Creating literacy learning spaces through group reading strategies: the children's centre library vacation experience

Abstract

Literacy, while still essential for both personal and national development, has evolved far beyond the ability to read and write print; the concept is now applied to varied media in such forms as visual literacy, aural literacy, computer literacy and information literacy. It is best developed through conducive and nurturant learning spaces in libraries, schools, and communities, spaces supporting a wide variety of activities, including numerous group reading strategies. This paper identifies the Children's Centre Library of the University of Nigeria as such a literacy learning space, as exemplified by vacation programme activities. It describes the use of learning spaces for literacy development during the 2013 and 2015 vacation programmes by detailing the use of eight group reading strategies: sustained silent reading, story hours, play with toys and games, book clubs, competitions in spelling and quizzes, art activities, comic book writing, and book making. The paper concludes that the Children's Centre Library vacation experience provides an example of literacy learning spaces in action.

Keywords: Literacy, learning spaces, group reading strategies, Children's Centre Library