by Ms. Sana Kazi
Generally a library is a place where people spend most of their time either studying or reading books. A perfect library displays in its truest sense the power of a single word, ‘silence’. This silent environment creates an aura of peacefulness which enhances concentration power and induces a studious setting, typical for students.
But when we talk about school libraries at the primary level, this particular room called the library has much more to offer than just a quiet study environment. As soon as the student walks inside it he is surrounded by a sea filled with knowledge waiting to be explored. Students have to be trained in order to use this place most productively. Teachers have to play a major role in developing this interest in the students.
A library is a perfect place to enhance reading skills especially with the help of library activity teachers who should try different techniques in order to create a fascinating reading environment. One of the most successful techniques is to engage the students in a reading circle where the teacher initiates reading an interesting story with expressions and articulation, later students in the circle are given a chance to read the same story turn by turn. As a result interest is developed and students are motivated to read in a certain manner. Sometimes the teacher should give out bookmarks, stars, a small chocolate or any other thing as a motivation booster to the students in order to encourage them to read. Students should be appreciated when they finish reading a certain number of books. This can be recorded by means of reading logs which each student should possess. Such reading logs should be filled whenever a book is completed. This way the library activity teacher can keep a track of his / her students’ reading progress. Where reading is important, book reviews are an important part as well. Students should be able to recall the content of the book which they have read in their own words. Once in a while, the library activity teacher can hand out pre-prepared book report formats too which students should fill out their selves in the library.
As much as reading is important listening is as important as well. An interesting story telling session in the library is an excellent idea to engage the students in a listening activity. This way the students develop their listening skills and they also pick up on different reading styles introduced by the teacher. During all such library sessions, students should be encouraged to borrow good books from the library to read at home and at the same time they should be educated as to how to take care of books and how to use them. As I have already mentioned that a library has much more to offer than just a quiet study environment, in the modern day library, apart from reading, 2 minutes public speaking sessions can also take place where the students can talk about their favourite books, authors, stories, articles, poems etc and they can also have turns for story-telling; hence, improving their speaking power as well.
On the whole, a library class is like a cave where the treasure of knowledge is to be discovered. It is up to the library activity teacher how he / she engages his / her students in prolific activities in which the students can brush up their reading, listening, speaking and comprehension skills with fun, interest and creativity.
