#librarianship

The sister volunteered for two years. Then she brought me her younger sister. This continued for about ten years. TEN YEARS with one family passing down the volunteer role at my branch library. I'd get each for a year or two before I'd get an email asking "Hey, could my sister volunteer there next year?"

You're one of the few school librarians I follow on here and so I thought it would be easy to ask. Do you have any students with learning disabilities? If so, how do you deal with them?

I'm writing my short-term thesis on that and thought it'd be great to have a perspective from someone who is already part of the area. Cheers!

Hi! Sorry for the long wait for a reply!

I have several students with learning disabilities. The most common is probably dyslexia (unless ADHD counts as a learning disability?). 

In my experience, learning disabilities tend to show themselves in a library setting via the student being a reluctant reader. As such, I try to do a few things: 

1) Connect them to topics they’re interested in, which can take some prodding and patience. 

The way I approach it with them is to start with “Okay, so you don’t like reading much. What do you like? How do you spend your time?” and from there try to find something that might grab their interest (e.g. if they like video games, you can suggest game manuals, the Plants Vs Zombies comics if they know the game, or the early chapter book series Press Start).

2) Try to suggest books that reluctant readers are typically drawn to, such as comics.

Because reluctant readers tend to gravitate towards comics, I’ve done a bit of digging around for nonfiction comics to adapt to the interests of reluctant readers who prefer nonfiction, and came across a really good series called Science Comics. It’s basically a collection of nonfiction books on various subjects, but the information is delivered through comics. It’s been very popular with the reluctant reader and bookworm kiddos alike.

I’ve also noticed that reluctant readers often find choose-your-own-adventure style books very appealing, probably because it’s a more interactive story where the reading is cut into smaller chunks. Early on in my career, I had a student that was a low reader and his teacher was trying to find something for him at his level but that looked thicker (because his classmates were mocking his choice of books due to being thin and therefore “for little kids”). After scouring the library, I suggested a choose-your-own-adventure book, and the kid liked it so much that he renewed the book several times and asked for more like it!

I find that, to get reluctant and lower readers into reading, the key is to meet them where they’re at and to cater to their interests. I always tell the kids who say they don’t like to read that “There’s no such thing as not liking to read, there’s only not having found the right book for you”. I also always make a point when doing mini booktalks for helping them find something to let them know that they don’t need to feel pressured to pick a book just because I suggested it; that finding the right book can take a little time and trial and error. 

3) Keep track of what kids have been asking for that we don’t have in the library. 

One of the ways I’ve done this that has been really popular is by having a sheet where kids can suggest books for the library, both specific books or topics that they’d like to see more of. I explained to the kids that suggesting something wasn’t a guarantee that I’d get it, but if I did, whoever made the suggestion would get first dibs on it. 

4) Have reading material that includes characters with disabilities.

While accessibility is obviously important, I think it’s also crucial to remember to consciously make an effort to include books featuring disabled characters in them both so that the disabled kids can see themselves in literature, and so that abled kids see that disabled kids are just like them.

5) If you can, have material in different formats, so that kids with learning disabilities can find the style of reading best suited for them.

One of the things I wish I had the ability to do was have audiobooks available, but I don’t have the budget or infrastructure for it, so when we have Battle of the Books I try to find readalouds on YouTube for kids that prefer audiobooks.

6) Make signage designs simple, clean, and with simple fonts.

When making posters and worksheets, use fonts that are easy to read and ideally are sans serif, such as Comic Sans (everyone makes fun of it, but I remember reading a study that said it scored high in readability for dyslexics) or Ubuntu. Basically, give preference to simple fonts that have distinct looks for each letter.

As for signage, I find that adding images to go with the words helps kids who are lower readers (or still learning to read) to be a bit more independent.

But also if I commit to UW then I have to move across the country and leave all of my friends behind. I have family in Washington but I don't talk to them much.