Beacons of Hope in Romper Suits
An increasing number of people are illiterate. Initiatives such as
"Lesestart," which means "Start Reading," are aiming to change this
by targeting children from an early age.
They are barely a year old, only around 2-and-a half feet tall (75 cm), and can't even say the word "book." Despite this, or perhaps precisely because of it, doctors in Germany are giving parents a "Lesestart" box - a starter set for reading - after their child's standard 10to12-month check-up, which includes a picture book, advice on reading aloud and a brochure with recommended books. The objective of the project launched in 2008 is to establish reading aloud as an integral part of families' daily lives as early as possible. This is seen as laying the foundation for good reading skills and thus for better opportunities at school and better career prospects. By May 2010, 500,000 parents will have received the free set. Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG is one of the project sponsors.
Ms. Bonewitz, you are the spokeswoman in the Family and Daycare Center Department of Stiftung Lesen in Mainz. Aren't 1 year olds much too young for books?
Sabine Bonewitz: Obviously, 1 year olds are not yet able to read, but they can see, smell, touch, and play with books, literally experiencing them with all their senses. This is the age when children normally start talking. Reading to them on a regular basis is a particularly important part of this. It helps their language acquisition and emotional development and trains their cognitive skills. It also makes reading a habit. The example parents can set for their children should not be underestimated. They need to make reading part and parcel of their daily lives. When children see their parents reading a newspaper or book, they want to as well.
They are barely a year old, only around 2-and-a half feet tall (75 cm), and can't even say the word "book." Despite this, or perhaps precisely because of it, doctors in Germany are giving parents a "Lesestart" box - a starter set for reading - after their child's standard 10to12-month check-up, which includes a picture book, advice on reading aloud and a brochure with recommended books. The objective of the project launched in 2008 is to establish reading aloud as an integral part of families' daily lives as early as possible. This is seen as laying the foundation for good reading skills and thus for better opportunities at school and better career prospects. By May 2010, 500,000 parents will have received the free set. Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG is one of the project sponsors.
Ms. Bonewitz, you are the spokeswoman in the Family and Daycare Center Department of Stiftung Lesen in Mainz. Aren't 1 year olds much too young for books?
Sabine Bonewitz: Obviously, 1 year olds are not yet able to read, but they can see, smell, touch, and play with books, literally experiencing them with all their senses. This is the age when children normally start talking. Reading to them on a regular basis is a particularly important part of this. It helps their language acquisition and emotional development and trains their cognitive skills. It also makes reading a habit. The example parents can set for their children should not be underestimated. They need to make reading part and parcel of their daily lives. When children see their parents reading a newspaper or book, they want to as well.
Why does an industrialized nation need a project such as this?
Bonewitz: Reading is a key skill in terms of career, social affluence, and playing a role in society, but many young people are experiencing difficulties with their reading. Although school attendance is compulsory, there is a risk that one out of every five 15 year olds will only achieve only the reading comprehension of a 7 or 8 year old - or even less. Other industrialized nations are facing similar situations. Projects such as "Lesestart" here in Germany, "Bookstart" in the United Kingdom, and "Read-to-me" in Canada and the U.S. are looking to counter this trend at a very early stage. They aim to achieve a lasting improvement in the way young children in all sections of the population learn to speak and read, with a particular focus on educationally disadvantaged and migrant families.
Are you already seeing some results?
Bonewitz: A pilot project has been running in Saxony since 2006. Some 10 percent of the parents interviewed admitted that they had only started looking at books with their children as a result of our project. And 30 percent now read books with their children more often than they used to. These results are encouraging and justify continuing with the initiative. Further evidence is provided by the "Bookstart" campaign that has been running successfully in the United Kingdom for decades. The children benefiting from the campaign have superior listening skills when they start school and have much better reading and writing skills than children of the same age who have not been involved in the initiative.
The "Lesestart" initiative is aimed at very young children. How does the foundation intend to encourage older children and young people to read?
Bonewitz: By making reading fun and entertaining. We know that popular magazines and "in" topics for their age-group are particularly successful in getting young people from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds interested in reading. We are therefore working with a number of partners to develop educational material that is really interesting too, for example in the "Zeitschriften in der Schule" (magazines in school) project. The scheme encourages students to read by providing four weeks of free access to magazines. We also have more than 9,000 voluntary readers throughout Germany, including celebrities. They go to kindergartens, schools and bookshops, immersing themselves and their audiences in the wonderful world of books.
These projects get people reading.
Bonewitz: Reading is a key skill in terms of career, social affluence, and playing a role in society, but many young people are experiencing difficulties with their reading. Although school attendance is compulsory, there is a risk that one out of every five 15 year olds will only achieve only the reading comprehension of a 7 or 8 year old - or even less. Other industrialized nations are facing similar situations. Projects such as "Lesestart" here in Germany, "Bookstart" in the United Kingdom, and "Read-to-me" in Canada and the U.S. are looking to counter this trend at a very early stage. They aim to achieve a lasting improvement in the way young children in all sections of the population learn to speak and read, with a particular focus on educationally disadvantaged and migrant families.
Are you already seeing some results?
Bonewitz: A pilot project has been running in Saxony since 2006. Some 10 percent of the parents interviewed admitted that they had only started looking at books with their children as a result of our project. And 30 percent now read books with their children more often than they used to. These results are encouraging and justify continuing with the initiative. Further evidence is provided by the "Bookstart" campaign that has been running successfully in the United Kingdom for decades. The children benefiting from the campaign have superior listening skills when they start school and have much better reading and writing skills than children of the same age who have not been involved in the initiative.
The "Lesestart" initiative is aimed at very young children. How does the foundation intend to encourage older children and young people to read?
Bonewitz: By making reading fun and entertaining. We know that popular magazines and "in" topics for their age-group are particularly successful in getting young people from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds interested in reading. We are therefore working with a number of partners to develop educational material that is really interesting too, for example in the "Zeitschriften in der Schule" (magazines in school) project. The scheme encourages students to read by providing four weeks of free access to magazines. We also have more than 9,000 voluntary readers throughout Germany, including celebrities. They go to kindergartens, schools and bookshops, immersing themselves and their audiences in the wonderful world of books.
These projects get people reading.
"Lesestart" picture book hour with the band Silbermond.
Singer Stefanie and drummer Andreas from the German band Silbermond entertained children with extracts from the fairytale "Steinsuppe" (A Stone Soup) by Anais Vaugelade. The 6 to 13 year olds were very enthusiastic. Not only could they see the stars up close, they also got to discover the fascinating world of picture books.
Singer Stefanie and drummer Andreas from the German band Silbermond entertained children with extracts from the fairytale "Steinsuppe" (A Stone Soup) by Anais Vaugelade. The 6 to 13 year olds were very enthusiastic. Not only could they see the stars up close, they also got to discover the fascinating world of picture books.
Reading aloud cases for children's homes
This joint initiative by Deutsche Bahn and Stiftung Lesen is aimed at children and young people who are living in care or who attend day centers. The "Vorlesekoffer" cases, or Reading Aloud sets, are packed full of children's books and magazines, educational games and reading tips, and they aim to boost reading skills. Young people can find age-appropriate reading material in the "Bücherkoffer" (book boxes) that form part of the same initiative. Since 2007, cases have gone to more than 2,000 children's homes and institutions supporting children and young people in Germany. By the end of 2010, this number should rise to 3,000.
This joint initiative by Deutsche Bahn and Stiftung Lesen is aimed at children and young people who are living in care or who attend day centers. The "Vorlesekoffer" cases, or Reading Aloud sets, are packed full of children's books and magazines, educational games and reading tips, and they aim to boost reading skills. Young people can find age-appropriate reading material in the "Bücherkoffer" (book boxes) that form part of the same initiative. Since 2007, cases have gone to more than 2,000 children's homes and institutions supporting children and young people in Germany. By the end of 2010, this number should rise to 3,000.
An increasing number of people are illiterate. Initiatives such as "Lesestart," are aiming to to boost reading skills. More (in German)
