子どもの読書活動推進の新たな転回と課題

抄録

 This paper reviews recent trends within the promotional activities to encourage book-reading among children. The paper argues that a turning point occurred in 2000; the national childrenʼs book-reading year. After that, promotional activities rapidly expanded with both citizen and administrative support. Important characteristics of these activities are a vision to develop book-reading communities and guidance aimed at helping every child to participate in book-reading practices. They are not about enthusiastic volunteers coercing children who like reading to read more books, but about creating networks of professionals who can realize the participation of every child.

 There are four aspects to these characteristics. The first point relates to adult boundary-crossing activities, such as book-start which is 10-minutes of book reading during morning sessions. The second aspect lies in regarding book-reading not as a dialogue between the text and the reader, but rather as a dialogue between an adult and a child, or between one child and another child. Collaborative book-reading activities are encouraged, such as animating book-reading and collective book-reading (e.g.public book readings). A third point is that these promotional activities are not trying to make children read more books but are seeking to foster richer engagements with books through various kinds of interactions, such as conversations with authors (author visits) and competitions to make book cover belts. These activities entail the cultural participation of the professional community that handles books. The fourth point is that the promotions are not aimed at everyone, but are targeted to develop book-reading abilities and interest in children. The school librarian does not stage occasional book-reading promotions, but rather plans an annual program of instruction, such as children reading lists and curricula for reading development.

 As the gaps between socio-economic classes expand, the needs for school libraries and quality book reading are increasing.