for students to be curious, and to explore what is around them (reflects my philosophy as a teacher) but be able to think outside the square. I liked the approach to creation e.g. build a robot as part of the space because one can take real ownership of their learning and can express themselves in a way that reflects them. Some students need to present information through acting; others by building objects.

But what could I do in my practice?

• Provide spaces within the library that allow people to be creative e.g. seminar rooms. Don't let them merely be places for collaborative or quiet study. The rooms are better having some sort of activity rather than nothing. 
• Encourage artistic works. I remember at Marsden High even offering pencils and adult colouring in sheets to bring out people's artistic side yet allow passive recreation.
• Building activities - Lego, robots. Maybe even have a contest to see who can make the most creative robots or lego works.
• Operation TechCode can be integrated into a broader high school library program. Many schools I have worked at sadly don't provide the technology that many AIS schools do, so I may have to improvise and keep it simple with the technology that is available within the school. The booklet though is fantastic and that can be easily done. Bigger challenge is with BYOD schools. How do I keep a program that can be adapted to any device.

Copyright for Educators - What I've learned so far

I have decided to enrol in the Copyright for Educators course to broaden my knowledge of Copyright particularly in a legal and educational context.

I am hoping it will guide me in teaching academic integrity to students, particularly as a student may not be aware that they are breaching copyright.

I have been interested so far with the overview of copyright and who owns material.

Several weeks in, I have been amazed at the regulations associated with using material for educational purposes. I have to admit that are all guilty of some sort of copyright breach on a regular basis, and most of it, we wouldn't even notice.

So were actually running the risk of being caught.

I remember a few years ago, a colleague at one school told me that the school claims ownership of any resources that the individual teachers might have created for classroom use. I thought it was bizzare, but that school under the law was in fact correct. They are the owner of the resource, not me. If I use a resource at another school, under the law I cannot use it because the resource is the property of the school.

And I recall one colleague embedding watermarks on their sheets to claim ownership, well the school owns them under the law, not the teacher. They would have to create the resource at home and publish it through a publisher to claim any ownership.

Copyright is a complex topic, but it will certainly inform me on how to advise teachers as to what has to be applied in terms of copyright in the classroom.

Some tips to become a better library leader in 2016

Thank you to Jenny Watts for posting this link on various Teacher Librarian message boards today about some tips to help us in the Teacher Librarian profession become better leaders:

http://librarylostfound.com/2016/01/05/9-ways-to-become-an-even-awesomer-library-leader-in-2016/

It has encouraged me to think more about my engagement as a member of the profession. I do like the point about engagement with the community including volunteer work. I have as a casual and in shorter temporary full time blocks have engaged in volunteer work through Hurstville Library, though I do concede I need to reconnect with a little more, especially my role as a Justice of the Peace.

They now have a weekend service, and should explore doing that service. And there is the need to focus on professional development, a challenge which I recently identified. I will admit to reading journals and the like, but some more face to face or online courses would need to be done. There is also networking with the profession through professional associations and networks. And blogging too can also help!!!! My blog entries in 2015 were well down on previous years.