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TL9.1Larry 14 Ontario School Library Association IImmpprroovviinngg tteesstt ssccoorreess rreeqquuiirreess eexxppeerrttiissee aanndd tteeaamm wwoorrkk This September when high school stu-dents returned to school refreshedfrom their summer's vacation, hopeful- ly looking forward to the challenges of new teachers and new material, the grade tens also faced a Ministry test, widely referred to as the EQAO (Educational Quality and Accountability Office) test. As teacher-librar- ians, we have to be part of this school-wide literacy initiative. In the library we see a broader perspective and can observe what students read and how they go about learn- ing. We perform a balancing act of embracing the new technologies while holding firm to traditional teaching methods of research and reading. Therefore, this year when literacy test scores and accountability are being dis- cussed, teacher librarians will have an excel- lent opportunity to be part of the literacy team. We must become involved in: l selecting materials which support the school goals l finding creative ways to promote reading among poorly motivated students l helping assess and evaluate learning l mentoring teachers and students l finding out about the new software avai able. When the results for the preliminary practice test were disclosed in the spring of last year, our school strategies to improve student achieve- ment became a major focus during our staff meetings. The discussion was about improving the scores and adopting teaching practices based on the requirements of the EQAO style of test. Essentially, literacy in the broadest defini- tion includes visual skills as well as skills needed to decode language, make inferences, organize ideas and decipher main ideas, among many other complex tasks. To bolster student suc- cess, all subject areas needed to find ways to approximate a similar series of tasks to reinforce these skills. The larger framework of what was going on in IM P R O V IN G L IT ER A C Y @ y ou r li b ra ry ™ Literacy is a major focus in high school programs across the Province of Ontario with the demands of the current government for all grade ten students to pass a standardized literacy test. Anna Wharton