School-Wide Literacy Programmes

How to get kids excited about reading and writing

Team-Wide literacy conference

• Keynote speakers (opening and closing)

• Variety of literacy sessions offered (Write Traits, MSNing, Speed Dating with books)

• Students selected 4 sessions

• Teachers, counsellor, vice-principal, student service teacher, teacher-librarian

• Snacks, name tags

School-wide Literacy Fair

• Teachers and community members offered literacy related sessions

• Taboo, Aboriginal myths, scrap booking, book talk, poetry, calligraphy, etc.

• PAC support (provided snacks, luncheon)

• Scholastic Book Fair

• School – wide spelling bee (over PA)

School – Wide Writes• Themed writes in the beginning of the year

• School – wide poetry assignment for Remembrance Day

School – Wide Reads• Run by Eric Walters

– Beginning of the year, integrate with Terry Fox Run– Teacher’s Guide:

http://www.penguin.ca/static/cs/cn/0/tguides/runteachersguide.pdf

• Schooled by Gordan Korman– Beginning of the year, themes in the book were conducive to

developing students’ social responsibility– School-wide events tied into the book (e.g. tie-dye workshops,

70s Day, Dress like Cap contest) – Writers and Readers’ Festival at Granville Island – students from

each class were given the opportunity to meet Gordon Korman and hear him talk about his writing career-> started when he was in grade 7!

– Exciting to hear kids talk about the book school-wide– Circulation of Korman books increased!

Other initiatives

• Tagging School-wide silent read with Pyjama Days

• DEAR• Meet the Author (Rick Riordan, Don Calame)• Got Caught Reading Poster Contest– encourage

students and staff to take pictures of themselves reading over the summer

• Full Moon, Half-Moon, New Moon Party• Battle of the Books

HOW?• Collaborate with team, teacher librarian, cross team• Literacy committee• Include PAC• Book Author visits: Readers and Writers’ Festival, or

local author who can come in to talk to your school, or connect with Coquitlam Public Library

• Collaborate with team, teacher librarian, cross team• Literacy committee• Include PAC• Book Author visits: Readers and Writers’ Festival, or

local author who can come in to talk to your school, or connect with Coquitlam Public Library

• Talk to other teachers/teacher librarians in different schools