Informational Empowerment: Using Informational Books to Connect the Library Media Center Program with Sheltered Instruction

Abstract

Sheltered instruction (SI) is a teaching strategy that allows the school library media specialist to collaborate in the English-as-a-second language (ESL) program to help English language learner (ELL) students integrate second-language acquisition skills with content area instruction. By aligning ESL Standards for Pre-K-12 Students with Information Power standards, a powerful collaborative effort is formed between the school library media specialist and ESL teachers. These two United States standards for education allow ESL teachers to learn selection criteria and teaching strategies for using informational trade books with ELL students while providing an opportunity far the school library media specialist to learn how better to assist ELL students with acquiring information. Read-alouds, puppetry, book talks, storytelling, author studies, and listening centers are useful approaches for incorporating the various genres of informational books into sheltered instruction.