‘We talk books’: Teacher librarians promoting book discussion to foster reading engagement
English in Australia
Australian Association for the Teaching of English
School of Education
© 2020, AATE - Australian Association Teaching English. All rights reserved. Although teacher librarians play a role as literacy and literature educators in schools, little research attention is given to this role. In addition, the use of book discussion in school libraries to enhance reading engagement is not often closely considered as an educative practice. This paper draws on qualitative research findings from interviews with teacher librarians in 30 Australian schools to explore how these educators stimulate book discussion to foster reading for pleasure as part of their professional practice. This paper finds teacher librarians stimulate book discussion to foster reading for pleasure in a variety of ways, and for diverse reasons, with an overarching goal being the promotion of reading for pleasure. A range of approaches to discussion around books emerge from the data, including peer to peer, teacher to student, and other diverse interplays. Teacher librarians actively promote reading as a social practice and encourage students to value reading for pleasure.