Classroom libraries: Forward facing books

Our schoolED consultant Carly Allen writes –  As teachers settle back into classroom routines and get to know their students, many thoughts can consume their heads during this time of the year. Let’s take a step back and focus on one very critical aspect of the classroom environment: the classroom library.

There are many important elements to setting up an effective classroom library at the beginning of each year – text variety, aesthetic, accessibility, organisation, classification, maintenance, student involvement…. the list could go on. But one of the most crucial elements to an effective classroom library is ensuring all book covers are forward-facing. Recent studies on literacy confirm what educators have known for years: the more contact children have with books, the better readers they become (Neuman,1999).

To capture a child’s attention and make them want to pick up a book and get lost in its pages, all starts with the front cover. It’s such a simple yet significant component to the classroom library. Primarily, the front cover is the first impression on the readers eye and visually captures their interest. By positioning the front covers out, it encourages an affection for browsing books and making thoughtful reading choices. Displaying books with their covers front-facing also increases access, allowing students to easily flip through books and see many titles at a glance. When students can quickly and effectively find ‘just right’ texts that interest them they can engage in sustained independent reading. Contact us to find out how schoolED consultancy can support teachers to create an effective classroom library that is ready for the new school year.

Author: Carly Allan