Posted December 2004 Bayside book buddies
		Jennie Duke Project Officer School Renewal An online book club has been effective in engaging reluctant readers, and improving reading comprehension.

In 2004, Bayside schools in Brisbane identified a need to focus on literacy and the teaching of reading. In particular, the schools wanted to promote students' engagement, enjoyment, comprehension and achievement in reading.

"There was also a need to promote more effective use of ICTs in classrooms," says Jennie Duke, Project Officer, School Renewal. "I wondered if an online book club could help achieve both goals."

Jennie started to plan Bayside Book Buddies, an online book club. The Learning Place assisted by providing a project room for student chats and a forum and final chat with an author.

"The Learning Place provides a safe and secure online environment," Jennie says. "And it's easy to use. Many teachers were not familiar with using online chats, and how to integrate them into the reading curriculum. This was an easy-to-use introduction for them."

Teachers planned their curriculum for reading around one book, 'Clever Sandwiches' by Rowena Lindquist. Students spent a week completing work on the book, then went online over a six-week period, chatting to other schools and discussing in-depth questions about the author's intent. They were able to communicate with the author through a forum and a final chat session.

Jennie says that the online discussions improved many students' attitude to, and enjoyment of, reading. "In fact, at the end of the project, I asked students if they'd now ask for a book for a birthday or Christmas present," Jennie says. "And I was very pleased at the number who wouldn't have wanted that before, who now said they would!"

Bayside Book Buddies will continue in 2005, using a theme, rather one book, as stimulus. "Teachers can choose their own book related to the theme," Jennie says. "That will open the book club up to wider age groups."