Guidance for

Advanced Readers

by Sara Kaluzynski

“Taste is not a fully developed or innate gift.”

--Barbara Baskin

Assumptions of the Status

Quo • Advanced readers

don’t want help

• Advanced readers don’t need help

• Teachers and Students: “More is better.”

• Talented and Gifted = advanced readers

• Mainstream and Hi-Lo readers are more important

Library Media Specialists must equally be able to meet the needs of children with advanced reading abilities.

Rationale• “The school library media

program serves all of the students of the community--not only the children of the most powerful, the most vocal or even the majority, but all of the students who attend the school… including the gifted…” AASL

• “To provide resources and activities that contribute to lifelong learning while accommodating a wide range of differences…” IP2, goal 6

• “If we are serving our users as readers the LMS needs to view this [issue] as urgent– those ‘moments’ of connecting a reader to a book are so fleeting and can result in lingering consequences.” --Lois Garrison

Consequences

• Encountering “inappropriate” or mature content: language, death, violence, illness, sexuality…

Or…• Rereading

same favorites• Browsing the

internet mindlessly

• Resorting to schlock

• Ceasing to read

What Not To Do

• Rely on award-winners

• Rely on classics

• Implement inflexible policies

What to do• Collection Development

and Guidance:– Seek challenging

writing: plot, setting, structure, perspective, style

– Preferred genres– Role models/ “gifted

protagonists”– Non-fiction, esp.

problem-solving, high order analysis, and application

• Continue reading ourselves

• Get to know our readers

Works-Cited• "ALA/ AASL Position Statement on

the Role of the School Library Media Program." ALA | Home - American Library Association. (2009). 11 Mar. 2009 <http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslproftools/positionstatements/aaslpositionstatementrole.cfm>.

• Abilock, Debbie. "Lighting the Gifted Reader’s Journey: The Parent-Librarian Partnership - Duke Gifted Letter." Duke Gifted Letter. (2007). 11 Mar. 2009 <http://www.dukegiftedletter.com/articles/vol7no3_feature.html>.

• Austin, Patricia . "Challenging Gifted Readers." Book Links April/May (2003): 32-37. <http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklinks/resources/giftedreaders.pdf>.

• Baskin, Barbara H. and Karen H. Harris. Books for the Gifted Child. New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1980.

• Halsted, Judith Wynn. Some of My Best Friends Are Books: Guiding Gifted Readers from Preschool to High School Second Edition. Scottsdale: Great Potential Press, Incorporated, 2002.

• Halsted, Judith. "Appropriate Content for Gifted Readers." Duke Gifted Letter. Volume 4. Issue 3. (2004) 16 Mar 2009. <http://www.dukegiftedletter.com/articles/vol4no3_cc.html>.

• Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning. Washington, D.C.: American Library Association, 1998.

• Seney, Robert. "Gifted Readers and Young Adult Literature: A Perfect Match - Duke Gifted Letter." Duke Gifted Letter. (2004). 11 Mar. 2009. <http://www.dukegiftedletter.com/articles/vol4no3_connex.html>.

• Zimmer, Donna. Personal Interview. 26 February 2009.