In today’s world, information is abundant and easily accessible. Students have countless web-based sources at their disposal for research assignments. With this flood of information, teaching information literacy has become essential. The MYP (Middle Years Programme) is a dynamic curriculum designed to prepare students as lifelong learners. Librarians can serve as effective personal project guides and play a crucial role in teaching middle school students information literacy skills.
Role of the Teacher Librarian/Information Literacy Coach: Research techniques and strategies should be instilled in children from a young age. For example, educating students about a range of sources—primary, secondary, and tertiary—is crucial. Teachers will benefit from creating information literacy lessons with the fundamentals of research in mind.
Building in-depth Knowledge about a concept: A portion of the topics can be covered in detail at the grade level and accommodated in class modules. Since information literacy ideas cannot be assessed in the same way as traditional IB subjects, it is highly recommended to prepare students to apply these concepts in their daily lives.
ATL Connection: The MYP places a strong emphasis on Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills, which is also covered in information literacy approaches. Students are encouraged to question the material they read and identify any biases in the information. This fosters critical thinking. In class activities, students can apply their research and communication skills. Librarians can use ATL skills to teach information literacy concepts.
Responsible Digital Citizens: It’s also critical to comprehend the significance of acting responsibly as a digital citizen. Teaching students to be morally responsible online—by respecting privacy, acknowledging sources, and protecting private information—instills good digital habits.
Project Based Learning: The MYP curriculum equips students with the concepts, skills, and awareness of global issues, preparing them for the project-based work they will be required to complete during their MYP years.
It is easier for students to cope with obstacles confidently when they are prepared to meet and face issues they will experience during their research. By teaching students how to confidently navigate research challenges, librarians have become invaluable as information literacy coaches today.
Resources: Find out more about the MYP
By Maitreyee Saha
Information Literacy Specialist and EE Coordinator
Sharanya Narayani International School, Bangalore
