Abstract
This action research project was undertaken to determine how to develop a school library collection that meets the literacy and learning needs of a diverse population of Spanish speaking and English Language Learners (ELL.)
Introduction
There are many challenges for the action research school to meet the needs of the Spanish speaking and ELL students, based on the socioeconomic, language, and educational performance statistics of its students. It is the goal of the School Library Media Center to support the school’s administration, the ESL teacher, classroom teachers, support staff, and ELL students by providing resources for the Spanish speaking and ELL students to help meet these needs.
An action research project was undertaken to determine the current status of libraries serving similar populations of Spanish speaking and ELL students, so as to determine the best practices for developing a collection of materials for these students.
Description of the Action Research School and Population
The action research project is based on a public middle school library, serving 850 students enrolled in seventh and eighth grade in a small urban school district twenty five miles outside of a large, urban area of North Carolina. Student population includes 34.5% Caucasian, 30.5% Hispanic, 29% African American, 1% Asian, and 5% other including multi-ethnic students. All students in this public school district receive free breakfast and lunch based on a high percentage of students who qualify based on income statistics within the school district. The school scored a “D” grade rating from the state of North Carolina based on the standardized test score performance of its students for the 2014-2015 school year (NCDPI, 2013).
Kannapolis Middle School ELL teacher, Ms. Allison Teague (October 2015) in a personal interview provided statistics of the student population, There are an estimated 250 Spanish speaking students, with 12 Limited English Proficient (LEP) entry level, new immigrant, non-English speaking students, and 56 English Language Learners (ELL) being served in the English Second Language (ESL) program at the school. The remaining 180 Spanish speaking students are considered Fluent English Proficient (FEP) students who have demonstrated full or fluent proficiency in English. They are able to speak, read, write, and understand English at about the equivalent of their grade‐level peers. These students do not receive services in the ESL program, however some of these students are Redesignated Fluent English Proficient (RFEP) or Not Identified, having tested out of the ESL program. Spanish is spoken as the primary language in approximately 90% of the households of the Hispanic families represented in the school. There is a wide range of literacy skills with both students and parents, some demonstrate verbal proficiency, but do not have proficient reading and writing skills in English. Additionally, many of the families and students are not fluent readers or writers of their native Spanish language (Teague, 2015).
There is only one certified staff member, the ESL teacher, who is fluent in Spanish. Of the 80 staff members, one non-certified employee is a native Spanish speaker, who is proficient in the English (Teague, 2015).
Introduction to the Middle School Library Media Center and the Collection
Follett Destiny Library Management Program (2015) and the Titlewave Collection Analysis (2015) tool were utilized to gather statistics about the action research school’s Library Media Center collection. There are approximately 10,500 titles of books and digital materials. The Library Resource Center, a subset of the general collection, houses classroom sets of books which comprise 9,000 additional items in the total book collection. There are 300 digital, audio-visual materials in the collection. Of these, the collection contains 25 ebook titles. Of the 19,500 print materials, there are less than 200 Spanish or bilingual books, which is about 1% of the entire collection. There are 30 titles in Spanish in the resource center. The general collection contains 100 nonfiction titles, 25 folktales and fairytales, and 50 fiction titles that are either bilingual or in Spanish. The library collection contains approximately 200 easy fiction picture books in English in the general collection. There are three Spanish dictionaries, a biographical encyclopedia, and a general encyclopedia in Spanish. The professional collection includes 17 video recordings with Spanish subtitles (Titlewave, 2015).
Goals of the Action Research Project
Determine the status of other school library collections serving similar populations of Spanish speaking and ELL students.
Ascertain what is needed for building the collection to meet the needs of the Spanish speaking and ESL students.
Seek current published articles and websites that provide information about resources that support curriculum and instruction of ELL students.
Determine appropriate resources to provide for Spanish speaking and ELL students for literacy, academic success, and lifelong learning.
Analyze the academic achievement of the Hispanic population and ELL population within the school, state, and nation for comparison data.
Begin a course of action, collection development, and ongoing plan for meeting the needs of Spanish speaking and ELL students.
Review of the Literature
It isn’t merely about the academic success of students, but the recreational, cultural, emotional, physical needs, and interests of students that libraries seek to support. Libraries promote reading as a foundation for learning, growth, and personal enjoyment (AASL, 2009). In a school library it is a primary goal to meet the academic needs of the students, however literacy and lifelong learning are overarching goals of all libraries.
“Welcoming America’s Newest Immigrants: Providing Access to Resources and Services for English Language Learners” (Adams, 2010, p.50) states that it is necessary to analyze a school’s library resources and services to support diverse learners. The United States National Center for Educational Statistics (2015) reported over 9% of all public school children are ELL. In the last decade the population of ELL students being served in U.S. schools has increased dramatically from 3 million to 4.4 million and it is projected that the ELL population will increase to 25% by 2025. In 2012, Hispanic students accounted for approximately 24% of the total U.S. population of school students (NCES, 2014). The United States is now the second largest Spanish speaking country in the world and meeting the needs of one quarter of our nation’s population is an ever increasing need in our schools. In the article, "School Librarians: Bridging the Gap for English Language Learners" (Blair, 2011) standardized test results show that ELLs are not achieving at the same level as their peers. This is found to be true in the Nation’s Report Card (NAEP, 2013) where 8th grade reading statistics show only 29% of 8th grade Hispanic students attained basic reading proficiency versus 75% of their caucasian peers. Resources are needed for helping ELLs acquire second language skills and to master academic standards. School librarians can play an important role in helping to close this achievement gap, but must learn the most effective ways to meet the needs of the ELL students (Blair, 2011). The school library media center can help bridge the educational gap by providing English and Spanish resources to help students to acquire English language skills, academic content for reading, writing, and tests in content areas to master academic standards. (Adams 2010, Blair 2011, Corona and Armour 2007, Green, 2004).
The literature indicates that a diverse collection of native language and English print and online resources are critical for English learners. The American Association for School Librarians (AASL) Urban Schools Task Force Survey Report (2011) reiterates that it is challenging to create a balanced collection that supports all students. Number of materials available and the age of the collection are important factors. It is necessary to have access to current, accurate information in print and although libraries may be able to provide resources in digital formats, "it is still important to have a robust print collection to complement the deficiencies that occur from insufficient numbers of electronic devices and the unavailability of quality ebooks and audiobooks licensed for shared distribution." (AASL, 2011) Databases provide current, accurate information to students, but often school library budgets limit the number of online resources libraries can provide and are sometimes hard to justify purchasing if they are inaccessible to students who do not have Internet capabilities or devices with which to access it at home (AASL, 2011).
The librarian’s job is to defend access to resources and services for everyone. Changing demographics demand our vigilance in providing multilingual materials and resources (Roy, 2007). School libraries contain thousands of books, but are they ones that meet the needs of the Spanish Speaking ELL students? AASL School Libraries Count! (AASL, 2009) annual survey year after year reports that less than 5% of school library collections are in a language other than English. Over 90% of the 5,800 respondents to the survey report having less than 5% of the collection in languages other than English and only three percent report having a collection that contains 10% percent or more non-English materials. Providing native language books in the library is crucial for Spanish speaking and ELL students for helping them acquire a strong foundation in their native language, for making connections to their world, prior experiences, and knowledge to apply to new learning in English (Barack 2015; Blair, Brasfield, Crenshaw & Mosedale 2011; Corona & Armour 2007; Emmelhainz 2014; Moorefield-Lang, Anaya & Shirk 2010; Naidoo 2005; Roy, 2007). Teaching a child in his/her native language makes it easier for them to learn English (Naidoo, 2005). Students need access to information in their native language to help them learn curriculum content to meet grade level expectations. Reading in their native language helps them understand and then they are able to discuss and show comprehension in English. (Corona & Armour 2007; Moorefield-Lang, Anaya & Shirk, 2010). Bilingual books are beneficial to English and Spanish students and can help students relate and connect culturally (Emmelhainz, 2014).
A survey conducted by School Library Journal and Rourke Educational Media (2015) analyzed the learning environment of ELLs and materials used for education. Results showed that 90% of the respondents use print books to help ELLs master language and 66% stated they use native language and bilingual books to teach content (Barack, 2015). Resoundingly, the literature shows that school libraries should provide native language materials in the collections. However, the literature does not provide guidelines for a number of books or recommended percentage of a library’s collection. Further research is needed to determine what is acceptable. If the achievement gap is any indication, libraries should consider acquiring more materials.
ELL and bilingual students need a diverse collection with a wide selection of leveled books on many topics. Providing picture books, easy readers, and beginning chapter books provide appropriate reading level materials that build knowledge, confidence, and English skills. There needs to be a wide selection so that students can find what fits their ability to help them gain fluency (Anderson 2012; Emmelhainz 2014; Moorefield- Lang, Anaya & Shirk, 2010). Beginning ELL students rely on pictures to communicate and learn new words. Picture books help language learners build vocabulary and strengthen second language skills (Anderson 2012; Barack 2015; Blair, Brasfield, Crenshaw & Mosedale 2011; Emmelhainz 2014; Moorefield-Lang, Anaya & Shirk 2010; Muchinsky 2007; Naidoo 2005; Roy 2007). Students are able to connect what is familiar to them to help them learn. Interactive read alouds build background knowledge and help with spoken language acquisition (Anderson, 2012). Audio books, interactive stories with audio capabilities, and ebooks provide the additional benefit of Spanish speaking and ELL students being able to listen to this material over and over again (Naidoo, 2005).
Multicultural picture books reflect students home culture and help them make connections through literature which can help them feel welcomed and accepted (Adams, 2010, p. 51). Students should be able to read about and see themselves in the literature and feel valued. Multicultural and picture books help them see and be a part of diversity in our country. Books with visuals such as wordless books, picture books and dictionaries, graphic novels, easy fiction books, as well as nonfiction books on topics that interest the students invite discussion and interaction (Muchinsky, 2007). Often the Spanish speaking ELL students do not read in their native language, so pictures are very helpful. Wordless books help students practice native language and English through storytelling (Blair, 2011). ELLs should be encouraged to read widely so they will be exposed to a large quantity and variety of words and texts. (Corona & Armour, 2007)
Krashen and Crawford (2007) indicated that the best way to increase Spanish speaking and ELL students' English language skills is through free voluntary reading. (as cited in Howard 2012) When students are motivated and engaged they are more likely to read more often, which improves their reading ability. The power of choice motivates students (Howard, 2012). Knowing what interests them is very important if we want to help them learn. Providing books that the students think are interesting, visually appealing, and popular are what is needed in the collection, to encourage and motivate them to read and learn. (Moorefield-Lang, Anaya & Shirk, 2010) Provide books on interesting topics, books by favorite authors, popular series, graphic novels and high interest nonfiction (Emmelhainz, 2014). This is certainly a goal of all libraries, to provide materials that are engaging, that promote literacy, and lifelong learning for all children.
It is important for the Spanish speaking and ELL students to have current, nonfiction materials. Nonfiction trade books can be selected to fit the needs and abilities of the students. They can assist Spanish speaking and ELL students in developing fluency and provide scaffolding to learn curriculum content and English language skills (Naidoo, 2005). Informational texts challenge students to think about information and connect to content areas to build knowledge. Students are exposed to real-life current issues, events, culture, and things that support their prior knowledge and go beyond their life experiences. Nonfiction books on their home countries help educate them and their peers about history and culture (Adams, 2010; Riley, 2008). Nonfiction draws students into the real world of places, people, and time periods also providing a link to the fictional world of literature (Naidoo, 2005).
The library collection should also provide reference materials including picture dictionaries, bilingual dictionaries, thesauruses, and encyclopedias in native language for Spanish speaking and ELL students. These materials help students with research and curriculum content (Adams, 2010; Naidoo 2015; Barack 2015; Moorefield-Lang, Anaya & Shirk, 2010). Libraries also offer a substantial collection of online subscription and free databases which provide images, documents, periodicals, maps, sound recordings, movies, and books.
Dame (1993) aptly described the challenge for libraries today in meeting the needs of America’s growing Spanish speaking and ELL population, “To be truly inclusive, the school library media centers with a population of linguistically and culturally diverse students have an obligation to provide books and materials on all subjects that meet the needs and interests of these students.” (as cited in Naidoo, 2005).
Methodology
The school management system, Powerschool, was utilized to verify the number of students who are Hispanic, and receiving ESL services. The English Learner Toolkit created by the U.S. Departments of Education (ED) provided a “Student Population Discussion Tool” (Vialpando, Yedlin, Linse, Harrington, & Cannon, 2005) which was modified and used to assess the Spanish speaking and ELL student population of the action research school. The World Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) English Language Proficiency Standards evaluate English language learners’ proficiency. Upon entry into the school system, the WIDA Access Placement Test is administered.
Current statistics from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) were used for comparison data to the student population in this study. National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) was analyzed to compare student achievement results on the 8th grade reading test. Statistics of school library collections were gathered from the study of the literature in the Education Resource Information Center (ERIC) and EBSCO databases. Follett Destiny Library Management collection statistics were analyzed to determine ELL student usage data. Titlewave Collection Management and Analysis Report was utilized to analyze and evaluate the current collection. Through collaboration with the ESL teacher, curriculum and resource needs for the ELL students were documented. Teachers were surveyed to determine resource needs for curricular support. Student surveys were conducted to determine needs and preferences in books. This data was used to evaluate the materials needed for the collection (Blair, Brasfield, Crenshaw, & Mosedale, 2011).
Results
AASL School Libraries Count! (2009) Survey results indicated that 58% of the over 5,800 library respondents have less than 1% of their collection in languages other than English. However, 14% of schools reported 25% or more ELL student population. The school on which this study is based, has statistics that are similar to those in the study with 30% Hispanic population with 10% currently being served in the ESL program. The school library collection matches this statistic, with 1% non-English language books.
AASL Urban Schools Task Force Survey (2011) of 798 respondents, reported 82% of respondents with over 40% non‐Caucasian students. 86% of respondents indicated that 40% or more of their students qualify for free or reduced lunch. This data “is significant because it is a measure of the number of students living in poverty conditions which can also indicate their limited access to books and other materials in the home, as well as their “at‐risk” educational status at school” (AASL, 2011). The school population statistics match the AASL Task force study with over 60% non-caucasian population and 70% qualify for free and reduced lunch.
Thirty-nine percent of respondents in the AASL 2009 Survey have libraries with fewer than 10,000 print volumes and 52% have collections that are 11 years old, which limits access to current and accurate information in print. Although libraries have digital resources they need print sources to offset the lack of computers and internet connected home access. 67% of respondents indicated that they have access to ten or fewer subscription online databases. In the action research school, the library collection has significantly more items, but a similar number of titles. It is similar in age, and also has less than ten online databases. The school library receives funding for new materials only once every three years, which affects currency of the materials in the collection.
The School Library Journal and Rourke Educational Media survey (Barack, 2015) indicated that 90% of the respondents use print books to help ELL students master language. The survey showed 66% used native language or bilingual books. It indicated that resource needs include popular titles and age-appropriate bilingual titles (Barack, 2015) Survey results show that libraries contain over 60% fiction books in the Spanish language collection of middle school libraries. The collection analysis of the action research school identified 150 items in the collection in Spanish, of which only 20% were fiction titles available in Spanish.
Student and teacher surveys indicated that collection development is needed in popular, high interest Fiction and nonfiction books in Spanish. Titles requested were of popular series of books. Other requests were for romance, teen topics, Manga graphic novels, sports fiction and nonfiction in Spanish. Teacher requests included biographies, science and social studies curriculum based lower level reading books and lower reading level fiction. Teachers and students also requested ebooks in popular fiction titles. The action research school survey results align with the School Library Journal and Rourke Educational Media survey (2015) results.
Student achievement in reading in the Nation’s Report Card (NAEP, 2013) and the North Carolina Report Card (2013) show that Hispanic students and ELL students in the 8th grade are achieving well below their Caucasian peers. In the action research school, these student groupings scored similarly. The school achievement gap showed approximately 20% for Hispanic students and 40% for ELL students. NAEP results were 24% and 35% respectively.
Conclusions
As we reflect on the findings of the research to determine best practices to improve the school library collection for the students and teachers we serve, we must look at the collection from the perspective of the Spanish students and ELL population. Does one to five percent of a library collection adequately serve twenty-five percent of the nation’s population? How are these patrons needs best served?
National statistics indicate that library collections contain a small percentage of non English language books, and the achievement statistics indicate that we are not meeting the academic needs of our minority and ELL students. The literature indicates that Spanish speaking and ELL students need and benefit from having more native language and age appropriate leveled materials in fiction and nonfiction to help with the acquisition of language and to bridge the achievement gap (Adams 2010; Blair 2011; Corona and Armour 2007; Green, 2004). Providing books that students have requested, books they find interesting, can motivate them to read more books and spend more time reading. Countless research has been done on the correlation between time spent reading and achievement. So it could be stated that increasing the number of materials in the school library collection should correlate with an increase in circulation and students spending more time reading, which would positively affect standardized test scores. The recommendation then, should be for libraries to increase the number of items in the collection for the Spanish speaking and ELL learners in order to positively affect their achievement.
Providing quality, current multicultural books, picture books, and nonfiction books at varied levels for the Spanish speaking and ELL students for instructional purposes and free reading selection is an important role of the school library collection. It is not an unreasonable expectation for school libraries to allocate funds for materials in languages other than English for our ELL learners, bilingual materials and fiction and nonfiction materials that reflect the ethnicities of the population we serve. All students can benefit from these resources, which serve as a means of learning, understanding, and appreciating each other’s similarities and differences.
Going forward, a course of action for the action research school library is to increase the number and currency of the collection of native language materials from one percent to three percent over the next three years. A primary focus will be on acquisitions of current, high interest fiction and nonfiction in Spanish. Additionally, the library will actively develop the collection of fictional literature in English on varied levels with content and characters that represent the diverse ethnic composition of the student population. Current nonfiction materials that represent the countries and cultures of the students will be added in English and Spanish, ideally locating bilingual materials.
Analysis of collection statistics of usage and student achievement will be ongoing to continually evaluate the needs of the students. Students and teachers will continue to be involved in the process of collection development through surveys and collaborative efforts in collection development to provide material for academic and personal learning needs. Promoting reading and literacy as a foundational skill for learning, growth, and personal enjoyment for all patrons will continue to be the overarching goal of the school library.
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