Libraries Assisting Students with Reading and English Language Challenges

Breaking the Barriers in Information Inquiry: Opportunities for Libraries to Assist Students with Reading and English Language Challenges

Kristina Appelt - Prairie State CollegeTish Hayes – Oakton C.C./Moraine Valley C.C.Terra Jacobson - Moraine Valley C.C.

Computer LabCoffee ShopBook StoreFaculty OfficesEvent AreaCopy CenterPrintingCafeteriaNap RoomMallMail RoomCommunity CenterGroup StudyClassroomInformation CenterLoungePhone BoothBlockbuster

Library

Who are our students?

•IEL/ELL/ESL

•Developmental Programs

•Literacy Tutoring Programs

•Adult Ed programs

Literacy FactsStudents Taking Any Remedial Education Courses

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2003-04 and 2007-08 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:04 and NPSAS:08)

03-04 07-08 % Increase

Public 2 yr 23.0% 23.9% 3.9

Public 4 yr 21.3% 25.3% 18.8

Public 4 yr (PhD)

16.3% 17.2% 5.5

Private 4 yr

14.4% 16.5% 14.6

Private 4 yr (PhD

11.7% 13.3% 13.7

Literacy FactsPercent of Adults (16 and older) lacking basic literacy skills

U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy

English as a Second Language

http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d10/tables/dt10_433.asp

http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/adulted/tables/table_2.asp

1992 2003

Illinois 15% 13%

Cook County 22% 19%

Needs assessment•Varied pace

•Contextualized Instruction

•Customized

• Individualized

•Set time constraint

•Create community

•Familiarity

• Interaction

•Self-awareness

Challenges for students with low English language literacy levels

• Range of motivation and levels

• Used to different kinds of libraries, limited view

• Read for main point, but need details

• Library vocabulary, never been in a library

• Popular and fiction does not equal easy to read.

• Long time to succeed (5-7 years) for full comprehension. (30%-50% pass rate for beginners)

• The view that all of these areas can be categorized into one approach

Ideas for librariesDevelopmental & Literacy

TutoringESL/IEL

• Basic definition handouts• Employment focus • Space for tutoring• One on One appointments• Shorter sessions, 30 min.• Customized library tour• Be an “answer” person• Targeted advertising• Other library services

• Focus on “sourcing”• Help them structure

questions• Book clubs for non-native

speakers• Hands on/interactive

sessions• Multiple read through• Encourage group work• Develop a sense of

community• Librarians attend student

presentations

Case StudiesCollection Development

Instruction

Collection Development

Considerations for Collection Development

•Population Needs•Variety of Formats•Age Appropriate Content•Low-Vocab/High Interest•Collections outside of traditional

academic areas▫Popular Fiction▫Graphic Novels▫Urban Fiction

Identifying These Resources

•Catalog

•Special Collections

•Displays

•Marketing

•Instruction

Instruction

Identifying Instruction Opportunities

•Adult ED (GED)/ ESL

•Intentional Advising

•English Department

•Math Department

English - RDG098

•Using library collections to guide the research assignment

•Information literacy objectives

•Feedback