Stiftung Lesen, Germany
Stiftung Lesen was founded in 1988. The foundation sees itself as a forum for creating new ideas and ways to promote reading in the media-age. As operative foundation Stiftung Lesen realises campaigns and projects throughout Germany. Stiftung Lesen and its work is financed by sponsors and project partners (some of whom are long-standing), mainly from private enterprises and partly from the government.
One important main focus is on reading aloud and storytelling to children in kindergarten and preschool age. The project is directed primarily at parents and teachers. Stiftung Lesen is especially dedicated to this issue because reading habits and the familiarity with books must be established at an early age and build the basis for lifelong reading.
A further main focus is the development of “Teachers’ Guides”, often in connection with current cinema movies. In relation to the topic further reading advice as well as attractive teaching ideas are included.
Research studies into the changing reading habits of the German people and complementary analyses of its projects are the foundation for the activities of Stiftung Lesen. As result of the research activities in combination with the campaigns and projects Stiftung Lesen is recognised as a competent and important reading promotion organization.
Stiftung Lesen Römerwall 40 D - 55131 Mainz T +49 6131 288900 F +49 6131 230333 www.stiftunglesen.de
Projekts:
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Der
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Reading-Aloud
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If you enjoy reading and reading aloud to someone, love beautiful stories, enjoy dealing with children, would like to share this enthusiasm and pass it on, becoming a volunteer in the Reading-Aloud Club is the right thing for you.
The Stiftung Lesen Reading-Aloud Club brings all those together who would like to volunteer as honorary readers. The volunteers are trained by the foundation in seminars. With their help, more sessions in which books are read to children can be offered on a regional level so that even more children can get to know “adventure reading”. At the moment, 8,000 volunteers offer reading aloud sessions. The sessions offered by volunteers should add to those sessions offered by full-time members of staff in nursery-schools, primary schools, libraries and hospitals. Reading aloud is dead easy – and something everybody involved will enjoy! Why do we need a project “Vorlesepaten” (“Reading-Aloud Volunteers”)? Shelves full of picture books are useless if children are left to their own devices with them. This is happening more and more often because parents and educators do not find enough time to read to children. In order to pass on the joy of reading to children from a very young age, the Stiftung Lesen has developed the project “Reading-Aloud Volunteers”. The foundation’s involvement comprises two parts: firstly, they want to win over interested women and men to become “Reading-Aloud Volunteers” and want to give them tips and advice on reading to children. Secondly, they want to win over multipliers, i.e. people who can develop a circle of “Reading-Aloud Volunteers” and can support the volunteers in their town or district. What do we want to achieve? The project is set in the context of the initiative “We read aloud – anywhere and anytime”, which has been set up by the Stiftung Lesen and the weekly journal DIE ZEIT. The target of this project is to create a network of volunteers who contribute immensely to the active language development of children and at the same time support contact between generations. Who can volunteer to read aloud?
Do you want to pass on your enthusiasm for reading to children? But you don’t have the opportunity to do so within your circle of friends and family? Then you are exactly the right person to become involved in the Reading-Aloud Club. Your potential to read to others does not need to be left unexploited. There are lots of possibilities to pass on your enthusiasm for reading, for instance, in a nearby kindergarten, in the library or in a primary school. Training of volunteers In a one day seminar, the consultants of the Stiftung Lesen demonstrate that by reading to children, it is not difficult to fill them with enthusiasm about reading – and thus to contribute to the development of their imagination and language through play. 2
The training consists of exercising practical skills. Besides that, everybody who would like to read to children will learn how to choose suitable children’s books, create an atmosphere that is positive for reading and many more things that will turn reading to children into a special experience. The seminar also provides volunteers with book fairs and brochures containing book suggestions. All participants will receive a certificate, a “Reading-Aloud Club” ID card and a pin that identifies the bearer is a “Reading-Aloud Volunteer”.
Membership of the “Reading-Alound Club” The Stiftung Lesen welcomes everyone who actively reads aloud on a voluntary basis or would like to do so.
Members receive our latest reading suggestions for kindergartens, families and primary schools as well as information about our latest projects.
“We take part!” – opinions on the project
“I read a lot with my five year old daughter, especially before she goes to sleep. To me, reading to her is very important as a counterbalance to TV. Children should be introduced to books early and should be allowed to grow up with them. That way, they have the opportunity to develop their own creativity and imagination.” Desiree Görg, 38 years, Mainz “When I am reading to children, I am again and again fascinated by my audience. The children who just minutes ago were running around or playing with each other, sit there concentrating hard, totally gripped by the story and seem to have forgotten the world around them.” Christiane Feifel-Rohrer, 40 years, Renningen “I got highly motivated by the seminar of Stiftung Lesen to put into practice what I had learnt straight away. Not long after the seminar, I read aloud in a crèche for the first time. I look forward to it every week now. The children give me so much – and I can give them a lot in return, too.” Hermann Vornhoff, 67 years, Frankfurt am Main
“In two morning sessions, I take the children on a trip around the world. Books are our travel guides and open us the doors to foreign worlds. The clever and critical questions the children come up with often surprise me.” Sonja Wohllaib, 34 years, Bremen
“Bookstart“ – The Reading Initiative for Germany.
The sooner small children are read to and encouraged to tell their own stories and parents are made aware of reading and language education, the better. All EU-Read 3
members share this view and are trying to carry out the successful British “Bookstart” project in their own countries.
In May 2008 Stiftung Lesen is starting the largest language and early-reading campaign “Readstart” – the “Reading Initiative for Germany”, in cooperation with a broad partner network. The Heart of the Campaign: 500,000 parents will receive a free “bookstart” set from their Pediatrician in the course of the next two years in order to manifest reading into familylife routine from an early age. The set includes a picture book “Reading ABC of Life” – a guide for parents, a book recommendation brochure, a poster, and a small progress diary to record the reading and speaking progress of the child etc. The sooner the children have a chance to discover the fascinating world of books, the more natural their contact will be with them. This already applies to the very youngest. Of course they cannot read yet and will not learn until they go to school, but they will experience books with all their senses. They will feel, taste, smell and play with books, grip and experience them. The model project in Saxony “Bookstart - Growing up with Books”, which is carried out by Stiftung Lesen in cooperation with the Ministry for Social Matters in the Free State of Saxony , the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs and the Ravensburger book publishers, is an example for the nationwide campaign. Companies of the printing and paper industry, especially Der Verband Deutscher Maschinenund Anlagenbau (the German Association of Mechanical Engineering and Plant Construction) , well known publishers, der Berufsverband der Kinder and Jugendärzte e.V. ( the Association of Pediatric Specialists), Der Bundeselternbeirat ( The Federal Parents Council) and the Deutschen Paritätischen (The German Charity Organisations ) have founded the largest nationwide reading support network initiative.
The partners and initiators of “Bookstart– The Reading Initiative for Germany” have, together with Stiftung Lesen ,taken on the responsibility of establishing a modern reading culture. They are making an important contribution to the mental and cultural development of children and they hope that the campaign will inspire many families for the world of books and arouse the joy of reading and keep it alive.
Stiftung Lesen Project with Arverto AG The Future of Service – a Look behind the Scenes. A School Campaign for Grades 7 –13 With the school campaign “The Future of Service – a Look behind the Scenes” for grades 713, it is the aim of Stiftung Lesen to prepare secondary scholars for their career choice. Themes e.g. job outlines in the Services sector are presented. While jobs in some parts of business are being reduced, many new jobs are being created here, which means working persprectives for young people. In order to make use of these 4
opportunities, young people need information about fields of work , job descriptions and areas of the Services sector well in advance, to enable them to choose a course of study or a profession for themselves in a self-determined and qualified way, after completion of their School Leaving Certificate.
The Brochure “The Future of Service”- a Look behind the Scenes” shows with the example of Arverto AG what exciting and innovative fields of work and activity this branch has to offer. These are.. communication and logistics, digital products and their packaging, printing techniques and methods as well as IT and Internet.
Numerous related texts are on offer for these topics concerning the daily-life of youngsters. Ideas and suggestions for lessons and reading are also included. Moreover young Arverto employees present their own jobs and training in a very personal manner. The alternative literature competition “Netztreff” invites school classes to take part in the literature competition “Netztreff” by SMS. Meike – Der Sammeldrachen (Meike, the dragon who loves collecting things) How old printer cartridges turn into new school computers … Books, toys, subscriptions for magazines or computer – with the help of an environmental project initiated by the Stiftung Lesen and the recycling company INTERSEROH, it is very easy to make substantial and lasting improvements to the pedagogical equipment of schools, kindergartens and crèches. The project is called “Meike – der Sammeldrachen” (“Meike, the dragon who loves collecting things”), and it helps to improve educational institutions without financial expenditure, independent of government budget and in a way that is beneficial to the environment. More than 11,300 schools and 2,800 kindergartens are already taking part in the whole of Germany. With the help of over 5,000 companies in their respective areas, they are collecting empty printer cartridges, toner cartridges and old mobile phones in order to pass them on for recycling. For every single piece they hand in, they receive so-called “Grüne Umwelt-Punkte“ (GUPs) (“Green Environmental Points”). These points can be exchanged for things like books for their classroom libraries or toys for their playgroups. Why don’t you take a look at Meike’s shop at www.sammeldrache.de and see what you could buy with your GUPs! Collecting these things is hardly any work at all for the schools, kindergartens and the companies that support them. There are also no costs attached for them. When they apply for the project, they will automatically receive special “Meike Collecting Boxes”, in which they can put the cartridges and mobile phones. Companies will get separate boxes so that there is no need for any delivery tours to the schools or kindergartens. When the boxes are full, they will be picked up free of charge and new boxes will be provided. The companies who are sponsors, profit from positive interest of the media in their involvement. And Meike, the dragon who loves collecting things, does even more: every year, those schools and kindergartens that were most active, will in addition receive a bonus worth € 45,000. This money is unattached, and so far, it has been used to for example renovate schoolrooms or sports halls or to create modern computer places for pupils. 5
The project lasts for an indefinite period. It contains material for lessons, projects and information material. The material is for teachers, kindergarten teachers, companies and for the children. This way, everyone gets encouraged to help collecting. “Meike – der Sammeldrache” has already received some awards. In 2003, for instance, the project was honoured with the German PR award “Goldene Brücke”, and in 2004 it received the environmental award from the Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie (Confederation of German Industry). IDEA FORUM SCHOOL - TEACHER PREVIEW CLUB
The fact that Stiftung Lesen’s school projects have been met with a great response in the past years shows that teachers are the most important partners when it comes to supporting reading. With the help of unusual and creative projects, committed teachers succeed in filling children and teenagers with enthusiasm for reading and literature. This is why Stiftung Lesen wants to intensify the collaboration with teachers and link different reading support approaches in schools with each other more closely. The Idea Forum School has been created as a service platform to support teachers of all types of schools even more than before in their attempts to get pupils fit for life in a multimedia world. For this, reading and writing are still the basic competences.
The offer of the club includes methodical didactic materials for school lessons, information, events and workshops on the topics literature, media education and reading research. Teachers and Stiftung Lesen work closely together here and profit from each other. The teachers profit from the offers for planning lessons. Stiftung Lesen profits from reports and ideas from the practical side of school life. Thus, the club lives and develops mainly through its members. The only condition for the free membership for teachers is their personal commitment to reading – more than 14,500 members prove this daily in their lessons.
Magical 7“ – The Great Harry Potter –Reading Event School Competition run by CARLSON and Stiftung Lesen 6
Books about the Wizard apprentice have caused an all-time record and passion for reading across all age groups in the last few years. Carlson publishers and Stiftung Lesen are therefore taking the opportunity of encouraging school children in grades 6-9 throughout Germany, Switzerland and Austria to take part in a reading project. Under the slogan “Magical 7” teachers can make use of their pupils° lively interest to integrate the Harry Potter theme into their classroom activities and projects. Carlson publishers and Stiftung Lesen are issuing an invitation to take part in the Great Harry Potter reading event and to submerge into the world of Harry Potter with clever ideas. Fantasy has no frontiers as far as Hogwart°s School of Magic and Wizardry and it°s residents are concerned and when it comes to bringing them to life in schools and home towns. Prizes will be awarded for the most original ideas - Winners will take part in a “Magical 7 Festival” in the Spring of 2008, i.e. all state winners and a winning class from Austria and Switzerland. 300 large book parcels from Carlson publishers can also be won. The first prize, however, is a trip to London and Oxford for the whole class!
Gegen das Vergessen (“Against Forgetting”) – Ideas for lessons Contemporary witnesses are the most important interlocutors for youths when it comes to educational work about National Socialism in Germany and against right-wing extremism. Only such witnesses can provide impressive first-hand descriptions of experiences. Because even though young people talk about such experiences today, they are not able to fully grasp their momentousness and meaning. Someone who has experienced the horrors of war and persecution in National Socialism or the atrocities of later wars, can bring the dangers and consequences of right-wing ideas and new warmongering home to youths in a very personal and vivid way. Here, contemporary witnesses function as teachers, who do not preach but are able to teach by being authentic. Stiftung Lesen lays out the opportunities and possibilities of events featuring contemporary witnesses in its lesson brochure “gegen das vergessen”. In addition to that, the brochure introduces two further ways of approaching the Third Reich in lessons. One is the pupils’ own search for traces in their own region, the other is using movies. The aim of these project proposals is always also an immunisation against recent right-wing extremism. Further supplemental reading, hyperlinks and movie tips consider both the era of National Socialism and recent right-wing extremist currents.
WOW Discovery Prize 2008. What do Frying Pans and Tulips have in Common? Researching, Hand-Crafting and Experimenting: Scientific Phenomena are everywhere. With the WOW Discovery Prize, Stiftung Lesen and TV Channel Super RTL are challenging all 1st – 6th grade school classes as from mid-October.
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In self-designed experiments, pupils are challenged to get to the bottom of every-day mysteries by showing their spirit for research, thus qualifying for the award. With this joint project, Stiftung Lesen and Super RTL are looking for inquisitive young media –users – the target group of the educational magazine “WOW Die Entdeckerzone (The Discovery Zone). Practical information and material are available to assist in preparation for the competition. Patroness of the campaign is the Federal Minister for Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youngsters, Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen. Siemens, BASF and Ravensburger also support the project, whereby school classes all over Germany have the opportunity of proving their scientific strength.
World Book Day. On UNESCO°s World Book Day on 23rd April 2008, Stiftung Lesen is issuing a World Day gift book “Journey to Fantastic Worlds” in cooperation with Deutsche Bahn AG, cbj publishers, ZDF (TV Channel) , der Bundesverband und Landesverband des Boersenvereins des Deutschen Buchhandels e.V as well as the Federal and State Ministries for Education and Culture. The book can be obtained free from bookshops and libraries. Teachers can order vouchers from Stiftung Lesen to ensure that pupils are able to obtain their free personal copies. The premiere nationwide voucher campaign in 2007 was an outstanding success. Stromland (Riverland) – Visions for a Society on the move With their school campaign “Stromland – Visions for a Society on the move,” Stiftung Lesen and Accenture Stiftung would like to promt pupils of grades 10-13 nationwide to analyse topics concerning our society when looking forward into the future: Communication, work, traffic, mentality and energy. “Stromland” a novel by Stephan Scholtessek and published in 2006 prompted the campaign. In his novel, the author presents his own vision for the Germany of tomorrow. One important aspect is his question about the personal aims and visions of youngsters for the future and what each of them can do for the progress of this society. In the competition “Looking for Stromländer”, pupils are invited to draft a call looking for a particular person, whose ideas and solutions will meet the challenges of tomorrow. School magazines, extensive material and information for classwork are available on the internet.
Reading Links Generations
A Multi-Generation Project for Reading and Discussion Culture in the Federal State of Nordrhine-Westfalia. Getting into discussion with different generations – that is the aim of the project “Reading links 8
Generations”, supported by Stiftung Lesen and the State Ministry for Family , Women and Integration in Nordrhine-Westfalia. Literature and stories are the ideal media for mutual dialogue, as books store experience and values, give expression to matters of concern among people of different age groups and they offer possibilities to communicate with one another. That is why we would like to encourage children, teenagers, adults and senior citizens to read to people outside their own generations, in order to pave the way for dialogue, exchange experience and generally get to know each other. In a one-day reading course, “Reading Aloud Volunteers “ will be prepared for their task of reading aloud to others in a practical manner. In this way a bridge can be built across the gap between readers and listeners.
My Favourite Book – Your Vote Counts“. The reading promotion campaign “My Favourite Book – Your Vote Counts” by Stiftung Lesen and the TV programme Super RTL is interested in promoting the joy of reading. In the course of a year and in 4 stages Stiftung Lesen experts chose books from the book range offered by Random House Co-operation cbj, Ravensburger book publishers and the Oettinger group for a childrens° s vote. Children could vote for their favourite book, whereby various catagories were focused on – “Detective, Criminal and Agent”, “Adventure and Fantasy, “Friends “ and “Holidays”. Over several weeks children had the opportunity to vote for their favourite book at www.TOGGO.de. Parents should not at all be surprised to find their children in front of the book shelves more often now. The voting results give an important feedback to the promoters in schools, libraries and in the book trade. Super RTL presented the results on it°s TV programme and in the Internet. During the 4-6 week work phase with the various themes, the advertising spots on TV were featured on reading, which is unusual. The campaign will probably be continued this coming year in a second round. Magazines in Schools Gratis 35, reading different magazines and getting the real taste for reading. That is what 3oo,ooo young people can do all over Germany next year. Stiftung Presse Grosso, Stiftung Lesen and the German Press Wholesalers together with the Association of German Press Editors and the Association of German Paper Industries are appealing to all secondary schools in Germany to take part in the project “Magazines in Schools.” In the month directly after the Easter holidays 2008, free parcels of magazines and innovative teaching materials providing plenty of reading and useful linkage to class lessons , will be delivered to schools in all Federal States in Germany. Public magazines arouse the urge for reading in youngsters and the regular reading of these magazines increases their fluency in reading. This has been brought to light by a scientific survey conducted by Stiftung Lesen. The project “Magazines in Schools” enables classes from grade 5 upwards to use the agegraded magazine material with approx. 35 widely-ranged current topics free of charge for one month. Teachers will also receive a brochure containing ideas for integrating topics into class lessons plus the impulse film “The Incredible Fun of Reading ”, - the project “Magazines in Schools”, which contains further suggestions. 9
FOCUS GOES TO SCHOOL Climate Change- what can we do?“ - FOCUS Pupils° Competition “The Future is made at School” 2007- 2008. Get out of the classrooms – get into the companies - FOCUS Magazine starts it°s nationwide pupils° competition “The Future is made at school “ – for the tenth time at the beginning of term. The competition in 2008 is under the motto “Climate Change – what can we do?”and encourages dialogue between schools and industry. The project 2008 includes: Science and Research Technology and Industry Information and Communication Science and Politics Media and Language Life and Environment The FOCUS Initiative trains young people in new ways of thought, media jurisdiction and presentation techniques. In cooperation with firms or research institutes pupils should work out and derliver projects for the world of tomorrow. FOCUS head editor Uli Baur says “FOCUS encourages much more than knowledge- young people will learn innovative thinking, to act responsibly and to be orientated towards their careers. Class teams from grades 8-13 in all schools and vocational schools and colleges can participate. Registration closes on 31st December 2007. The winner of the School Contest will travel to the Innovation Centres in the USA, Finland and Germany.FOCUS GOES TO SCHOOL „Climate Changewhat can we do?“ - FOCUS Pupils° Competition “The Future is made at School” 2007- 2008. Get out of the classrooms – get into the companies - FOCUS Magazine starts it°s nationwide pupils° competition “The Future is made at school “ – for the tenth time at the beginning of term. The competition in 2008 is under the motto “Climate Change – what can we do?”and encourages dialogue between schools and industry. The project 2008 includes: Science and Research Technology and Industry Information and Communication Science and Politics Media and Language Life and Environment The FOCUS Initiative trains young people in new ways of thought, media jurisdiction and presentation techniques. In cooperation with firms or research institutes pupils should work out and derliver projects for the world of tomorrow. FOCUS head editor Uli Baur says “FOCUS encourages much more than knowledge- young people will learn innovative thinking, to act responsibly and to be orientated towards their careers. Class teams from grades 8-13 in all schools and vocational schools and colleges can participate. Registration closes on 31st December 2007. The winner of the School Contest will travel to the Innovation Centres in the USA, Finland and Germany. Reading Scouts
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How do you arouse the joy of reading among pupils? – that is the job of a special group of distributors, i.e. other pupils trained as reading scouts, who pass on their joy of reading to others. The project makes use of the “Peer Review”, which has much more persuasive powers to children and teenagers of similar age groups, when communication with each other. Many activities and events are carried out : Reading Scouts can establish reading groups, visit classes where they present their book recommendations, organise book rallies, reading nights and book parties. They can also offer tours through school libraries, organise cut-price book sales and much more. By sharing the joy of reading, a new passion for books can be aroused. Meanwhile, there are reading scout initiatives in Germany in the Federal States of the Rhineland Palatinate, Saxony and Hessen. Regular reading recommendations, workshops and reading camps ensure the sustainability of the reading scout networks.
Movie campaigns Reading promotions with movies in the multimedia system Together with teachers, Stiftung Lesen regularly watches and tests the latest movies in the cinema. If it seems as if these could be suitably used in school lessons, Stiftung Lesen and a team of teachers develop methodical didactic materials like work sheets, background information, various suggestions for activities, detailed book tips and service offers. Especially film versions of books catch the eye easily (e. g. “The Lord of the Rings”, “Pride and Prejudice”, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”), but also other movies offer various reasons for talking about them in school lessons. An interdisciplinary approach is always prominent. For instance, the successful literature series “Lemony Snicket – A Series of Unfortunate Events” can be used to talk about the subject “Children in Need” in the teaching of ethics. The comedy “School of Rock” is suitable to talk about different types of rock music. The milieu studies “8 Mile” and “American History X” could be used to talk about problems in the context of social studies. Every single movie contains lots of starting points for various school subjects. Furthermore, questions about how Hollywood blockbusters function sharpens media competence. Campaigns for movies are always offered by the Stiftung Lesen. Since 1995, it has been organising school projects on about 25 movies – ranging from the movie “The Pagemaster” through William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Romeo and Juliet” to movies like “Das Sams”, “Moulin Rouge” and “Minority Report”. These offers are met with a large response. Often thousands of children, teenagers and their teachers take part in selected movie projects. Also, many colleagues meet in the “Idea Forum School” (Stiftung Lesen’s teacher’s club) at local events or online to exchange ideas, talk about their experiences or to pass positive feedback, advice and tips on to Stiftung Lesen. They can enter into a dialogue in which they pass on their practical experience with children and cinema for the benefit of the profession. The cinema should motivate pupils to look into books as well.
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Die besten Medien für Ihr Kind – The best media for your child Practical support for media education at home, in kindergarten and at school
In times of tremendously fast technological developments, media education is a challenging task. Not only parents, but also educational professionals like kindergarten teachers or school teachers have to rely on support when it comes to media education. About 70 % of all parents are looking for help in choosing from the large number of products available for children in the media market. The Stiftung Lesen adresses this need in the project “Die besten Medien für Ihr Kind” (“The best media for your child”). The target of this project is to generally strengthen reading competence and media competence and to get children fit for media society – and thus for the future. The brochure called “Die besten Medien für Ihr Kind“ offers a selection of recommended titles aimed at children on the current media market. The brochure gets updated and published annually. It has proven a success especially with parents. At the same time, however, it is directed at multipliers in kindergartens, schools and libraries. Renowned experts recommend products like books, audio books, DVDs, videos, games etc. that are particularly educationally sound. They give tips and advice on media education and answer the most important questions about everyday life with media and two to ten year old children. Akademie für Leseförderung der Stiftung Lesen an der Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Bibliothek (Stiftung Lesen’s Academy for Reading Support at the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Library) An important aspect of reading support, reading culture and thus also of media competence is ensuring that relevant measures have a lasting effect. This, however, requires a systematic, lasting and wide ranging support of reading and reading culture. To achieve this, it is necessary to train multipliers (providing initial training and further training), keep them informed and to build regional networks and support information portals. For this purpose, the “Stiftung Lesen Academy for Reading Support at the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Library” was founded in Hanover in March 2004. The academy’s target is to make a lasting improvement to the local prerequisites for the support of reading competence and enjoyment of reading for children and teenagers in the state of Lower Saxony. Stiftung Lesen’s Academy for Reading Support dedicates itself to the following main focus points: ν
keeping multipliers informed and training them (initial training and further training)
building a regional communication network for ν reading support/reading culture and looking after this ν constructing an internet portal called “Netzwerk 12
Leseförderung in Niedersachsen” Reading Support in Lower Saxony”)
(“Network
The Academy for Reading Support …
runs seminars for training and further training in methods and practice of reading support at home, ν in the kindergarten and at school and offers material for practical procedures, ν
organises exhibitions, lectures, workshops and discussions on reading support/reading culture,
ν offers help for individual reading support, supplies institutions that are committed to reading ν support with project material, reading tips and information material by Stiftung Lesen, builds bridges between reading research and ν reading support through meetings of experts, lectures and special conferences, brings people from libraries, crèches, schools, books stores, reading aloud volunteers and other dedicated reading supporters together. With the ν help of workshops and workshop discussions the Academy aims at using their combined potential for cooperative events and projects and developing their potential by exchanging ideas etc., initiates and accompanies the construction and ν development of regional contact places for reading support, collects and examines methods, examples of good experience, experience reports, materials, ν information and literature for reading support and reading research and makes all these accessible for everyone who is interested on an internet portal, documents the existing initiatives and projects for ν reading support in Lower Saxony in order to improve exchange of information. Target groups for these activities are in particular: • parents • teachers • kindergarten teachers • librarians • other committed reading supporters 13
The project is supported by the state of Lower Saxony, which is represented by the ministry of education and arts and the ministry of science and culture.
Reading Clubs / Media Clubs Targets of Stiftung Lesen’s reading clubs are to support reading competence and language acquisition as well as reading motivation and media competence Reading clubs are meeting points in schools, libraries and other institutions where children and teenagers can meet in their leisure time to read, play, do handicrafts, to talk or just to “escape” for a while from their everyday school life or their homes. The main focus lies on activities centred on reading – with no pressure to perform or achieve good grades. The children and teenagers can occupy themselves freely and casually with literature and other things that interest them. The contact with books does not necessarily have to stand in the foreground at reading club meetings. Rather, children and teenagers learn a new approach to books. At the moment, roughly 500 Stiftung Lesen reading clubs exist nationwide. Their main targets are reading and language support, passing on media competence, supporting social integration and tolerance as well as improvement of social competence. The reading clubs appeal to children and teenagers of different geographical and social backgrounds – and they support coming to know different kinds of literature and cultures. Club visitors can use their own initiative to pursue various activities they might find interesting, ranging from using audio-visual media to creating a group contribution for a Stiftung Lesen competition. Forming a reading club – how do you do that? Anybody can found a reading club. All you need is commitment, motivation and a venue. Reading clubs are looked after by teachers and numerous volunteers. Stiftung Lesen supports the establishment of a reading club by: • Giving
proactive advice organisational questions
in
case
of
• Offering
further training to those who look after reading clubs
• Regularly
providing material on reading and media education
•
A one-off starter pack containing books
Round Table Reading Promotion 2005
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The practically pedagogical work of Stiftung Lesen is accompanied by research and documentation activities. Thus its research service offers up to date data on reading behaviour and other information on the numerous disciplines that deal with research into the complex phenomenon “reading�. Furthermore, Stiftung Lesen organises regular conferences and other specialist meetings on the big topic of reading support. The latest event was organised with the support of the federal ministry for education and research in December 2005. It was the first big round table discussion on reading support. In total, 55 representatives of bigger reading support organisations, the experts of the ministries of education and culture and of teacher’s further vocational training of the states of Germany met in Mainz in order to discuss the state and the perspectives of reading support in Germany. Five problem areas were identified in the discussions as the main points of focus for future work: 1 Most reading support projects do not include accompanying research or evaluation. Thus, it is not certain which measures really achieve their targets. 2 How can we reach the 25 % of problem children identified by PISA that have hardly any reading and writing competence? Besides offers of language courses, there are hardly any other support measures. 3 Most of the reading support projects target reading motivation. It is not know how far they also develop reading competence. However, the improvement of reading competence is the ultimate target of all support measures. 4 Successful models of reading support often stay in the place they were developed, but it is important to disseminate them as far as possible nationwide. This generally fails because every state develops its own projects. The participants asked the question whether it has to be like this. 5 Finally, teacher training was criticised harshly by some. They are neither trained in reading diagnostics (teachers are often not able to judge the reading competence of their pupils) nor in the methods of successful reading support. A reform of teacher training was called for. There was an agreement that it is advisable and necessary to link the various regional and national initiatives on reading support more strongly. Documentation of the round table discussion will be available in spring 2006 and can be ordered from Stiftung Lesen in German. 15
The reading raven is searching for the story treasure A reading promotion campaign for years 1 and 2 Learning to read is a basic and often difficult step in a child’s early years – a step that is initiated and accompanied by school. Without support and intensive exercise, however, the skill becomes quickly forgotten because reading is more than just identifying letters. Special series for early reading support the work of teachers. They help children to be able to move more independently step by step on their way into the wonderland of writing and literature. The books develop with the children and offer different levels of difficulty proportional to the increase in reading competence. And they work with identification figures appropriate for children. The reading raven series in particular, which contains little reading puzzles and play offers, is not only a tool for teaching reading but also teaching enjoyment of reading. We would like to support teachers to achieve both targets in their classes with a playful reading support campaign especially for years 1 and 2. 1. The reading raven is searching for the story treasure. The reading raven story game The centre of the game is a large colourful treasure map that can be hung up in a central place in the classroom. By means of subject fields and short stories that belong to these, children work together on small tasks and activity suggestions, e.g. questions about the stories, writing stimulations, language games, painting/drawing tasks, knowledge questions and puzzles about topics like family, friendship, animals, sports, pirates and many more. At the end of the game, they will discover the solution word that gives away the hiding place of the story treasure. The game is accompanied by extensive lesson materials.
2. Reading raven ‘authors’ wanted! The story competition When children have achieved their first successes in learning to read, they quickly start feeling like inventing their own stories and having fun playing with language. We would like to support the development of linguistic competence and instinctive feel for a language with the story competition. Classes are called upon to let their imaginations run wild and become little authors themselves. Everything around the world of the reading raven is possible: short non-fiction stories, colourful picture stories, poems, exciting adventures or even letters to the reading raven – whatever the letter and word knowledge of the children allows them to do. This way, the pupils’ imaginations will be supported. Pupils can come up with reading raven stories together as a class or individually. Both project offers support early curiosity about stories, deriving pleasure from being able to read and their own linguistic verbalism – and also entice by offering valuable prizes for the classes.
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