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Introduction
Effective English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction involves an integrated approach to reading, writing, speaking and listening English language skills. When comparing this approach to the segregated approach to EFL instruction, where the language is taught as an isolated subject, the integrated approach facilitates a more natural acquisition of language - as students interact with authentic English language materials and experience its "richness and complexity" ([15] Oxford, 2001, p. 3). Research in reading, literacy and second language acquisition indicates that students with access to literature-rich environments improve their reading and language acquisition skills in both their native and second or foreign languages. Factors accounting for this improvement include an increased motivation to read and time spent engaged in spoken and written language activities that are interesting and meaningful to students, regardless of their cultural backgrounds ([2] Ghosn, 2004; [10] Krashen, 2004).
Teaching language and reading are two specialized areas of instruction. As with other curricula, school libraries can play important supportive and collaborative roles in delivering successful instruction. Developing school libraries and programs to support language learning is an ideal complement to a foreign language curriculum, particularly those that use an integrated approach to language learning, where academic content and English language instruction are provided at the same time. Libraries are a storehouse of resources and teacher-librarians facilitate the use of the library with programs that teach important literacy and information literacy skills. These corresponding skills enhance all areas of active learning and meaningful comprehension, and are as relevant for English language learners as they are for native speakers. The increased use of a school library and library programming infuses an integrated or content-based foreign language program with literature-rich activities and resources which make teaching a foreign language more effective and learning a foreign language more fun. The library media education profession has not adequately addressed the role a school library media center can play in the language acquisition process, although the language acquisition and literacy process are closely related, and school libraries have always been actively involved in literacy initiatives. Additionally many in the English language teaching profession have not engaged school library media specialists in collaborative efforts to create meaningful English language learning environments, even though the school library media center...