Getting Reading Right for Middle School Readers with Choice, Voice, and Accessibility (Poster 13)
Sunday, June 25, 2023
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM CT
Location: McCormick Place, W190a
Choice: Whether it's the format or the length of the book, giving students choice is important. You must have a variety of materials, because not every kid is going to jump immediately into reading “regular books.” This poster will showcase the makeup of the O’Neill Middle School Library collection of various formats, including graphic novels, Hi-Lo, audiobooks, and large print.
Voice: Having a conversation with my students is what led me pull out my large print collection and shelve it separately—enhancing access and boosting circulation. The poster will also include student quotes, “I liked how the letters and words are bigger and you don‘t skip through the words now because there aren't that many words on the page. Also, you feel more accomplished when you flip a page.” —7th grader
Accessibility: Beyond working with teachers to ensure students have physical access to your library, I ask, “Are the kids able to understand the books?” This where, having a variety of formats has been instrumental in supporting the kids to become really good readers, and to feel that they have that sense of accomplishment when they are reading.
In addition to my collection development circulation data, the poster will also present data from a nationwide study conducted by Project Tomorrow on the efficacy of the large print format.