Conference discusses ways to enhance student reading

Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) and the American Library Association (ALA), in collaboration with the Emirates Library and Information Association (ELIA), American Association of School Libraries (AASL) and the Combined Book Exhibit, the inaugural Sharjah School Librarians Conference is bringing together educators, librarians, and literacy advocates from around the world for two days to share innovative approaches for enhancing student reading and learning.

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The conference being held at Expo Center Sharjah, highlights the important environment school libraries provide in supporting academic success and personal development.

Through collaboration and knowledge exchange, the event aims to empower attending library professionals to promote lifelong readers and learners in today's evolving educational industry.

In a session titled "Assessing student reading and learning," Dr Elizabeth Burns, Associate Professor in the Department of STEM Education and Professional Studies at Old Dominion University, Virginia, USA, emphasised the need for precise evaluation tools to measure students' reading comprehension and understanding.

She shared a set of strategies grounded in the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) standards, aimed at supporting students' academic growth and enhancing the quality of education delivered through school libraries.