This subject has wiped out my naive belief that stories were meant to amuse, entertain and a part of childhood goodness. The aesthetic values that I had experienced through reading narratives is reflected in the initial musings of my first blog  (Why Read?)for this subject. However, children’s literature and the humble ‘story’ has evolved.

Literary learning – literature-based instruction – has become a powerful pedagogical tool used across all curriculum areas to enhance learning and life opportunities. Literature is audaciously presumed to yield the prospect of new and deeper understanding of self, society, and life (Cornett, 2014, p.146). Teacher librarians’ enthusiastic and committed role in promoting and supporting the theory and practice of literary learning within the whole school has become more crucial than ever before.

Ensuring a rich collection of quality literature in my school library shelves would be a foremost priority.  Acquiring multimodal, interactive, linear and nonlinear books would ensure that young learners are kept in tandem with changing times and changing nature of literacies (Anstey & Bull, 2006, p.33). Fostering literacy and literate practices in multiple modes is quintessential to students’ understanding that information and knowledge is not static and thereby, learn to be flexible and strategic problem solvers.

Curating relevant literature across units of study of core content disciplines in my school, would enable teachers and teacher librarians to establish an active, literature-based curriculum. It would also serve as an advocacy tool for the library to become a communal hub and increase collaborative working opportunities with classroom teachers.  Moreover, utilising digital media and tools could extend the accessibility of this service to the school community.

Another important learning point that I had acquired was on how literate practices ought to be inextricably linked with readers’ social and cultural life and experiences. Anstey and Bull (2006) contend that social or cultural experiences greatly influence how well they (students) can complete set tasks (p.36). Ensuring diversity in my collection and equity in accessibility of library resources to students’ needs and interests to maximise their output is on my priority list. I have also shared a positive classroom experience on the value of investing on multicultural literature within my school library collection in this  subject’s discussion forum.

Thus, teacher librarians are proactive enablers to a whole school literary focus to advance student all-round achievement.  Literature must be a part of any rich classroom environment. To advocate that literature has a value well beyond its conventional function for the acquisition of literacy has become my working motto. Integrating the literary arts with a focus on balancing aesthetic enjoyment with information gain (Cornett, 2014, p.193)  through the humble ‘story book’ is the key to achieving this vision. Stories matter!

References:

Anstey, M., & Bull, G. (2006). Defining multiliteracies ; The consumption and production of text. In Teaching and learning multiliteracies : Changing times, changing literacies (pp. 19-55, 100-116). Newark, Del. : International Reading Association.

Cornett, C. E. (2014). Integrating the literary arts throughout the curriculum. In Creating meaning through literature and the arts : Arts integration for Classroom teachers (5th ed,) (pp. 144-193). Upper Saddle River : Prentice Hall.