Shri.v.l.vernekar librarian faculty, kvs ziet mysore 5 day workshop on educational leadership for hmS & Sr. PRTs

1. CLASS LIBRARY AND READING HABITS Shri.v.l.vernekarlibrarianfaculty, kvszietmysore5 day workshop on educational leadership for hmS & Sr. PRTs

2. Library as classroom activity inPrimary Education Introduction “The child shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art , or through any other media of the child’s choice.” (U..Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 13(1), 1989)

3. UESCO School Library Manifesto, “The school library provides • information and ideas that are fundamental to functioning successfully in today’s information and knowledge based society. • The school library equips students with lifelong learning skills and develops the imagination, enabling them to live as responsible citizens”

4. Library services to primary children in Kendriya Vidyalayas Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan gives due importance to its school libraries. In the line of CBSE School Library Guidelines, it charted out a policy for the vidyalaya libraries in 2007.& 2012 To provide library services to primary children, there is a provision of class libraries from Class One to Five. The Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for Qualitative Improvement of the Primary Education also emphasizes the functioning of class libraries.

5. CLASS LIBRARIES Class library is a concept of • allocating a space within the classroom for displaying a variety of literature. • It provides ready access and function as activity centers to energize classrooms

6. Class Libraries • The Library Policy for Kendriya Vidyalayas, 2007 /2012 and CMP for Qualitative improvement of the Primary Education articulate that the Class libraries will be under the charge of class teachers. • The class teacher will get books from the main library, which will be in accordance with the standard and interest of the age group of the children of the class concerned.

7. They should be attractively displayed in modulated cupboards having aluminum frame and transparent acrylic sheet cover. • The teacher would maintain a register regarding the issue of books to the students so that he/she can keep track of the books read and students are not given books they have already read.

8. Maintenance of the note book • name of the book read, • its author • and a brief account of the content

9. Selection of books • class libraries will also be done by a committee • comprising of H.M., • Librarian, • Class teacher, • two other teachers • and two students who will be nominated by the principal.

10. National Curriculum Framework 2005 • highlights the importance of libraries that should serve as a place for holding discussions, • story- telling and • should have a child friendly ambience with a positive ethos, • good lighting and seating arrangement.

11. Role of Teacher • · He/she plays a dynamic role to motivate and educate teachers about the functionality of class libraries.· He/she can help teachers ideate and make some persuasive slogans, advertisements for books, write abstracts, prepare learning logs, charts, plan activities around the books.· He/she shall ensure that there is not only circulation of books in class libraries but also the resources prepared by a teacher are shared

12. Problems and possible solutions • Quality of children’s books available is not as per standards • Number of books not adequate • Unavailability of Hindi Books • Same books for the same class for the whole year • Teachers not getting enough time • No storage space

13. Library Activities :making them ready to learn The National Curriculum Framework, 2005 gives greater importance to activity oriented teaching and learning. KVS calls for proficiency in languages in primary education along with the former aspect. Where as the CMP for Qualitative Improvement of the Primary Education suggests to design the pedagogical practices in such a way that the child should transit from ‘learning to read’ to ‘reading to learn’.

14. 1.Activity: Storytelling • The story may be told either by the teacher or a student to the class. • Outcome: It provides motivation for follow-up reading, either because the storyteller mentions the source of the story, or the author, or in some other way gives the cue for further activity.

15. 2.Activity: Reading Aloud • it is effective in rendering the rhythm and ‘ear appeal’ of poems. • Outcome: Improves the reading and communication skills of the students and attract them to the read out poems or stories.

16. 3.Activity: Book Talks or Book discussions • A carefully selected, complete episode from a book accompanied by suggestions of related books is presented and discussed. • Outcome: Children get an in-depth knowledge about book and other information sources available on that subject area.

17. 4.Activity: Book reviews and book annotations • Students write book reviews about the books they issued from the class library in their library notebooks. • Outcome: Development of writing and analytical skills.

18. 5.Activity: Bulletin boards • A “Class Library Bulletin Board” can be placed in the primary section exclusively for class libraries. Information regarding • class-wise list of monthly library activities, • new book lists form the main library, • selected book reviews or write-ups by students • reading lists (prepared by teachers), • and pupil’s book recommendations, • as book of the week/month, • Author of the week/month, etc are displayed. • Newspaper clippings on interested topics can also be shown. • Each class can be given the duty of maintaining the bulletin board in a weekly or fortnightly basis. Outcome: Provides publicity for class library activities. Students get a place for displaying their creative talent.

19. 6.Activity: Open shelf for Children’s magazines and newspapers • Children’s periodicals (e.g.: champak, tinkle, etc), children’s newspaper supplements (e.g.: ‘Young World’ of The Hindu)and copies of newspapers are kept in an open shelf in the primary block. • Outcome: Increases reading habit and imbibe the habit of sharing.

20. 7.Activity: Reading programmes • Reading days • Reading week • Stage conversations, Dramatizations and puppets Outcome: Students become more inclined towards reading and participation in stage programmes will boost their confidence

21. 8.Activity: Competitions and Awards • These competitions are conducted as part of school CCA programme or separately in the class rooms. • - Book Review competition • - Book games and Literary Quiz • Designing of Book marks , book jackets and posters on library themes • Reading/ Storytelling competition

22. News Reading competition • Favorite Book Contest • Library themes themes such as • -The book that has influenced me most • -Books I would give as gifts • -Why Read? • -Authors from our state/country • -Why I like adventure stories • -My favourite magazines/newspapers • -Books read more than once • -The kind of book I do not like

23. Best Reader Award • Best Class Library Award Outcome: Motivation to students and teachers to take part in more library and reading related activities

24. 9.Activity: Exhibitions and Displays • Independence Day, • Republic Day, • Gandhi Jayanthi, • Bal Diwas Outcome: Great personalities and important events can be remembered and reading about them makes the students well informed.

25. 10.Activity: Tours • Visiting main library • Tours can be also arranged to the local public or academic libraries, museums, galleries and book shops. • Outcome: Children get an idea about resources which are kept in the local(public/academic) libraries and institutions. They became familiar with book shops

26. 11.Activity: Online information sources, its search and evaluation • Students are now exposed to huge amount of online information through internet. Finding the required information is a skill that to be taught. • Outcome: Knowledge about online information sources and its critical evaluation. The activities impart the idea of using Internet as a tool along with printed resources to find information

27. 12 Activity: Installation and Screening of CDs/VCDs/DVDs • Class teachers select VCDs/DVDs on Science and environment(eg. TERI), animated stories, poems, cartoons and language skills from the multimedia collection of the main library and screen them in the resource room on a weekly or monthly basis. • Outcome: Awareness of current scientific and environmental issues. • Learning becomes more enjoyable in a multimedia environment.

28. 13 Activity: Community Resources • Community resources are • Human, • Institutional • and Material resources

29. Human Resources • Parents who are working in different professions such as • lawyers, • engineers, • doctors, • scientists, • media persons, • artists, • counselors, • psychologists, • bank officers, • post masters, • socialworkers etc are invited into classes.

30. Institutional resources • such as museums, • galleries, • factories, • farms, • offices etc are also visited by the students.

31. Outcome: • Students will get knowledge about various professions and • career opportunities. • They understand social, cultural and institutional structures of the world outside the school.

32. 14 Activity: Information Literacy skills • Information literacy is the ability • to locate pertinent information, • evaluate its reliability, • analyze and synthesize the information to construct personal meaning and apply it to informed decision making

33. Information literacy skills Primary children are: • -knowing ‘information’ • -knowledge about information resources • -knowledge about library rules • -parts of a book • -care of a book • -how to use dictionaries, thesaurus and encyclopaedias • -how to prepare indexes and bibliographies • -how to take notes and refer • -how to use periodicals and newspapers • -library classification • -how to search the library OPAC • -how to search and evaluate the internet/online resources

34. Outcome: • Acquiring information literacy skills • and preparation for using the main library.

35. 15 Activity: Class Library Newsletters • The newsletter contains information regarding monthly library activities, • competitions and exhibitions planned, • Competition winners, • best reviews by the students and teachers, • Book recommendations, • reading lists and photographs of activities. • The publication responsibility is rotated among classes and • students are deputed as editors. It is released in the school assembly and circulated in the school.

36. Outcome: • Library publicity and creative learning.

37. 16.Activity: Using Weblogs (Blogs) • Blogs are web diaries where posts are appeared in a reverse chronological order. • Blogger, • Type pad • and Word press

38. Outcome: • Students and teachers familiarize with web technologies and its • possibilities in teaching and learning.

39. Basic requirements • Proper planning is a must. • Relationship between class teachers and librarians should be cordial. • A functional Class library committee • and a Book Selection Committee having members with keen interest and imagination are positive factors. • Continuous communication among Principal, HM and class teachers in this regard will boost the cause.

40. Evaluation • Periodical evaluation of the functioning of class libraries should be conducted. • The number of books circulated and the details of activities conducted in every class shall be recorded. • The effectiveness of the activities should be checked and if not • satisfactory, they must be restructured.

41. Preparation of Class library Programm • a class library programme should be prepared every year. • The programme should clearly mention the aim, current status, date wise activities, outcomes, evaluation and future plans. • Properly planned and effectively implemented class library programme will be the base for library services for primary children.

42. Conclusion • A child in his growing age needs books and libraries. • It enriches his/her reading experiences and develops skills as independent learners. • Age specific strategies should be followed to introduce them the information skills that should be practiced through out their school career. • A well planned Class library programme, • Functional class libraries, creatively designed and well executed library activities and proper evaluation make students lifelong learners. • CMP for Qualitative improvement of the Primary Education gives ample space for libraries. • The teachers and librarians have to make it a reality.

43. Reference • 1. Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals(CILIP): Primary School Library Guidelines, London, 2002 • Fargo, Lucile F.: Activity book for school libraries, American library Association Chicago, 1938 • IFLA: UNESCO/IFLA School Library Manifesto, 2000 • Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan: Library Policy for Kendriya Vidyalayas, 2007,2012 • Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan: Common Minimum Programme (CMP)For Qualitative Improvement of the Primary Education, 2008 • Leopold, Carolyn Clugston: School libraries worth their keep: a philosophy plus tricks, Scarecrow Press Inc., NJ, 1972

44. Web reference • 1 www.cilip.org.uk • 2 www.ifla.org • 3 www.kvsangathan.nic.in • 4. www.unesco.org/webworld/libraries/