reading

The National Reading Plan and the School Libraries

Network Programme: promoting a reading culture in

Inspiring connections: learning, libraries & literacy

2010 IASL Conference

World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries

http://www.planonacionaldeleitura.gov.pt

[email protected]

http://www.rbe.min-edu.pt/

[email protected]

Network Programme: promoting a reading culture in

school community – a close partnership

Brisbane, BCEC 27 September - 1 October 2010

1. Key outcomes

Portuguese School Library overview



� Pilot testing the School Library Self



2. School Libraries Self Evaluation Model

Improving quality through a culture of evidence based practice and

advocacy

� Pilot testing the School Library Self

Evaluation Model since 2008;

� In-service training of teacher

librarians;

� Implementation of the model by

all school libraries in 2010.

3. School Libraries Network Programme (SLNP) External Evaluation

� Leadership

� Team motivation

� Quality and effectiveness of network development



� Quality and effectiveness of network development

� Regional coordinators supporting school libraries in the field

� School Libraries Self Evaluation Model

� Guidelines

4. Legal recognition of the teacher librarian professional position

All clusters of schools have a teacher librarian



Teacher librarian is the actor of change.

All clusters of schools have a teacher librarian

National Reading Plan (NRP)

launched in 2006 to improve reading skills and reading habits.

� It is a response to the concerns on the levels of literacy of the general

population, especially youths, as this level is significantly lower than the

European average.

�the target audience which is given priority in the first phase and which



�the target audience which is given priority in the first phase and which

will run for five years, are children who attend Pre-School Education and

children who attend Basic Education, especially during the first six years

of school.

�NRP and SLNP work together and school libraries have an important

role to place the book at the centre of the school activity, preparing

innovative projects.

National Reading Plan

� Interministerial programme: education, culture and parliamentary

affaires.

� Coordination: Ministry of Education.



� Strategic partners:

� for programmes in the Education area – School Library Network

Office (RBE);

� for programmes in the cultural and public reading area: public

libraries based under the responsibility of local municipalities.

An action plan was conceived, involving several institutions, schools,

public libraries, social institutions, private institutions, civil associations

with relevant significance to educational system, namely throughout

the network between School Libraries and the National Reading

Plan.



Programmes and projects set to encourage and promote reading:

�in school contexts

- classroom

- school libraries

�in the context of public libraries and other community services



�in the context of public libraries and other community services

�in the family/leisure time context

�in unconventional reading contexts

�Experimental projects for the promotion of reading

The project aLeR+ shows the partnership between School

Libraries Network Programme and National Reading Plan.

Main goal of the project:

To raise a culture of school where the pleasure of reading and reading

are central elements across all curricula and extracurricular activities,

involving all elements of the educational community.

National Reading Plan and the School Libraries Network Programme

launched aLeR+ Project in the school year 2008/09 in a partnership with

National Literacy Trust and Reading Connects Project (UK).



involving all elements of the educational community.

Financial and technical support by SLNP and NRP

“…finding ways to engage students in reading may be one of

the most effective ways to leverage social change…”Reading for Change, OECD, 2002



Seeking to encourage schools to set reading and the pleasure of reading

in the centre of their educational project and its activities, following a

set of guidelines:

• To set the pleasure of reading in the centre of its efforts to raise the

standards of learning for students and educational success;

Develop an integrated culture of reading



standards of learning for students and educational success;

• To involve all the elements of the educational community in reading

promotion - educators, teachers, staff, parents and librarians, local

authorities, etc.;

• To work in partnership with families to encourage reading at home...

Resources

• Financial support from NRP.

• Booklets: presentation, guidelines, family toolkit.

• Materials to support the development of projects (online).

• Certificate and access to the logo.

• Technical support from NRP and SLNP.



• Technical support from NRP and SLNP.

Supervision

�regular communication



� regional meetings

� visits to schools

� national meeting

Communication and dissemination

� moodle platform

� a summary of reading activities - film

NRP portal and SLNP portalAnnual Conference (July 2010)



� NRP portal and SLNP portal

� meetings, seminars …

� 1 annual meeting

Annual Conference (July 2010)

Internal evaluation based on:

“The close supervision by the lead team to all schools within the project,

was considered a positive aspect and seems to became a greater

responsibility and recognition by all teachers and school boards ”In, 2010 NRP Evaluation Report

� Supervision visits of the lead team.



� Supervision visits of the lead team.

� Documentation produced under the project.

�Presentation of activities in the annual conference of the project.

Findings

� a real progress in different reading areas

� reading promotion related to literature was the main focus in the

first year



first year

� second year, 90% of the projects work with curricula and

articulation with the all school

� a strong impact in school community

External evaluation findings

� the added value of this project in the promotion of a reading

culture

� the teacher librarian and school library are the main actors of

change



change

� relevance of the partnership between the two programs: SLNP

and NRP

� a major sensibility to reading issues

� reading as a cross curricula activity

� reading is a daily routine either in formal or informal schooling

activities

“... diversity and originality of activities developed by schools. Involving all

school community, in a reading environment spread out to families and

community…”Teacher librarian, in 2010 NRP Evaluation Report



� more coherent and consistent reading promotion activities

� a greater interaction between school library and teachers

� increasing of collaborative work between teacher librarian and teachers



aLeR+ is developing a “reading policy in schools”

“I think that now we can talk about a truly reading policy and

that makes the difference... a major engagement of teachers of

different subjects “



“All teachers have the same focus, they try to achieve the same

goals and not isolated activities (as it was in the beginning).“

Teacher librarian, in 2010 NRP Evaluation Report

� a greater interaction between public library, school library and

school community

� parents and local community, including local authorities are

much more involved



“Reading club works for

parents, too…and a lot of

them do the recommended

reading…”

Teacher Librarian, in 2010 NRP Evaluation Report

�the added value of teacher librarian

“… a major factor of improvement, evidenced in the study cases,

is the teacher librarian position and the practical results of this

measure…All school recognize the central role of school library in

the organization and in performing activities…”



the organization and in performing activities…”in 2010 NRP Evaluation Report

What schools say:

“The school library is the heart of school. School library is leading and keeps

students, teachers and others moving… “

“The project has contributed to turn reading a main focus in school

community…”



community…”

“More time in classroom contexts addressed to reading in different kind of

reading (scientific, poetry, literature, maths…)”

“… a reading plan to each class is conceived with the support of school library …”

Teacher Librarians, in 2010 NRP Evaluation Report

“School as a reading community is a very difficult task, but if we

have three conditions:

A lot of books, lot of good books for learning and pleasure;

Many teachers as good reading models;



Many teachers as good reading models;

A school library competent to put reading in

the center of the school aims;

this is the way, we are sure…”

Lina Duarte, teacher librarian, in Noesis (2010), 82, Jul./Sept.