The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

TL 15.2.indd The Teaching Librarian volume 15, no. 2 35 The Program Because PIP students are not working towards diplomas, it's possible to be quite creative when designing library programming. As long as the students are having positive learning experiences, experimentation is fine. In fact, I consider it a requirement. I find this freedom quite exciting and I've taken full advantage of it. While I haven't yet managed to implement a comprehensive, integrated PIP library program (in part because there is no actual PIP curriculum), I have built several pieces that have worked well, including library orientation and skills, information literacy and research, reading and literacy, and vocational training. I've also been able to contribute to other areas of students' programs. One of the first units I created was a library orientation and skills unit designed to introduce students to the basics, such as appropriate library behaviour, resources, and basic skills such as signing out and returning books. I reduced the library rules to three: quiet, walk, and work. I used Boardmaker to create information sheets, worksheets, activities and puzzles, and library signs. I also wrote a social story for a student with autism. The students in this group were, generally, functioning below the kindergarten level, so the focus was vocabulary development as well as social skills and appropriate behaviour. I did not expect that these students would become independent library users, but I did want them to feel welcome. The students demonstrated both enjoyment and learning, so I deemed the unit a success. I've done several research projects with PIP resource classes. While the students varied considerably in ability, most were functioning at an early primary level. I taught these students a simplified version of the research process and provided lots of support and scaffolding. I even expected the students to cite their sources, although I created a worksheet and didn't worry about MLA format. We created a survey for the pets project and graphed the results, created and presented PowerPoint presentations about zoo animals, created brochures about the human body, and worked on posters about the provinces. These projects took quite a bit of time and effort, but it was time and effort well spent. The students learned about research, did work that boosted their self-confidence and amazed their teachers, and continue to ask me when we're doing another project. I've also offered a literature unit. I chose a variety of picture books to read aloud and used Boardmaker to create journal and vocabulary worksheets for each book. Favourite books included How Smudge Came (story by Nan Gregory, pictures by Ron Lightburn) and Cats Sleep Anywhere (by Eleanor Freon, illustrated by Anne Mortimer). One of the students so enjoyed Cats Sleep Anywhere that she practiced with an ERW until she was able to read the book to the group. It was the first book she'd ever read. That's success! I've developed a vocational skills training program, which I offer almost every semester to an individual student assigned to the library for one period each day as a co-op placement. Generally, these students do not have significant physical disabilities, display reasonably appropriate behaviour (e.g. violence and running are not concerns), and have some degree of academic ability (generally pre-K to about grade two). Sometimes there's an ERW assigned to work with the student, but not always. There's an interview and a contract. The student signs in each day, checks the schedule, completes the assigned tasks, keeps a journal, and prepares a display for the Co-op Job Fair. The tasks include such things as shredding, processing new magazines, putting the new magazines in order in the display spinner, filing the back issues, tidying the shelves, and helping at the Circulation Desk. I've created instruction cards for these tasks, model the work, and provide support as necessary. I've also modified the tasks to ensure that they're suitable. For example, we put a round green sticker in the top right corner of each magazine cover, with the first letter of the magazine title. Each pocket on the spinner also has a letter sticker. All the student has to do is match the letters - all the "A" magazines go in "A" pockets, for example. Processing the new magazines means removing all the advertising cards and stamping the front and back cover, first page, table of contents, Co-op students, Alyssa and Shawna working in the library