Alarming language deficits in Wolfsburg primary school students: This is how parents can help!

Alarming language deficits in Wolfsburg primary school students: This is how parents can help!

In Wolfsburg, more and more primary school students are currently struggling with language problems. These often manifest themselves in halting reading and misunderstandings in class. According to an analysis by the Barmer Children's Atlas, language deficits among first graders have increased worryingly. Headmistress Bianca Manusch in particular reports a great deal of heterogeneity in the language skills of first graders. There are children with optimal abilities, but also those with significant deficits, which are often due to a migration background.

The numbers are alarming: Since 2005, the number of school children with documented language development disorders in Lower Saxony and Bremen has increased from 7.1% to 14.7% in 2023. In Wolfsburg, this problem is not isolated. A similar development is also observed in Bavaria, where in 2023 around 13% of six to twelve year olds were affected by language development disorders, which corresponds to an increase of 81% since 2005 Barmer reported.

Causes and consequences

The reasons for this worrying development are manifold. An important factor is the lower level of linguistic stimulation in the parental home and a decline in shared communication times. The city of Wolfsburg has recognized this and promotes language development throughout the school day, while specialists are trained in “Heidelberg interaction training”. The consumption of digital media has also increased in recent years, which poses challenges for many children.

Parents therefore play a crucial role in supporting their children’s language skills. Headmistress Manusch recommends that parents communicate a lot with their children and promote age-appropriate media consumption. This is particularly important because language problems can also have far-reaching consequences for children's healthy development, including difficulties with reading and social tensions. Reading aloud, listening to audio books and playing board games should be increasingly integrated into everyday life again.

Helpful approaches for parents

To support language development, parents can do simple exercises with their children. It is recommended to practice sounds and syllables with first graders and to have second graders who cannot read fluently read aloud daily. Specific speech and language disorders include limited vocabulary, difficulty forming sentences and problems with expression. According to one Study of language development Children with a migrant background are also affected by these problems, and their linguistic skills should be particularly promoted in class.

Although the situation is challenging, many experts agree: with a good hand in language development, you can have a positive influence on the future of children. Parents should regularly inform themselves about their children's performance in order to be able to react positively to their academic progress. Every child has the potential to grow linguistically if the right interventions are taken.