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Book cases start in Delmenhorst: Diversity strengthens German skills!
In Delmenhorst, the bookcase program at primary schools strengthens the language skills of children from diverse backgrounds.
Book cases start in Delmenhorst: Diversity strengthens German skills!
In the primary school on Beethovenstrasse in Delmenhorst, where the student body is diverse and many languages such as Arabic, Turkish and Spanish are spoken in everyday life, part of the education is now being supported with a special program. With a whopping 78 percent immigrant population, the school has an important task to accomplish: promoting the German language, which is essential for successfully completing school. Headmaster Anna-Maria Moll emphasizes that the German language is often not the focus in many families and this is exactly where the new book case program, which was launched by the Coach@School association, comes into play.
The concept of the book case is very simple, but extremely effective. Each first grade class is provided with two suitcases each containing twelve multilingual children's books. These books are not only available in German, but also in up to 50 other languages, making it possible to read aloud in the family language and in German. Parents are also supported through workshops and explanatory videos in a variety of languages to encourage reading together. The suitcase is designed so that it travels from family to family after a week, building a bridge between cultures and, in particular, encouraging children to enjoy reading, reports the Weser-Kurier.
Funding and objectives of the program
The project was brought to life thanks to generous funding of around 12,000 euros, provided by the Lower Saxony Ministry of Culture and the EWE Foundation. The goal of the program is clear: at the end of the school year, each child should take both book cases home for a week. This is used to fill a reading diary, which works similarly to a friends book and is intended to encourage children to document their reading experiences. This approach not only offers reading fun, but also promotes communication within the family and honors one's own identity.
Program manager Sonja Malitz also emphasizes the importance of reading experiences that can take place in the first language and in German. Access to different books is useful for children's reading skills and supports multilingualism. It's obvious: contact with books not only promotes school success, but also remains a valuable change from digital content.
A look beyond the borders of Delmenhorst
The bookcase program is not just a local highlight, it is part of a larger initiative to promote language that benefits many schools in Lower Saxony. Up to 90 of these book cases have already been distributed to schools in the region and more than 330 schools nationwide are benefiting from the offers. A lot is also being done on a more comprehensive level to promote language skills in German schools. For example, the “Education through Language and Writing” (BiSS) initiative, which was launched with the support of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, aims to improve language support and reading skills in up to 2,700 schools nationwide. The integration of multilingualism into everyday school life plays a particularly important role.
The patronage of the book case project lies in the hands of children's and young adult book author Cornelia Funke, who shares the vision of an appreciative and lively linguistic diversity. This program is therefore a role model that aims to bring families, educational staff and educational institutions together in order to sustainably support children in their language development.