TCIS Elementary Library

Partnering Together with the PTA

Connie Anderson Nov. 2011

School Libraries Work

Support curriculum

Support literacy development

Support mother tongue development

Curriculum support
Collaboration with teachers
Research: Keith Curry Lance
A central finding of this study is the importance of a collaborative approach to information literacy. Test scores rise in both elementary and middle schools as library media specialists and teachers work together (3).

Curriculum support
Resources that support units of instruction
The library has developed a core collection of materials that directly support each PYP unit as well as other stand alone units taught within our curriculum

Literacy Development
Dr. Jim Cummins, author and Research Chair at the University of Toronto says:
Active engagement with literacy is fundamental to student success in school. Data on the reading achievement of 15-year-olds in almost 30 countries shows that the level of a students reading engagement is a better predictor of literacy performance than his or her socio-economic background (What Works?).

Literacy Development
Mother tongue support:
Cummins goes on to say, The key to literacy engagement for English language learners is connecting what they know in their first language to English.

More Research
Research conducted by Yazc, Gencand Glover suggests:
The level of childrens first-language competence affects specific aspects of learning in the second language. Children with a rich vocabulary in their mother tongue when they start school find it easier to learn the school language and learn to read and write earlier.

The Library and PTA Connection

What can the PTA do?

Provide support to the parents of our English Language Learners Provide financial support to the library in order to obtain mother tongue and bi-lingual materials Assist in locating these materials via help from our bilingual parents and staff

Benefits
Students develop literacy skills in both mother tongue and language of instruction, English Students and parents see higher levels of success in both academic and social areas Native English speakers access new languages through use of same materials Teacher's are able to better support ELL students understanding of curriculum PTA finds a highly worthwhile and tangible outlet for use of funds it has raised during the year

Dedicate-a-Book
We are asking the PTA to consider donating 600.00 dollars towards the purchase of bi-lingual books, primarily in the following two languages:
Dutch

Tamil

Works Cited
Cummins, Jim. "Promoting Literacy in Multilingual Contexts." What Works? Research into Practice. The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, June 2007. Web. 20 Nov. 2011. Lance, Keith Curry, Marcia C. Rodney, and Christine Hamilton-Pennell. How School Librarians Help Kids Achieve Standards: The Second Colorado Study. Library Research Service, Apr. 2000. Web. 19 Nov. 2011. Yazc, Zeliha, Binnur Genc Ilter, and Philip Glover. "How Bilingual Is Bilingual? Mother-Tongue Proficiency And Learning Through A Second Language." International Journal Of Early Years Education 18.3 (2010): 259-268. Web. 20 Nov. 2011.