Supporting reading in grades 6-12 : a guide

This book presents a curricular framework for students grades 6-12 that school librarians and teachers can use collaboratively to enhance reading skill development, promote literature appreciation, and motivate young people to incorporate reading into their lives, beyond the required schoolwork.

Supporting Reading Grades 6-12: A Guide addresses head-on the disturbing trend of declining leisure reading among students and demonstrates how school librarians can contribute to the development of lifelong reading habits as well as improve students' motivation and test scores. The book provides a comprehensive framework for achieving this: the READS curriculum, which stands for Read as a personal activity; Explore characteristics, history, and awards of creative works; Analyze structure and aesthetic features of creative works; Develop a literary-based product; and Score reading progress.

Each of these five components is explained thoroughly, describing how school librarians can encourage students to read as individuals, in groups, and as school communities; support classroom teachers' instruction; and connect students to today's constantly evolving technologies. Used in combination with an inquiry/information-skills model, the READS curriculum enables school librarians to deliver a dynamic, balanced library program that addresses AASL's Standards for the 21st-Century Learner.

pt. 1. Overview. 1. Introducing the read, explore, analyze, develop, score (READS) concept -- AASL resources -- Evolution of READS guidelines -- Structure of READS -- Use of READS -- 2. Implementing READS -- Developing a literate community -- The plan for this book -- pt. 2. Read as a personal activity. 3. Guiding readers' choices -- Library environment -- Individual reading guidance : Time for checking out ; Reading interests ; Reading surveys -- Reading guidance techniques for groups : Displays ; Reading lists and bookmarks ; Reading programs and celebrations ; Booktalking ; Online selection tools ; Quick strategy ideas ; Reading aloud ; Friendly staff -- 4. Connecting learners to resources -- Audio books and other digital media : Educational benefits of audiobooks ; Advantages for struggling and special needs readers ; Audiobook formats ; Audiobook activities -- Library orientation : Challenges to delivering ideal orientations ; Planning orientation activities ; Formal assessment options -- Public libraries : Opening basic communication lines ; Sharing resources ; Public librarians in schools ; Students in public libraries ; Co-production by school and public librarians -- Academic libraries : Visits to academic libraries ; Academic librarians in K-12 schools ; Academic librarians' involvement in reading promotion -- Museums and other community resources -- pt. 3. Explore creative works. 5. Identifying literary genres and themes -- Working with genres : Activities introducing various genres ; Student genre activities ; Which literary selections? ; Fiction: realistic fiction ; Fiction: historical fiction ; Fiction: fantasy ; Fiction: short stories ; Poetry ; Nonfiction ; Nonfiction: biography ; Drama ; Picture books ; Magazines and newspapers ; Graphic literature ; Multiplatform works -- Working with themes -- 6. Exploring social, cultural, and historical contexts : Personal identity ; Social issues ; Appreciation of cultural and ethnic diversity ; Historically and culturally significant works -- 7. Appreciating literary and artistic excellence -- Awards for literary quality : American library associations and divisions ; Other professional organizations and groups ; Lists of resources ; Popularity awards -- Intellectual freedom : Practices within the library ; Direct instruction and collaboration ; Teacher support and training on intellectual freedom issues ; Community advocacy for intellectual freedom --

pt. 4. Analyze creative works. 8. Identifying and analyzing details of a work -- Importance of background knowledge -- Background knowledge strategies -- Vocabulary development strategies -- Inferences and predictions -- Central ideas and supporting details -- Summarizing and paraphrasing : Summarizing, lesson ideas ; Paraphrasing, lesson ideas -- 9. Understanding the literary techniques and complexities of a work -- Author studies : Working with authors ; Word choice and figurative language -- Illustrator studies -- Literary elements : Plot ; Characters ; Setting ; Point of view -- pt. 5. Develop a literary-based product. 10. Creating and producing a product -- Choosing a presentation method : Assessing resources ; Project suggestions -- Generating and organizing ideas : Organizing ideas ; Designing the product -- Creating the product : Importance of writing ; Working individually or in a group ; Encouraging good work habits -- Respecting copyright laws and intellectual property rights -- Communicate and evaluate work -- pt. 6. Score reading progress : Participating in and reflecting on the reading experience -- Literacy committee -- Schoolwide reading celebrations : One book/one school ; Battle of the books ; National reading promotion programs ; Family literacy events ; Specialized programs and groups ; Sustained silent reading (SSR) ; Summer reading programs ; Mentoring ; Book clubs ; State readers' choice programs ; Reading motivation programs -- Lifelong learning : Habits for lifelong learning and lifetime reading ; Reflection ; Essential questions ; Lesson approaches ; Reflection on reading and learning ; Structuring essential questions ; Mini-lesson ideas for lifetime reading and life learning -- Coda: Open questions and final thoughts -- pt. 7. Appendices. A. READS annual calendar, ninth and tenth grades ; B. READS grade summaries ; C. READS K-12 chart, read as a personal activity ; D. READS overview.