Creating an English Language Arts Library Classroom at the SEK

Creating an English Language Arts Library Classroom at the SEK-Catalunya Campus, La Garriga, Spain

Roxanne Myers Spencer, Cynthia Royden Houston, Western Kentucky University

Mariela Gomez, Tec de Monterey, Mexico City Campus

Introduction

Two researchers in Library Media Education from Western Kentucky University, Roxanne Spencer and Cynthia Houston, were invited by English program consultant, Mariela Gomez, to develop a proposal for an English Language Arts Library Classroom at the SEK-Catalunya Campus in Las Garriga, Spain. The researchers visited the SEK campus in May, 2005 and through visiting local schools and public libraries in Spain, developed a unique library classroom for the SEK primary English program.

Cultural Context - School Libraries in Spain

After an extensive literature review and visit to schools and public libraries in Catalunya, the researchers have made the following general observations regarding school libraries in Spain:

2005 was the International Year of the Book in Spain. Throughout Catalunya there were signs promoting programs related to a 400 year celebration of Don Quixote. In addition, an exhibit on children's books in Barcelona featured favorite stories, authors, illustrators, and themes in international children's literature. Spain has both school libraries and public libraries. Few schools have large, organized library collections, or full time school librarians. In many areas, public libraries work closely with schools on literacy related activities. On the other hand, it appears that neither schools nor public libraries provide instruction in information literacy.

Regional and National Library related Events:

Year of the Book, Don Quixote promotional materials and school-based themed activities	Promotional materials posted at Garbi school	Student book reviews posted at Garbi school	Student created reading promotional poster at SEK Catalunya
Exhibit: Characters Ahoy! Palau Robert, Barcelona, Summer 2005 "Within children's and youth literature there are millions of characters. Some are well known, some are not known at all, some are despised, some are loved, there are some by whom people are not at all bothered...but of all these characters, only one is absolutely fundamental: the reader. Just like the characters, there are also millions of readers in the world. Their age, sex, colour, weight or size is of no importance whatsoever. The library welcomes every one of them and places at their disposal a huge array of books and documents."	Exhibit Title in Catalan	Exhibit Library	Exhibit Interpretation of the "Great Battle" theme common in children's literature

School Libraries in Catalunya

St. Julia Primary School	St. Julia is a public primary school located high in the Pyrenees Mountain range. The school has 3 teachers serving 21 students. The school's library is maintained by one of the teachers. They have 1500 titles. The local public library also serves the school through regular visits from the Bookmobile.	St. Julia front entrance	School Library	Page from school's library catalog
Garbi School	Garbi School is a P-12 private school located in Esplugues de Llobregat, on the outskirts of Barcelona. Their library has over 3,000 titles, is automated, and staffed part time by a teacher who specializes in reading. The school participates in collaborative activities with the local public library and has also participated in an online European collaborative literacy project.	Garbi school front entrance	Garbi school library	Garbi stacks
La Garriga Public Library	The La Garriga Public Library serves the small town located 20 miles from Barcelona. The library provides services for schools related to library orientation and special research projects.	La Garriga Public Library front entrance	Children's area 1st floor with leveled fiction areas (note colored labels)	Reference Collection 2nd Floor
SEK Catalunya	The SEK Catalunya is a P-12 school serving over 1500 students. There libraries for the primary and secondary program, that are not regularly staffed by a librarian. Students research topics using centrally located computers with Internet access.	SEK Campus (picture from SEK Website)	Primary school library	SEK students using the "Intelligent Classroom" for research

ELALC Proposal

Click Here for a copy of the proposal

The final product of the consulting activities for the SEK was a proposal to create three "English Language Library Classrooms" (ELALC) for the pre school, lower, and upper primary grades. In the proposal the consultants described a classroom setting that integrated language arts and library skills instruction for students to be engaged in a resource rich English language environment. The proposal also listed professional resources on school libraries in Europe and the United States and school library research in Spain. The SEK was very receptive to the proposal and is in the process of planning for implementation of the ELALC classrooms for the fall 2005 semester.

SEK Exchange at WKU July, 2005

In July, 2005, two English language teachers from the SEK primary program, Anna Corominus and Ana Janssen, attended a training workshop on the WKU campus in school librarianship. They were hosted by WKU, International Programs Office. The workshop leaders were Roxanne Spencer, Coordinator of the Educational Resources Center and Cindy Houston, Assistant Professor in Library Media Education. The teachers toured local school and public libraries and discussed collection development, library administration and library programming with local school librarians and workshop leaders.

SUMMER 2005

SEK-Catalunya ELALC training on the WKU campus in Bowling Green

SEK teacher and LME graduate student, Areti Masero, are visiting with school librarian Alecia Marcum at Natcher Elementary School

Creating a classroom layout for the ELALC

Roxanne Spencer leads a Collection Development workshop

WKU Practicum Student in Spain fall 2005

In the fall 2005 semester, LME practicum student, Areti Masero, spent two weeks of her practicum experience with Mariela Gomea, SEK English language program consultuant and the primary teachers. The goals of her experience were to improve her Spanish language proficiency, learn about the language and culture of Spain, work with the Ms. Gomez and the primary English teachers on the ELALC project, and gain experience presenting literature-based activities in English to second language students.

FALL 2005

WKU practicum student Areti Masero in Spain

Ms. Masero in SEK primary English classroom

WKU practicum student, Areti Masero, presenting a literaure-based English lesson to SEK primary students

Areti Masero, Mariela Gomez, and local librarian

Areti Masero, Mariela Gomez and a local librarian

Areti working with SEK primary students

SEK Exchange at WKU July, 2006

In July, 2006, two English language teachers from the SEK primary program, Sara Pessarodona and Pia Lucar, attended a training workshop on the WKU campus in school librarianship. They were hosted by WKU, International Programs Office. The workshop leaders were Laura Crafton, Butler County Elementary School, Roxanne Spencer, Coordinator of the Educational Resources Center and Cindy Houston, Assistant Professor in Library Media Education. The teachers toured local school and public libraries and discussed collection development, library administration and library programming with local school librarians and workshop leaders.

SUMMER 2006

SEK-Catalunya ELALC training on the WKU campus in Bowling Green

SEK teachers and Library Media Specialist, Laura Crafton discuss reading activities to do with children

Laura and Sara practice a story using a story apron

SEK teachers visit the Bowling Green Public Library

Research Publications and Presentations

Spencer, R. (2005). Developing library classroom children's collections in English for a Catalunyan private school. Collection Building, 24 (4) 117-123.
Houston, C. (In publication). Building capacity for global education in school library media edcuation through international exchange. IFLA Journal, 32(3)
Houston, C. & Spencer, R. (in publication). From aula biblioteca to biblioteca aula: integrating a school library program into the English language program of a Spanish school. Library Review, January 2007.

Contact Information

For more information about this project contact:

Roxanne Spencer, Coordinator of the WKU Educational Resources Center: roxanne.spencer@wku.edu
Cynthia Houston, Assistant Professor of Library Media Education: cynthia.houston@wku.edu
Mariela Gomez, SEK English Language Program Consultant: magomez@itesm.edu

Cindy Houston's Web Page | Western Kentucky University Library Media Education Program | SEK Catalunya