The librarian's role in motivating language learners: tales from an Eastern Washington college town

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to describe the benefits of contact between the language librarian and a first year language class at Washington State University, for the purpose of promoting library resources to inform language learning. Design/methodology/approach The paper discusses sociolinguistic research as it applies to motivating language learners, and promoting materials for language acquisition. By keeping abreast of sociolinguistic literature, librarians can choose the best approach for supporting, motivating, and scaffolding first year language learners through both library instruction and library collections. Findings The experience described provides a strategy for making contact with teaching faculty, promoting library materials, and the tips for planning and delivering a library instruction session on language materials to a first year language class. Practical implications This approach can be particularly valuable for librarians who wish to initiate contact with language students in the early years of instruction, both to familiarize them with the library and its resources, and to support and encourage their language learning activities. Originality/value This paper describes a powerful approach to connecting with a population of students who traditionally do not have contact with the library until they are in their third year of language study.

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