Let’s Booktalk - Using Social Media to Guide Students in Book Selection
A school librarian is often asked if he or she knows any good books. But what the school librarian likes to read, and the reasons why the librarian thinks a book is “good”, may not necessarily be what students like to read. So the challenge is to find quick resources for the students to reference as they select books to read for pleasure and personal growth, an educational standard as outlined by the AASL - The American Association of School Librarians. It has been my experience that students are more willing to read what their peers are reading. Students value their friends’ opinions. Librarians and teachers can use social media as tools to help spread the message on which books students are reading and recommending.
Create a Facebook Group for an Online Book Club
Why not start with probably the most recognizable social media outlet? Even though Facebook has a real advertising push, individuals can create groups that are only viewable by invitation.
Teacher establishes a Facebook group and invites students to join. The page sample is posted below.
Teacher establishes a Facebook group and invites students to join. The page sample is posted below.
- Once students are members of the Facebook group, then the teacher can posts comments for students to respond to.
- The Facebook group can be a simplified book club. A group of students can read the same book, such as Rick Riordan’s The Last Olympian, and the teacher can periodically post questions about the book for which students can comment.
- The Facebook group can also be a place where students post comments, or short reviews, about a book s/he just finished reading. The teacher can provide a model of how to rate the book, such as 1-5 stars, and model a short mini-review. Students can also create their own rating system when reviewing books.
- Teachers & students can create informal polls and ask other members of the group such as who is their favorite author? Favorite book?
- Teachers & students can also upload any video book trailers to share with each other.
Follow Favorite Author on Twitter
One way to keep up on any new book releases of favorite authors and book series is to follow a favorite author.
- Students set up Twitter accounts and follow each other as well as the teacher.
- Students choose their favorite authors to follow as approved by the teacher to insure students are choosing wisely and appropriately.
- Students retweet interesting facts and information tweeted by their favorite authors so that students’ followers can also read. They should also include @teacher’s name for monitoring.
- Follow Mrs. Watts @cwatts_edtech
Write Short Book Recommendations on Wallwisher.com
Wallwisher is a great online tool that can serve as an electronic bulletin board for the classroom. Students create “post-it” notes and post to Wallwisher to share with the class.
- Teacher creates account with Wallwisher and begins the Wall with a question to ask, and model an appropriate response. For instance, the class can start off with what is your favorite book and why? Or, another project idea is to post a book and a video from specific genre. For instance, if the students are required to read a historical novel, they can research titles and post a book recommendation to Wallwisher for teacher approval.
- Students write a short response and upload images and videos in regards to their books.
- Teacher approves student post-it notes prior to posting on Wallwisher.