Re: Arranging books by grade (long)

[Barbara Braxton <barbara@DYNAMITE.COM.AU>]

Dear Sandra
At Palmerston, we have abandoned any artificial grading of books, with the
exception of a small 'senior fiction' section whose content may be
unsuitable for younger readers.

We have several reasons for this.

1. Reading ability and interests seldom correlate to grade level.

2. Students need to be able to choose a challenge if they wish.

3. Older students who cannot cope with those books deemed applicable to
their grade level will not use
    the library at all if there is any risk they might be seen selecting
from a younger level.  By having all the
    books together, each reader can choose without fear of ridicule.

4.Picture books are written for all age groups, and I have just had a most
successful semester getting my
   senior students to read and select the Australian Picture Book of the
Century.  Most of the Top 10 could
   have been read by younger students, but the underlying message would have
been missed.

5. For this reason, we have shelved the books so that the picture books by
author 'A' are on the same
    shelf as the chapter books by author 'A', although at opposite ends.

6.Who has the time/ skill to level each book, and how would you reach a
consensus?  We have a most
   capable literacy team who do this for the readers that are used in the
classrooms, but to do it for the
   library's resources would be a daunting task.

7. What we do do, however, is identify those chapter books that are written
for our emergent readers (ie
     those just becoming independent) with a little coloured dot near the
barcode.  This helps both student
     and parent to know that it is a book that will support the developing
reading skills.

8. All the non-fiction are classified (Dewey) and shelved together.  Little
kids love information books, and
    even if they cannot read the words, they get heaps from looking  at the
pictures.  We often overhear the
    most amazing discussions between our Kindies!

9. There are those who subscribe to the five-finger method of book
selection.  In this, the student is told to
     select a page at random, and read it.  each time  they come to a word
they don't know, they put up a
    finger.  If there are five fingers up before the end of the page then
the book is too difficult.

10. What I prefer to tell the children, is that they don't have to read
every book they choose.  If they find it is
     too difficult, or boring, then they can just bring it back and change
it.  That's what I do in my public
    library, and it helps the children to form judgements about the sorts of
things they like to read, and the
    elements of good writing.

I apologise for being a bit long-winded but we put a lot of thought into
these decisions as we made them and have actually written them into our
management policy.  I hope they don't confuse you even further!

Cheers
Barbara


Barbara Braxton
Teacher Librarian
Palmerston District Primary School
PALMERSTON ACT 2913
AUSTRALIA

T.  02 6205 6162
F.  02 6205 7242
E.  barbara@dynamite.com.au
W. http://www.palmdps.act.edu.au
"Together, we learn from each other."
-----Original Message-----
From: Sandra Schilke <sschilke@sendit.SENDIT.NODAK.EDU>
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Date: Saturday, 30 October 1999 7:05
Subject: Arranging books by grade


>There has been much discussion in our K-6 schools with the library
>aides regarding how books should be arranged in the library.
>One idea is to have separate book sections for picture books, grades 1-2,
>grades 3-4, grades 5-6.  Nonfiction and fiction books are divided within
>each.
>Another thought is that  there should be an Easy section for grades 1-2.
>The second section would include gr.3-6 fiction and gr.3-6 nonfiction.   We
>would appreciate the pros and cons of both and what works
>for you.
>The grade caught in the middle is third grade as some are able to read easy
>books, and others are ready for more difficult material.  How do we help
>them find appropriate material?
>Any suggestions for teaching children how to select a book with an
>appropriate reading level for them are also welcome.  Thanks.
>
>--
>Sandra Schilke, Elementary Library Media Specialist
>Williston School District #1, Williston, ND 58801
>sschilke@sendit.nodak.edu
>
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