Impact Study of the Teacher Librarian Specific Training on Educational Achievement

Current Situation at Integrated Elementary Schools (EBIs)

Abstract

This paper presents the current situation of the school library teams’ specific training in the Portuguese Integrated Elementary Schools that in 2005 were already in the Portuguese School Libraries’ Network. Other countries’ studies, like the ones from the USA and UK, suggest that students achieve higher levels of literacy, learning and problem solving when teacher librarians have specific training to perform their duties. The analysis of data gathered from a questionnaire shows that 32% of the Portuguese school librarians do not have any kind of specific training. This scenario suggests that there hasn’t been any significant improvement since 10 years ago especially in what school librarians’ training is concerned.