I often publish resources around engaging our learners with reading and literacy. However, one aspect that significantly impacts our overall literacy instruction is the classroom environment. Our classroom libraries and their organisation play a crucial role. Using a mix of genre, topic, and author organisation can create a more engaging and effective classroom library. Let’s look at each one, its benefits and limitations.
1. Organising by Genre
Grouping books by genre, such as biographies, fantasy, historical fiction, and graphic novels, helps students rely on past reading experiences to choose books they enjoy. It mirrors how libraries and bookstores are organized, making it familiar for students. This method can also introduce them to new genres. However, it can be challenging if students have a specific book in mind but don’t know its genre, or if a book fits into multiple genres.
2. Organising by Topic or Theme
Categorising books by topics like sports, friendship, science, or history makes it easy for students to find books of interest. It’s straightforward to determine a book’s topic, and subcategories can help manage large collections. However, this method might split up series or make it difficult to categorise books with multiple themes. Too many categories can also overwhelm students.
3. Organising by Author or Series
Grouping books by author or series allows students to easily find all books by a favourite author or within a favourite series. It also showcases an author’s range of work. The downside is that students might not know the author of a book they want, making it harder to locate.
Combining Methods
You can combine these methods for a more flexible organisation. Start with genres as the main organisation, and within each genre, create subcategories for series, popular authors, or specific topics. This hybrid approach can help students navigate and discover books more effectively. The key takeaway is to avoid organising by reading levels and instead use genre, topic, theme, or author. This encourages a love of reading, fosters knowledge, and aligns with real-world book organisation.
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