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Information Standards for Student Learning (AASL/AECT, 1998) gave the school library profession national standards for teaching information literacy. This document is the foundation piece from a practical perspective. The challenge for school library media specialists is delivering information skills instruction in settings where they are often the only educator with primary responsibility for this instruction with a student population way beyond the typical twenty-five to one ratio in individual classrooms. I have talked with many school library media specialists who wonder how to put those standards into practice.
The first place to start is with an information literacy curriculum based on the information literacy standards. Many states, school districts, and schools have developed excellent information literacy curriculums and a selective sample is included in this article. These curriculums were developed with two differing perspectives. One is a stand-alone information literacy curriculum that becomes another content area along with reading, writing, math, etc. The North Carolina, Ohio, Utah, and Washington curriculums are examples of the stand-alone concept. The other approach integrates information literacy within other areas of the curriculum. The Pennsylvania Department of Education's Tool Kit is an example of this integrated concept.
Once school library media specialists have a curriculum as a guide, the next step is to develop lessons and instructional activities that are appropriate for specific levels that correlate with the planned learning experiences across the broader curriculum. The most effective approach for school library media specialists is to collaborate with classroom teachers so students can recognize a relationship between the information literacy instruction and their learning needs within specific assignments. The resources and tools listed here provide a wealth of ideas for collaboration and instruction. Assessment is also important and ideas for effective...