Reading is a crucial foundation for successful learning and will be promoted more systematically in the schools of the German-speaking Community. A three-year pilot project, jointly initiated by the German-speaking Community and the Autonome Hochschule Ostbelgien (AHS), aims to embed regular reading times into the school routine. A new concept will be tested in seven schools and kindergartens.
The core of the project is the 'Leseband' (reading band): a fixed reading period of 20 minutes will be scheduled at least three days a week. The focus is not solely on children reading independently. Depending on age and learning level, various methods will be employed, such as tandem reading, audiobook listening, or choral reading. The aim is to strengthen reading fluency, comprehension, and motivation.
The AHS is closely involved as a project partner. The Department of Educational Sciences provides technical advice to the participating schools and supports teachers throughout the three-year pilot phase. Further training will be offered, both internally and jointly for teachers from all involved schools.
Another key focus is the scientific monitoring of the project. To examine children's development, reading tests will be conducted at the beginning and end of each school year for the third and fifth primary grades. This will help understand the impact of regular, mandatory reading time on reading fluency and comprehension.
Project leadership at the AHS is held by Gabriele Goor and Dominique Chavet. Department head Thomas Ortmann also supports the project, emphasizing the importance of reading for overall educational attainment: reading competence affects not only German language subjects but can also be significant for other learning areas.
The project is based on a concept by Germanist Steffen Gailberger, initially implemented in Hamburg. For the German-speaking Community, the approach has been expanded: while comparable projects have primarily focused on primary school, this reading promotion initiative starts in kindergarten and accompanies children up to the sixth primary year.
Approximately 1,800 children are expected to be reached during the pilot phase. Participating schools include SGO, SGU, the school community of Lontzen-Walhorn, the municipal school of Iveldingen-Born-Deidenberg, the municipal school of Raeren, as well as gradually the joint primary school of Bütgenbach and the municipal school of St. Vith.
The first year of the project will focus on testing and supporting the concept. Subsequently, the offering will be gradually expanded to more schools. The long-term goal is to reach all primary schools in the German-speaking Community.
