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My students are all labeled as ENLs, so when they sit for the Regents in June they are allowed to use a Spanish/English dictionary. Many students are so reliant on their phones to translate that they do not understand how to use the dictionary. I think it's important that students have access to dictionaries because it can become a key component in their academic success. A dictionary with pictures is even better for brand-new language learners for the same reason that a picture book is a great way to read: “Using visuals will help ELLs learn new vocabulary words and will add meaning to stories or read-alouds" (Jules).

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Our school's library has a few makerspaces that the kids really enjoy. When I take my students, they all gravitate to the Stick Together station and enjoy putting stickers on the board with other students that are there. Hanneken writes that “makerspaces provide opportunities for ELL students and non-ELL students to work together” (Hanneken, 2018); likewise, Samtani notes that they "can boost ELLs’ confidence and desire to speak English" (Samtani, 2018).
I think it's really important that students be able to spend time in a library to develop a sense of community, too. Working together to solve a problem or create something can be beneficial to both ENL and native language students: "Educators know that in order for today’s students to be college and career ready, they need to develop 21st Century Skills including collaboration, creativity, and communication. Finding authentic ways to accomplish this in a classroom setting can be challenging. Makerspaces lend themselves to developing these skills in organic and productive ways. Projects often benefit from the input and thinking of multiple students. …Teamwork is essential to the success of projects. Engaging and productive work is the best antidote to differences and fear" (Gohl, 2017). Teaching our students what they need to know in English is important; teaching them English while also providing them with real life skills is critical.

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I use picture books in my 9th grade Entering ENL classes. I find that, as Stevenson says, books loaded with images "are perfect for English language learners because they are high interest, and the images can fill in, giving clues when they don’t know a word. Rather than stopping to look up the meanings of every few words, they can intuit meaning" (Stevenson, 2017). It also opens up conversation between multiple readers, and facilitating discussion gives ENL students a chance to practice speaking and listening in a new language.

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I think that an important focus of a school library is to create a place where all students feel safe being themselves. One way of doing this is ensuring that the books can be "a valuable opportunity to bring our students' languages, cultures, histories, and voices into the classroom." These choices open up "students to a wide range of diverse stories that reflect different perspectives and experiences — both theirs and others” (Flores et. al., 2021). In order to create foster an empathetic environment, it is important to learn and understand about other cultures and ideas, and "by incorporating these stories into our collection and library time, we validate a child's cultural heritage, and foster their self-esteem and adjustment" (Jules).

I think a bilingual book club/circles with Latinx characters and authors is an essential component to the development of an empathetic community, as well as encouraging a learning environment for ENL students and native speakers alike. Learning a new language has a positive effect on the development of the brain: “The brain benefits of bilingualism include preventing dementia, as bilingual adults with Alzheimers take twice as long to develop symptoms as their monolingual counterparts. …The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association stated bilingual people also displayed increased concentration on their assignments, and are more skillful at focusing on relevant information and removing the irrelevant ones" (Acosta, 2018). In this way, the library can be a place of community as well as a place of linguistic growth.

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Acosta, C. (2018, August 24). Bilingual book club highlights importance of learning Two languages. The Star Democrat. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://www.stardem.com/news/local_news/bilingual-book-club-highlights-importance-of-learning-two-languages/article_0e2336e6-4eea-5670-8d8c-e8d4591fd163.html

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EASTON- When 17-year-old Phoebe Fisher was trying to find a way to continue her Spanish education outside the classroom, she decided to open that opportunity for herself, and even kids.

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Bilingual Book Club highlights importance of learning two languages

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EASTON- When 17-year-old Phoebe Fisher was trying to find a way to continue her Spanish education outside the classroom, she decided to open that opportunity for herself, and even kids.

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Anonymous. (2021, October 25). 10 ways to support ells in the school library. Colorín Colorado. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/10-ways-support-ells-school-library

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The school library is an important resource for English language learners (ELLs). It may be the first place many students and their families get experience using a lending library. What can school librarians do to show ELLs that libraries are welcoming places of entertainment and enrichment?

Here are some ideas, and don't miss the recommended resources or the American Association of School Librarians' report on ELLs included at the end of the article.

1. Provide materials in students' home languages in easy-access displays.

There are a number of ways to keep bilingual or foreign language books front and center in the library and to integrate them into the curriculum:

Translated books: Keep your Spanish and other translated books on shelves close to the action, rather than in a hidden corner. If possible, mark these sections with bilingual signs in Spanish/English, Chinese/English, etc.

Curriculum resources: Collaborate with teachers to learn more about topics they are studying so you can display as many translated books as possible on topics students will be studying.

3. Provide electronic access to materials in other languages.

Many online resources are also available in other languages, such as the following:

Reference materials: Spanish versions of World Book Online, Grolier Online, and Encyclopædia Britannica's PlanetaSaber. (Check to see what's available as part of these websites' subscription packages.) You may also wish to show students how to use the English-Spanish online dictionaries that include audio pronunciation guides, such as Merriam-Webster or WordReference.com.

Reading materials: Share stories with your students from the International Children's Digital Library, which includes children's books in more than 50 languages.

Post links to these websites on your library web page for easy access from school or home.

4. Provide audio materials and instructions on how to use them.

Audio materials can be very helpful to ELL learners, from books on CD to free podcasts. If students don't have access to devices, you can also help students access these materials through:

Playaways®: These are audio books that are preloaded on a portable player. A number of children's and young adult titles are available. Students may need instruction on how to use the players and help changing batteries.

Library-owned CD players, MP3 players, or iPods: Many classrooms and libraries are using technology to support ELLs' language acquisition. Students can use these players in the library to listen to ESL podcasts, listening activities on CD, or other audio programs.

Library computers: Students can use headphones to listen to free podcasts or watch educational videos.

Short translated instruction sheets and stickers for players and computers will help students learn how to use these technologies effectively.

5. Share culturally relevant and responsive literature.

The library is a wonderful place to ensure students have access not only to diverse books but books that are culturally meaningful. By incorporating these stories into our collection and library time, we validate a child's cultural heritage, and foster their self-esteem and adjustment.

Start by looking for ways to highlight and feature more diverse books all throughout the year, especially books that will serve as "mirror books" for your students. You can also share culturally relevant titles through the following activities:

Students cultural celebrations: Recognize ELL students' home celebrations by doing read-alouds on these holidays and asking students to share their own traditions. Review books first with colleagues or community members for authenticity and accuracy.

Halloween: Read one of the children's book versions of "La Llorona, the Weeping Woman" - a Hispanic folktale the students may have heard from family members - or another story from the Spooky Stories: Diverse Books for Kids booklist.

Thanksgiving: ELLs may feel left out when hearing stories of families eating traditional American foods which are not served in their own homes. Share stories of immigrants celebrating Thanksgiving in their own way. This topic is near and dear to my heart, and I focus on this issue in my children's book Duck for Turkey Day. Additional titles are featured on the Colorín Colorado Thanksgiving Tales booklist, which also includes books that provide guidance on updating the way we talk about Native history as it relates to Thanksgiving. (See more tips in Tips for Choosing Culturally Appropriate Books & Resources About Native Americans.)

Finally, look for opportunities to add more diverse books to your library collection. If you need resources that support these purchases, see Colorín Colorado's guide on using diverse books with ELLs.

9. Use visuals in home communication.

The concept of a lending library may be new to immigrant families. You can help them get familiar with library books by doing the following:

Recognizing library books: Prepare a short translated note explaining when library books must be returned. Include a bar code, a spine sticker, and library stamp on the letter to help parents identify library materials, which must be returned to the library by a certain date, as opposed to RIF books and Title I materials.

Overdue notices: If books are overdue, send home a print-out from your catalogue that contains the book cover, or send an e-mail with the book cover graphic. Visuals can get better results than a translated note simply listing the name of the overdue book.

10. Promote the public library too!

There are a number of things that school librarians can do to encourage ELL families to use the public library:

Librarian outreach: Invite a public librarian to come to an evening event, provide an overview of library materials and resources (with lots of visuals!), and sign up new families for library cards. It's important for families to know that they do not need to be U.S. citizens to use the resources at the public library.

Library cards: Encourage your ELL families to obtain a public library card. Keep a list available (in different languages if possible) of different resources at your local library so that you can show parents what they will be able to use if they get a card.

Family night: Arrange for an evening family event at the public library, where families can take a tour, visit the children's section, and learn about programs offered at their local branches.

Note: Colorín Colorado's family tip sheet The Resources at Your Library is available in English and Spanish.

Closing Thoughts

Try some of these ideas this year! I hope you find they go a long way in helping ELLs feel comfortable and welcome in the school library, and that they support student learning throughout the year.

Recommended Resources

AASL Report on ELLs: School Libraries Count!

In 2007, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) initiated an annual survey of school library media programs. Each year, the survey addresses a current issue within the school library field in addition to its standard questions. In 2009, AASL focused these questions on English Language Learners (ELLs). This report summarizes those findings.

Recommended Websites and Databases

*This website requires a subscription.

A Welcoming Library

Learn how to make your library accessible for children in multiple languages in this clip from Launching Young Readers: Becoming Bilingual.

This video is also available on YouTube.

About the Author

Jacqueline Jules is a teacher, librarian, poet, and author of fourteen children's books. Two of them, No English and Duck for Turkey Day, were directly inspired by her work with English Language Learners as an elementary school librarian in a Title I school in Virginia. No English is the story of two second grade girls who find a creative way to overcome a language barrier. Duck for Turkey Day is the story of Tuyet, who is worried because her family is not following the "rules" for Thanksgiving she learned in school. Both books validate the immigrant experience in America, encourage readers to reach out to newcomers, and embrace the diversity in our schools. To learn more about Jacqueline, take a look at Colorín Colorado's 2008 interview with her and her website!

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10 Ways to Support ELLs in the School Library

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The school library is an important resource for English language learners (ELLs). It may be the first place many students and their families get experience using a lending library. What can school librarians do to show ELLs that libraries are welcoming places of entertainment and enrichment?

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Flores, T., &amp; Osorio, S. (2022, February 9). Why diverse books matter: Mirrors and windows. Colorín Colorado. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/why-diverse-books-matter-mirrors-and-windows

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'There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you until the day you begin to share your stories.' - Jacqueline Woodson, The Day You Begin
The books we use offer a valuable opportunity to bring our students' languages, cultures, histories, and voices into our classrooms. They also provide the opportunity to introduce students to a wide range of diverse stories that reflect different perspectives and experiences - both theirs and others.

This concept is often referred to as "mirrors and windows" and was introduced by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop in her iconic essay, " Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors."

Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop: Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors

Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop discusses her "Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors" analogy to highlight the importance of diversity in books.

What Are Mirror Books?

Mirror books are books that reflect different aspects of students' identity, including:

family

gender

race

ethnicity

culture (such as special traditions, celebrations, songs, nursery rhymes, and games)

language and how language is used

religion

socio-economic status

immigration experience / status

other aspects of identity and lived experiences

By enabling students to make connections to themselves, mirror books:

provide validation and affirmation

tell students that their stories matter

show students possibilities of who and what they can be

Maya Christina Gonzalez: Seeing Ourselves in Books

Author and illustrator Maya Christina Gonzalez talks about why it is so important for all children to see themselves in books and also shares her book My Colors, My World/Mis colores, mi mundo with young readers.

Connections with curriculum

Seeing themselves in books can also communicate important messages to students about their place in school. The authors of More Mirrors in the Classroom: Using Urban Children's Literature to Increase Literacynote that "Seeing oneself represented in the characters, authors, and illustrators in a classroom and school library can go a long way in making sure we are conveying a message to children that school is for and about them." (Fleming et al, p. 20)

This is also one reason that using mirror books is such a powerful example of:

For example, in an excerpt from Colorín Colorado's award-winning film You Are Welcome Here, filmed in Dearborn, MI, middle school teacher Anna Centi talks about connections her refugee students from Yemen made to Linda Sue Park's book A Long Walk to Water, observing that she has been able to push her students with more rigorous text when they feel connected to the stories they read. You can read more about the research supporting the use of culturally responsive instruction from the New America Foundation.

When mirror books are missing

Along those lines, when children do not see themselves in the literature they read, or when they encounter negative stereotypes or inaccuracies about their communities in books, they may think that their stories or experiences don't matter.

They may also believe the "people like them" do not:

read for pleasure

appear as the protagonist or hero of the story

appear in different kinds of stories, like detective or fantasy stories

enjoy different types of genres, like poetry or science fiction

have experiences they see others having, such as spending time in nature or going to the library

work in different kinds of careers, like science or engineering

write or illustrate books (or work in the publishing industry)

Just as the use of mirror books can have a positive impact on students' self-concept in the school setting, a lack of mirror books can have a negative impact. The authors of More Mirrors in the Classroom note, "Many children develop the impression that books are not about them or for them, and they can start to feel disinterested in and excluded from school" (p. 11)

The More Mirrors team also reflects on students' limited access to culturally responsive materials in their literacy instruction, noting that within commonly used basal readers and text sets,

"(F)ew text selections include urban settings, multicultural and multilingual communities, and the urban architecture and ecology with which young children in urban public schools are familiar. When urban selections are included, they often depict communities, families, and children from a deficit perspective, rather than presenting authentic and affirming images of urban life." (vii-viii)

Grace Lin: Cultural mirrors and windows

Grace Lin talks about her first picture book, The Ugly Vegetables, and reflects on her own childhood experience as the only Asian girl in her class. She also talks about what happened when she told her classmates she wanted to try out for the part of Dorothy inthe school's production of The Wizard of Oz.

What Are Window Books?

Window books are books where children see aspects of a world that is different than their own.

Window books offer a glimpse into other people's lives and:

introduce readers to new worlds, perspectives, and experiences

allow readers to develop new interests

engage readers with important topics and social issues

Window books also remind readers that their view is not the only view, which is why Dr. Bishop notes in the video clip above that "diversity needs to go both ways," observing that "children who always find their mirrors in books...get a false sense of what the world is like because it's becoming more and more colorful and diverse as time goes on."

Hena Khan: "I hope my books are mirrors and windows"

Hena Khan talks about her middle grade novel Amina's Voice and shares her hopes that kids of all backgrounds will connect to her books and that adults will share them with diverse groups of students.

When Windows Become Mirrors

Even as they introduce readers to different perspectives, window books also show us what we all have in common. Dr. Bishop reminds us that a story that seems to be about someone very different than ourselves can provide powerful moments of recognition.

In her groundbreaking essay on windows and mirrors, she writes, "When lighting conditions are just right, however, a window can also be a mirror. Literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us, and in that reflection we can see our own lives and experiences as part of the larger human experience. Reading, then, becomes a means of self-affirmation, and readers often seek their mirrors in books."

Gene Luen Yang echoes that theme in the video clip below.

Gene Luen Yang: Finding our common humanity in "Black Boy" by Richard Wright

Gene Luen Yang recalls the impact that Richard Wright's novel Black Boy had on him in high school.

Building Empathy and Community

Since diverse books can serve both as mirrors and windows of different human emotions and experiences, they offer a powerful opportunity to build community, increase students' empathy, and push back against bias and prejudice. This can also make them a valuable tool to support social-emotional learning (SEL) and discussion in the classroom.

For example, the books on this booklist highlight the ways that schools and communities can make children from diverse backgrounds feel welcome:

These booklists dig deeper into tougher topics, providing an entry point into hard, important conversations:

Access to Diverse Books

Knowing that all students can benefit from diverse books is only the first step in increasing students' access to diverse books, which is often limited in many schools, including those serving primarily students of color.

The authors of More Mirrors in Classrooms write, "Many classroom libraries in under-resourced urban public schools still have few books with characters of color. In some cases, those books are relegated to a single 'multicultural' bin, even in cases where 100% of the students are African American or Latino." (p. 11)

Why is access limited?

This lack of access is due to a few factors, including, as noted above, a lack of resources for schools, limited awareness of the value of diverse books for all students, and minimal familiarity with the high-quality diverse books that are available to students.

There is also a tremendous disparity in the publishing industry. The Cooperative Children's Book Center has been tracking statistics on diversity in children's publishing since the 1990s, and their data have told the same story since they started their work.

Even though more diverse books are being published than ever before:

the number of diverse books published each year still is dwarfed by the number of titles published featuring white, English-speaking, middle class protagonists as "the norm"

the number of books featuring animals also greatly outnumbers the numbers of diverse books published each year.

(See the infographic below for a powerful visual representation of this disparity.)

As a result:

children who would see themselves reflected in diverse books have many fewer choices available

educators, librarians, and families may not be familiar with the diverse books that are being published

fewer diverse books are included in classroom activities, curriculum materials, text sets, literacy celebrations, and library events

Video: Matt de la Peña reflects on why his books are easier to find in some schools rather than others

Award-winning author Matt de la Peña recalls a conversation with a teacher who said she enjoyed his books but didn't have many copies at her school since the student population was so different from his characters.

We Need Diverse Books

The good news is that there is tremendous energy around creating, sharing, and celebrating diverse books across the country. We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) has played a major role in this conversation, starting as a social media campaign and grassroots movement that has shone a spotlight on the importance of diverse books for children and youth. (You can learn more about how WNDB started in our interview with founder Ellen Oh below.)

WNDB is now a non-profit organization that has created a range of opportunities within the publishing industry for authors and students. In addition, WNDB has:

created a new award recognizing diverse books called The Walter Award, named after the late Walter Dean Myers, a lifelong champion of diversity in publishing for children and youth

published multiple anthologies for children and young adults featuring diverse authors

Awards

The number of diverse books being published and winning awards has continued to increase in recent years. For example, in addition to The Walter and other numerous awards highlighting diverse books, the following books have won Newbery and Caldecott Awards in recent years:

Changes in publishing

At the same time, broader, deeper changes are happening. For example:

Award-winning writer Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee) started Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint at HarperCollins, in response to the need for more titles written and illustrated by Native authors.

Chispa Comics will be a new LatinX comics book imprint led by David Bowles, Hector Rodriguez III, and Javier Chapa.

Linda Sue Park has started KiBooka, a website that features books by authors and illustrators of Korean descent.

These kinds of structural changes help not only increase the number of titles available but also ensure that there are more diverse voices in the conversations and decisions within the children's publishing industry, librarian circles, and education - a necessary step in increasing students' access to mirrors and windows through diverse books.

Finding diverse books

To find recommendations of diverse book titles, see How to Find Diverse Books.

Authors Reflect on Asian Representation in Children's Books

In these interviews, authors reflect on seeing themselves in books (or not) and how their Asian heritage has shaped their work. Featured authors include Erin Entrada Kelly, Gene Luen Yang, Ellen Oh, Hena Khan, Uma Krishnaswami, Grace Lin, and Rukhsana Khan.

Cynthia Leitich Smith: What inspired Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids

Cynthia Leitich Smith shares the story behind Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids, an anthology she edited that features stories, poems, and artwork from a diverse group of Native contributors. These connected stories center on a powwow held at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI.

Closing Thoughts

This is an exciting time to be using diverse books with your students given how many outstanding books are being published and how many people are working to increase students' access to diverse book. As our students come of age in an increasingly global world and navigate a wide range of issues and challenges, the mirrors and windows we provide for our students have never mattered more.

We hope that this guide will provide you with lots of ideas for books you can share with students and ideas for bringing these books into the classroom.

Recommended Resources

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Why Diverse Books Matter: Mirrors and Windows

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'There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you until the day you begin to share your stories.'

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Gohl, E. (2017, November 6). The case for school makerspaces, according to those who use them. Getting Smart. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://www.gettingsmart.com/2017/11/06/the-case-for-school-makerspaces-according-to-those-who-use-them/

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Inside a makerspace at Indian Trace Elementary School in Broward County, Florida, some kids are sitting, working by themselves. A group of others stand together staring intently at something, talking, and moving their arms energetically. Students are doing without adult direction. There's an overall sense of purpose that is visceral. The energy feels more like that of a trendy dot-com startup than an elementary school media center.

This environment is part of a larger maker movement that acknowledges 21st Century natives need to learn in settings that are very different than the musty libraries or classroom rows of their parents. Makerspaces are areas where students come to explore, build, create, and tinker. Students are learning without turning to the front of the room for directions or receiving steps from the teacher at the center. They are the ones directing the action. They use a variety of materials from paper and cardboard to Legos to high-tech robots. It's a mixed bag of art supplies, erector sets, paper mache, 3-D printers, green screens, drones, and more. Each space has its own unique set-up and feel based on the needs, interests, resources and goals of the community.

Though makerspaces began outside of schools, a growing number of educators have seen the value in creating these kinds of spaces in school media centers and classrooms in recent years. Transforming parts of a school into a makerspace is often a difficult step given ever-shrinking school budgets and an increasing focus on state standards and test scores.

I recently talked with some innovative educators who have created these spaces in their elementary schools. I also observed and heard from some of their students to better understand what they gain from these makerspaces. Collectively, they noted the academic benefits, development of 21st-Century Skills, and the ability to get students to approach learning with a growth mindset.

Academics: "A place to ignite and activate creative, design thinking"

When asking students to describe their school makerspace, the overwhelming response was "fun!" Educators utilizing these spaces realize that there is a tremendous amount of learning and skill-building embedded in that fun. Employers who need workers with critical thinking skills have begged educators to promote them in schools. These critical thinking skills are the basis for success in makerspaces. When working on a project, students establish a goal, create a plan for how to get there, and problem solve using trial and error in real-world scenarios. Lynne Oakvik, Curriculum Supervisor, Library Media for Broward County Public Schools, describes media center makerspaces as "a place to ignite and activate creative, design thinking." Identifying a problem or goal, analyzing and evaluating the issues involved, and devising creative possible solutions is the work of makerspaces.

Though sometimes confused as solely open play and contemporary arts and crafts, educators have found that makerspace projects provide more engaging opportunities to reach standards-based expectations than yet more textbook or worksheet time. D onna Kouri, who is the Library Media Center Director and led the creation of a makerspace at Longwood Elementary School in Naperville, IL described a project where 5th-grade students worked together to create a video game. In creating the game, the students had to create characters, design the setting, and write the plot. They programmed the video game and wrote a how-to guide for teachers to play the game. This single project built English Language Arts, writing, and coding skills, in a way that was exciting and engaging for the students. Dr. Lisa Milenkovic, who has led the creation of STEM-based makerspaces in Broward County Public Schools, noted that "Students get to a higher depth of knowledge because they are applying what they are learning to a real problem."

Twenty-First Century Skills: "When they're creating, they just start talking!"

Educators know that in order for today's students to be college and career ready, they need to develop 21st Century Skills including collaboration, creativity, and communication. Finding authentic ways to accomplish this in a classroom setting can be challenging. Makerspaces lend themselves to developing these skills in organic and productive ways. Projects often benefit from the input and thinking of multiple students. Dione Mila, Library Media Specialist for Indian Trace Elementary explained that "Collaboration and teamwork happen naturally. You don't have to push it. You just give them a challenge and it will happen." Teamwork is essential to the success of projects. Engaging and productive work is the best antidote to differences and fear.

Educators note that this environment also allows students who are not always successful in traditional classrooms to shine. Thinking outside of the box can be integral to success in a makerspace. Kouri noted that in her makerspace, "I'll see students who don't necessarily get along talking and helping each other. When they're creating, they just start talking." Second only to commenting on the "fun" of makerspace projects, students mentioned the opportunity to help each other on projects as their favorite thing about their makerspace time.

Growth Mindset: "Failure is part of the process."

Learning is a process. A traditional approach to education has been to tell students what they should know. Makerspace environments value process along with product. Oakvik notes that these spaces give students an opportunity for "inquiry and discovery." And sometimes that discovery happens in the "un-making" of things. Cynthia Felton, who worked to create a makerspace at Gator Run Elementary School also in Broward County, Florida, explained that students love the "Deconstruction Zone" where they are able to "disassemble old electronics, toys, and other household items. As they remove the screws and layers, their curiosity builds. They ask questions, and investigate how they work." These makerspace students explore, experiment and discover. In short, they learn how to learn.

They also learn how to fail. People often think of school as being graded on whether you are right or wrong. Getting it completely right the first time is viewed as the pinnacle of success. But this is not the way the real world works. A much more useful skill than simply getting something right is learning how to react productively when something goes wrong. Makerspaces provide students with real problem-solving opportunities that require this resilience. As Kouri put it, "failure is part of the process." A natural part of solving a problem is trying something that does not work. Kids working on projects in makerspaces can fail in a safe environment. Kouri explained that, in her school's makerspace, students must "stick with the thing they start." With that, they can learn the satisfaction and success of persisting to find another option.

Beyond Makerspaces

A fourth-grade student describing his makerspace experience said, "It doesn't feel like school work. It feels like I'm playing." The "playing" this student was talking about involved collaborating with a group of peers to program and test a robot.

These makerspace projects far surpass the shoebox dioramas of the last generation. However, it is the experience, rather than the product, that truly moves learning forward. The process of creating, setting goals, working with peers, and problem-solving until success is achieved engages students in a way that few traditional classroom experiences allow. The educators creating and promoting these spaces are ensuring that their learners are truly prepared to explore, ask questions, collaborate with others, and ultimately solve the challenges they will meet when they leave these schools.

For more, see:
Stay in-the-know with all things EdTech and innovations in learning by signing up to receive the weekly Smart Update

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The Case for School Makerspaces, According to Those Who Use Them

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Inside a makerspace at Indian Trace Elementary School in Broward County, Florida, some kids are sitting, working by themselves. A group of others stand together staring intently at something, talking, and moving their arms energetically. Students are doing without adult direction. There's an overall sense of purpose that is visceral.

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Hanneken, A. (2020, July 6). English language learners (ELL) and School Libraries. Mackin Community. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://www.mackincommunity.com/2018/03/09/english-language-learners-ell-and-school-libraries/

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This past week I had the pleasure of presenting to the New Jersey English Language Learners Advisory Committee on behalf of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians. This group included members of the Department of Education, ELL supervisors, and ELL teachers. My presentation was completed with the help of Mrs. Mary Moyer Stubbs who is our Legislative Consultant, various members of NJASL, and the NJ State Library.

I spent the beginning of my presentation talking about the importance of librarians and NJASL.

Librarians and specifically New Jersey librarians are working with ELL students on a daily basis. Considering the average school's ELL students make up ten percent of the student population, this is no surprise. Some of the areas we are specifically working with ELL students are: Collection Development, Translating Services, Open Access to the Library, Library Instruction, Collaborating, and Makerspaces.

Collection Development
School libraries, as well as public libraries, are adding books in other languages to their collection. Many librarians are also asking ELL students for input in this area. Interlibrary loan is also a really great resource, especially in these times when budgets are getting slashed. In addition to print books, audiobooks, ebooks, and databases are also being purchased. Many of these items are available in multiple languages, or they offer a translation feature. Graphic novels are also a fantastic resource for ELL students. They are high interest and the pictures can fill in the gaps for students. Sara Stevenson wrote an awesome article on using Graphic Novels with ELL students in AASL's Knowledge Quest.

Translating Services
Librarians are helping ELL students with translating services. Many websites and databases offer translation features. I personally use MackinVIA to hold all of my library digital resources. Many of the electronic items that I have purchased directly from Mackin offer wonderful translating features on many of their electronic items. Librarians are also translating other items such as directions. One librarian from New Jersey I spoke to told me that she was able to get directions for computer coding in the Ukraine language.

Open Access to the Library
Libraries are one of the few places in a school or community that offer Open Access to all, and it is no different with ELL students. ELL students are pulled out of their academic classes and the library provides a safe spot for these students.

Library Instruction
Librarians are providing instruction to classes through information literacy lessons, technology lessons, and interactive storytimes. Many librarians are finding that they need to hand tailor their lessons and assignments so ELL students are included.

Collaborating
Collaborating with other teachers is nothing new for librarians. It has always been our job to work with other teachers, to help provide students with pertinent information for assignments. Many librarians are also forming alliances with school organizations that represent ELL students.

Makerspaces
I saved my favorite for last 🙂 This year I started a makerspace in my school library. One of my favorite things about the makerspace movement is students of all levels, languages, and ages can participate in making. Some of the benefits to makerspaces which specifically apply to ELL students include:

Makerspaces democratize learning

Makerspaces offer open access to all students

Makerspaces offer authentic, real-world experiences for students

Makerspace tools are created for speakers of all languages
* Bloxels - offers color-coded squares, which turns into a video game handmade by students.
* Little Bits - color coded by the kind of power

* Tinkercad - Software that works with 3D printers - works with shapes, not words
* LEGOs and K'nex
* Building with Cardboard

Makerspaces provide opportunities for ELL students and non-ELL students to work together

Our state library also provides many services for ELL community members. Many of the public libraries are also providing services for their local community. Some of these services include:

NJ Talking Book and Braille Center

Fade to Books Program - a program that provides books to young boys and teens in urban sections of New Jersey

ESL classes in New Jersey public libraries

The state library has compiled a list of bilingual resources for New Jersey community members

In conclusion, this was a wonderful experience. I have presented all over the country, but so far this was the greatest honor I have had. I have included a copy of my presentation . It is important for other organizations to learn about libraries and all that we have to offer students and community members.

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English Language Learners (ELL) and School Libraries

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This past week I had the pleasure of presenting to the New Jersey English Language Learners Advisory Committee on behalf of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians. This group included members of the Department of Education, ELL supervisors, and ELL teachers. My presentation was...

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Samtani, H. (n.d.). Librarians collaborate to support English language learners and their families. School Library Journal. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://www.slj.com/story/librarians-collaborate-support-english-language-learners-families

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The Baro Af-Soomaali alphabet book is the work of Somali mothers and
their children, who collaborated with the Seattle Public Library,
a local Somali poet, and various organizations to create a picture book that allows sharing
of language and culture among generations of families and in the community.
Photos courtesy of Seattle Public Library

It was a meeting of the five families, but this one-with some assistance from the Seattle Public Library (SPL)-led to what may be the country's first crowdsourced book in the Somali language.

When Seattle's Somali population sought more materials to help parents and children communicate in their native language and share their culture and customs, the library set out to develop a pilot project that would allow for family learning and promote cultural understanding-then possibly be scaled for wider use.

The result was Baro Af-Soomaali, which means "Learn Somali," an alphabet board book now found at the public library, in every elementary school in Seattle, and on Amazon.com. In February, Seattle's mayor, Jenny Durkan, joined hundreds of city residents to fete the launch of the book, which was a collaboration between SPL and the SPL Foundation, the Somali Family Safety Task Force, Seattle Public Schools (SPS), and the Seattle Housing Authority, which houses 10 percent of the city's public school students.

Farhiya Mohamed, who runs the Somali task force, brought traditional brooms, teapots, and other artifacts back from a visit to her native Mogadishu. The items were photographed and incorporated into the book. Mohamed Shidane, a Seattle-based, Somali-speaking poet, worked with five local families to decide which motifs would make it in.

The collaboration sparked "intergenerational dialogues between parents and children about their culture," says Kathlyn Paananen, housing and education manager at SPS.

"Somali parents really appreciated that they can now read to their kids," says Mohamed, who notes that families often use code-switching and incorporate some Somali words. "For example, my mom tells my niece, 'Could you bring me the jalmad?', the Somali word for kettle, one of the items depicted in the book."

What was slated to be a self-published project attracted a publisher, Applewood Books. A thousand copies were printed, and royalties from Baro Af-Soomaali will go toward funding similar projects.

Bootstrapping, tapping parental expertise, and adapting to shifting demographics: The tale of Baro Af-Soomaali illustrates how librarians across the country are grappling with how best to meet the needs of English Language Learners (ELLs), a growing segment of the student body. In the face of shrinking budgets and a charged political climate that has given rise to some anti-immigrant sentiment, they've conjured up several promising ways to increase ELL engagement, including multilingual storytimes; collaborating with parents; and other native speakers on original materials, and developing an online catalogue of books, poems, and songs in a wide variety of languages. They've independently taken on the task of building collections that meet the needs of their specific ELL populations. They've pushed to streamline access to resources across city and state lines and partnered with technology providers, independent makerspaces, and large corporations in an attempt to build scalable solutions.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there were an estimated 4.6 million ELL students-or 9.4 percent of the total U.S. public-school population-in the 2014-15 calendar year, up from 4.3 million (9.1 percent) a decade earlier. Between 2009 and 2014, the percentage increased in more than 25 states, with five seeing growth of more than 40 percent. As the ELL population grows, so does its diversity. While librarians may have the picture books to captivate a native speaker of Spanish or French, they say it's much more difficult to find stimulating materials for a child who communicates in Tagalog, say, or Farsi.

Educators know the scale of the challenge is considerable, and meeting it will require a full-court press, multigenerational outreach, and long-term commitment.

"When you are talking about ELLs in schools, you are talking about parents and grandparents," says Mimi Lee, who chairs the Ethnic & Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table for the American Library Association. "They are pretty much the foundation of your outreach. Your technological materials, your books, they're your inventory." But any truly effective effort to serve ELLs will require long-term coordination across all points of outreach, from public and school libraries to broader citywide services.

"Serving immigrant communities," Lee says, "is not a one-day deal."

The Seattle team looked at picture book examples before creating their own.
Photo courtesy of Seattle Public Library

Library as anchor

In New York State, 65 percent of the ELL students are native Spanish speakers, state data show. Librarians can tap a wealth of Spanish-language materials to cultivate their communication and language-acquisition skills. Bilingual books such as Growing Up with Tamales can serve as a bridge between the native and the target language for both students and their caregivers. But nearly 50,000 students in the state are native speakers of Chinese, Bengali, Russian, and Arabic, languages that are less common and more difficult to find.

"I think traditionally when people have moved to the U.S., they've looked to the library for guidance and help in assimilation," says Kate Nafz, head of children's services at the Maurice M. Pine Public Library in Fair Lawn, NJ. "The groups are changing a bit, and now we have a real gap in our materials."

For example, the need for Arabic-language books has become pressing at her library, she says, as parents drive in with their children from nearby Paterson.

Librarians face multiple issues trying to serve the newer populations, according to Robbin Friedman, a children's librarian at Chappaqua (NY) Library. First, "identifying decent materials in a language you don't speak. Even when there are materials, we don't necessarily know how great they are going to be." Second, says Friedman, "when we have a small, even if growing, population, how to spend our book budget on them."

The foreign-language books that librarians do have access to fail to sufficiently engage her high school ELLs, says Grace Dang of the Brooklyn (NY) International School. She describes their needs as "high-interest, low-level reading."

"If we're talking about complex topics such as gun control, or religion, or even recent issues such as the presidency, it would be good for the students to have it more accessible," Dang says.

Nafz, who's nearing 25 years at Fair Lawn, has amassed just shy of 15 shelves of foreign-language children's books. Built largely from donations, her collection has a good showing of Russian, Spanish, and Hebrew books, and a small selection of books in Korean and Italian. She relies on parent volunteers to filter inappropriate titles from the collection, which can be used by the borough's six elementary schools and Bergen County's 77 libraries.

"I don't have the collection organized in any specific way, because I couldn't maintain that," she says. "I just keep it neat."

Kate Eads at Northgate Elementary School in Seattle doesn't have a system for organizing or vetting materials-"that's just me Googling," she says. Her collection is built through contributions from others.

"I'm dependent on hand-me-downs and donations," she says. Northgate did, however, receive a $10,000 donation, some of which Eads will spend on books in Cantonese and other languages represented in her student body.

If the sole goal was a child's mastery of English, these native language materials wouldn't be such a critical issue. But the materials are essential, Nafz believes, to engage and support caregivers and better serve the entire family.

"The kids are going to learn English; they're surrounded by it," Nafz says. "A grandparent sees Korean-language materials and she feels at home, and we definitely want to support those families."

Fair Lawn offers Russian storytimes, echoing a trend seen across many libraries in the New York tristate area where there are Spanish storytimes and even one in Tagalog at the Bergenfield, NJ, library.

Students in Nafz's district tend to get most of their reading materials from their individual classrooms. Field trips to the public library allow students to tap into its broader ELL collection.

"My lanyard says 'read' in all these different languages," Nafz says. "Kids will look at it and they'll get excited that they can identify their language on my person. A child will recognize a book in their language and jump up and down. It tells the kid, 'This library's yours.' "

Having books in a child's or caregiver's native language sends a message of inclusion, librarians say, of heightened importance at a time when the political climate has given rise to anti-immigrant sentiment and the U.S. Department of Education is considering dropping the federal Office of English Language Acquisition.

"This is a country where we speak English, not Spanish," President Trump said on the campaign trail in 2015. "Whether people like it or not, that's how we assimilate."

The Trump administration's rhetoric, its attempt at a travel ban on citizens of some Muslim-majority countries, and its "America First" doctrine have raised concerns among librarians that ELLs may shy away from asking for the help they need.

"I think within the new immigrant community, some people are very tentative approaching me about using the services of the library," Nafz says. "I've seen it more with my Middle Eastern population-they kind of seem hesitant to say where they're from."

Robbin Friedman, a children's librarian at Chappaqua (NY) Library, holds a book in Hindi that was written and self-published by a local father years ago and has since circulated throughout the county's library system.
Photo courtesy of Chappaqua Library

But she and others across the country say that, if anything, the situation has made them more resolute about the need to nurture their ELL students.

"I've seen teachers and support staff really double down on their advocacy of the students," says Kelly Matteri, an ELA teacher at the Sonoma County (CA) Office of Education. They know "that they're kind of safeguarding that child's educational experience."

Tinkering to proficiency

One school of thought gaining momentum in the ELL-education space is the maker movement, with advocates saying children are more likely to develop and retain English if it has practical value for them.

"A lot of school is about delivery of content rather than creating experience," says Dale Dougherty, a cofounder of O'Reilly Media who is now better known as the CEO of Maker Media. "If they focused more on creating experiences, they'd have greater buy-in from kids doing things. They'd be building their own sense of confidence and capability. What speed, for example, does my race car go at? And how can I measure it?"

Language acquisition "would be more on the applied side rather than the theoretical side," he says. "The lesson judgement is less on, 'How well did you understand something?' and more on 'Did you understand something well enough to do something and then replicate/improve it?'"

Educators say makerspaces can boost ELLs' confidence and desire to speak English.

"A well-designed maker experiment really starts with that exploration: that people are interacting without a whole front-loading language that allows them to push past perceived barriers," says Casey Shea, coordinator of maker education at the Sonoma County Office of Education.

During the maker sessions, ELLs "are being seen as valuable contributors to the academic conversations," says Matteri. They can incorporate hand gestures and sound effects to participate. "It's scaffolding in a really intentional and purposeful way."

Grassroots success

The most promising initiatives seem to be ones that sprout up in one community and are noticed and implemented by other populations with similar needs.

Miriam Lang Budin worked in the children's department at the Chappaqua Library before retiring in December. She recalls a Hindi-language book that was written and self-published by a father in the community. The book circulated throughout the Westchester Library System far more than she originally thought it would.

Baro Af-Soomaali already seems to be having an impact beyond its community. After the Seattle Housing Authority's webinar on the project, representatives from the Minnesota Housing Authority reached out to discuss ways to contribute to future books.

At school, the book is having an impact on the wider student body. The Somali students "see themselves," says Northgate's Eads. "They get to see it in print. That alone is so affirming for any of us [who] have any kind of intersectionality."

Eads says it also helped her native English speakers to see the connections between their language and that of their classmates. " 'That looks just like our alphabet,' " Eads recalls the children saying. "Then we got to talk about similarities and differences. We don't all have to be apple pie and hot dogs."

Hiten Samtani is the editorial director at TheRealDeal.com and a former contributing reporter on education for the New York Times and WNYC.

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Librarians Collaborate to Support English Language Learners and Their Families

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The Baro Af-Soomaali alphabet book is the work of Somali mothers andtheir children, who collaborated with the Seattle Public Library,a local Somali poet, and various organizations to create a picture book that allows sharing of language and culture among generations of families and in the community.

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Stevenson, S. (2017, September 13). English language learners + graphic novels -. -. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/english-language-learners-graphic-novels/#:~:text=Learning%20a%20New%20Language&text=Graphic%20novels%20are%20perfect%20for,words%2C%20they%20can%20intuit%20meaning.

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Beginner's Mind
Recently I had a powerful if uncomfortable experience. I spent a month in Italy taking Italian language lessons. Although I'd studied the language off and on before, I was placed in a situation where I felt over my head and frustrated. Voglio dire pìu che quella posso dire. I want to say more than I can say. It was humbling for an extrovert, and at my age, to be placed in a beginner's mind situation. My facility with English did not translate to this new language. Sometimes my head literally hurt from thinking. I worried my sentences sounded like a three-year-old's, or maybe that was a stretch. I immediately thought of my English language learners and how they must feel when suddenly immersed in an alien culture and language. In contrast, I'm continually amazed by how quickly these new students become fluent in English.
Learning a New Language Stephen Krashen and the Input Hypothesis
These English language learners are an integral part of our library program. Their ELL teacher sends them to the library frequently, and they are avid readers of graphic novels. Graphic novels are perfect for English language learners because they are high interest, and the images can fill in, giving clues when they don't know a word. Rather than stopping to look up the meanings of every few words, they can intuit meaning. It is commonly said that it takes about seven years to learn a new language. If that's true, then our students are certainly quick learners. The most rapid advances I've witnessed in language acquisition are in my frequent readers of graphic novels. In fact, if only Raina Telgemeier (graphic novelist of Smile, Sisters, Ghosts) could write a novel a day, my students might become fluent in just weeks! Please take a moment to listen to these testimonials from my former students.
Graphic Novel Collections
Once again, our library and literacy champion, Stephen Krashen, professor emeritus, University of Southern California, has supplied the research to support what I observe in these students. Dr. Krashen developed five hypotheses on language acquisition, summarized as the input hypothesis. Rather than focusing our efforts on direct language instruction, Dr. Krashen's research revealed that comprehensible input, in the form of spoken or written language, results directly in language acquisition and competence. Krashen believes that most language learning is unconsciously acquired and also dependent on the interest level (compellingness) of the input, both aural and written. In fact, his case study of Ramon (see notes below) illustrates what I witness in my students every year.

When I became a middle school librarian fourteen years ago, our graphic novel section was limited to a few Simpsons comics and Calvin and Hobbes. One of my goals has been to grow the collection, and the timing couldn't have been better. After binging on purchasing many Japanese Manga series, I noticed that so many more talented writers were working in the genre: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang and the Persepolis books by Marjane Satrapi to name but two notable additions. Now Jason Reynolds has added his latest: Miles Morales: Spider-Man, featuring a half-black/half Puerto Rican young Spider-Man. Although it's not a graphic novel but a regular one, it serves as a perfect bridge for comic readers to try out more conventional text. Another recent purchase has gotten positive reviews: Rickety Stitch and the Gelatinous Goo: The Road to Epoli by Ben Costa. And of course the gorgeous, illustrated Snow White by Matt Phelan. I'm thankful to these graphic novel artists and writers who make language more accessible to our dormant readers and to our students who are English language learners.

Notes

Henkin, V. and Krashen, S. 2015. "The Naruto breakthrough: The home run book experience and English language development." Language Magazine 15(1): 32-25, published as "The Home Run book experience." http://www.sdkrashen.com/content/articles/2015_henken_krashen_naruto_breakthrough.pdf

Categories: Blog Topics, Collection Development, Community/Teacher Collaboration, Student Engagement/ Teaching Models

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English Language Learners + Graphic Novels | Knowledge Quest

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Beginner's Mind Recently I had a powerful if uncomfortable experience. I spent a month in Italy taking Italian language lessons. Although I'd studied the language off and on before, I was placed in a situation where I felt over my... Read More ›

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Stick Together Creativity Collection (4 Kits)

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Stick Together Creativity Collection (4 Kits)

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For makerspaces, media centers, or wherever creativity and imagination meets collaboration, these images are sure to jumpstart the process.This collection includes Explore, Create, Invent and Design. Purchase one or more individually, or get all four at our Value Bundle Price.

Each individual kit contains:

40" x 36" Poster Grid

3,996 Stickers

Color Key

Instructions and Tips

Poster can be taped to a wall, mounted on foam core, or placed flat on a large table.

Single kit completion time = approx. 3 hrs of continuous group "stickering".

Each kit can also be purchased individually.

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For makerspaces, media centers, or wherever creativity and imagination meets collaboration, these images are sure to jumpstart the process.This collection includes Explore, Create, Invent and Design. Purchase one or more individually, or get all four at our Value Bundle Price.

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Una arruga en el tiempo (Novela gráfica /A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel (Spanish Edition)

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A young girl's courage is tested in this haunting, wordless story.

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An innovative, two-in-one picture book follows a parallel day in the life of two families: one in a Western city and one in a North African village.

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Told from four intertwining points of view-two boys and two girls-the novel celebrates bravery, being different, and finding your inner bayani (hero). "Readers will be instantly engrossed in this relatable neighborhood adventure and its eclectic cast of misfits."- Booklist

In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his crazy-about-sports family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely, and she loves everything about nature. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister, Gen, is always following her around. And Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so he can concentrate on basketball.

They aren't friends, at least not until Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well. This disaster leads Kaori, Gen, and Valencia on an epic quest to find missing Virgil. Through luck, smarts, bravery, and a little help from the universe, a rescue is performed, a bully is put in his place, and friendship blooms.

The acclaimed author of Blackbird Fly and The Land of Forgotten Girls writes with an authentic, humorous, and irresistible tween voice that will appeal to fans of Thanhha Lai and Rita Williams-Garcia.

"Readers across the board will flock to this book that has something for nearly everyone-humor, bullying, self-acceptance, cross-generational relationships, and a smartly fateful ending." ( School Library Journal )

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Amazon.com: Hello, Universe (Audible Audio Edition): Erin Entrada Kelly, Ramon de Ocampo, Amielynn Abellera, HarperAudio: Books

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Spanish Edition by Erin Kelly Entrada (Author)

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Hola, Universo (Spanish Edition) [Entrada, Erin Kelly] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Hola, Universo (Spanish Edition)

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The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez

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The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez

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The Book of Unknown Americans: A novel [Henríquez, Cristina] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Book of Unknown Americans: A novel

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El Libro de los Americanos Desconocidos (Spanish Edition)

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El Libro de los Americanos Desconocidos (Spanish Edition)

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El libro de los americanos desconocidos / The Book of Unknown Americans (Spanish Edition)

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El libro de los americanos desconocidos / The Book of Unknown Americans (Spanish Edition) [Henríquez, Cristina] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. El libro de los americanos desconocidos / The Book of Unknown Americans (Spanish Edition)

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Dominicana [Cruz, Angie] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Dominicana

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Dominicana (Spanish Edition) [Cruz, Angie, Antigua, Kianny] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Dominicana (Spanish Edition)

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Amazon.com: The Poet X: 9780062662811: Acevedo, Elizabeth: Books

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La novela que volvió a revivir en los jóvenes la pasión por la poesía. -Best seller del New York Times. -Novela ganadora del National Book Award, el Michael L. Printz Award, el Boston Globe-Horn Award for Fiction, ell Pura Belpré Author Award y la medalla Carnegie. Xiomara Batista se siente igno...

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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz 

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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz 

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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

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Amazon.com: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe: 8601404293382: Sáenz, Benjamin Alire: Books

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Aristóteles y Dante descubren los secretos del universo (Spanish Edition)

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Aristóteles y Dante descubren los secretos del universo (Spanish Edition)

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x2 copies

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Aristóteles y Dante descubren los secretos del universo (Spanish Edition)

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"El problema con mi vida era que se le había ocurrido a alguien más". Aristóteles es introvertido y tímido. Dante es transparente y expresivo. Por motivos que parecen escapar a toda razón, estos dos chicos de diecisiete años se encuentran y construyen una a...