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Tips for Librarians: Improving test scores

The first thing that needs to be worked on is reading. Who better to help than your Librarian? Reading
scores that are down are only going to cause lower scores in other subject areas. It is highly important to improve reading scores first; the rest will follow with time. To many times we try to work on all areas at one time. You are fighting a loosing battle.A child who cannot read or read on grade level is going to score much lower in other areas as well.

A child who is having trouble will probably trust his Librarian easier than his teacher. He probably will not be threatened reading with you. He doesn't have to prove anything to you or feel like a failure because he feels as if he let you down. So he will be more apt to read to you. He does not realize you are his greatest teacher.

Choose books for children at or just below their reading level to help improve their confidence level. It is not important what they read or at what grade level, the important thing is their confidence level. You want them comfortable. Once you know a child is a confident reader then you can introduce higher reading levels.

Some children with low reading levels is usually due to their not having learned the deloach words by site or memory. Once they have mastered this list they will improve tremendously. As a librarian you can help choose readers or books that target these words: one example of this would be Margaret Hillert. She writes excellent readers based on deloach words or high frequency words.

Another great tool available to you is the Accelerated Reader program. This program is by grade level. Label clearly the outside binders on these books and they will be easier for you to locate. If you do not have an accelerated reading list you can Google "accelerated reading list" and you will find several sites that make lists available.

For the Spanish speaking child, set up an area to contain stories that are written in both English and Spanish languages. Even if you can not speak Spanish you can still help. Most elementary readers contain vivid pictures and graphics to help you read and understand them.

Computers are your next valuable tool; there are many reading programs available. Reader Rabbit and Jump Start Adventures are two examples of. They are so fun and entertaining, a lot of times children are unaware that they are even learning. They cover all subjects not just reading.

Reading
is the most important subject that you can help teach a child. This is the foundation all other subjects, Science, History, and English ect are based on. Without Reading you will not have high scores in the other areas of learning.

Reading
is one of the subjects that a child will take with them the rest of their lives.

As a Librarian you are the most valuable asset your school has!

Learn more about this author, Rachon Ward.
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