The attitudes and beliefs held by English teachers and school library administrators regarding the availability and utilization of English books in school libraries.

Abstract

This thesis investigates the role of school libraries in supporting extensive reading (ER) and the perceptions of English teachers and library administrators regarding the availability, importance, and selection of English books in Norwegian primary and lower secondary schools. Extensive reading, characterized by reading large volumes of material at an appropriate difficulty level, is recognized for enhancing vocabulary comprehension and overall language proficiency. However, implementing ER programs often faces challenges, particularly related to resource availability and teacher perceptions. Through a mixed-methods approach, this study gathers data from library mappings, student questionnaires, and interviews with school library administrators and teachers. The research aims to answer the following questions: What are the perceptions of school library administrators and English teachers towards the availability, importance, and selection of English books? How do English teachers utilize school libraries, and how are English books prioritized in these libraries? The findings reveal that both teachers and library administrators recognize the importance of ER, yet face constraints due to limited resources and varying levels of support. Teachers often struggle to fully integrate library resources into their curricula, while librarians emphasize the need for better book selection to meet student interests. Additionally, there is a general consensus on the potential benefits of ER for language development, though practical implementation remains inconsistent.

This thesis investigates the role of school libraries in supporting extensive reading (ER) and the perceptions of English teachers and library administrators regarding the availability, importance, and selection of English books in Norwegian primary and lower secondary schools. Extensive reading, characterized by reading large volumes of material at an appropriate difficulty level, is recognized for enhancing vocabulary comprehension and overall language proficiency. However, implementing ER programs often faces challenges, particularly related to resource availability and teacher perceptions. Through a mixed-methods approach, this study gathers data from library mappings, student questionnaires, and interviews with school library administrators and teachers. The research aims to answer the following questions: What are the perceptions of school library administrators and English teachers towards the availability, importance, and selection of English books? How do English teachers utilize school libraries, and how are English books prioritized in these libraries? The findings reveal that both teachers and library administrators recognize the importance of ER, yet face constraints due to limited resources and varying levels of support. Teachers often struggle to fully integrate library resources into their curricula, while librarians emphasize the need for better book selection to meet student interests. Additionally, there is a general consensus on the potential benefits of ER for language development, though practical implementation remains inconsistent.