Education - Many children not well prepared for school entry
According to educational researchers, many children in Germany do not start their school life well prepared. In an EU comparison, skills in basic reading and writing are weak, according to surveys of school administrators and parents as part of the International Primary School Reading Survey (Iglu). This was announced by the Institute for School Development Research (IFS) at the University of Dortmund, which presented the key findings of the Iglu study in May and has since been focusing on individual aspects separately. Although children learn to read and write at school, the acquisition of literacy begins before they start school, it said on Tuesday.
Activities that promote reading include reading books aloud, telling stories, singing songs and talking about activities. Early reading socialization is of great importance for later reading skills and lays important foundations for the school years. "Most skills, such as recognizing most letters of the alphabet or being able to read some words, are less well developed in Germany than the EU average," said education researcher and Iglu employee Ramin Schaufelberger according to the press release.
Researcher: There is a need for action
In the representative Iglu survey, 78 percent of the 252 school principals stated that less than 25 percent of the children in their school have basic skills when they enter first grade, according to the IFS. This is significantly lower than the EU average. And only 9 percent of parents rate their children's reading skills as "very good" when they start school. According to the IFS, this is the lowest figure of all Igloo-participating EU countries.
There is a need for action, emphasized Igloo study director Nele McElvany, who is the managing director of the IFS. "The high proportion of pupils who do not have good reading-related skills when they start school indicates that more attention should be paid to preparing children for school in Germany." Children with reading-promoting activities before starting school and with parents who enjoy reading showed higher reading skills at the end of primary school.
The Iglu study had shown that around 25 percent of fourth-graders cannot read properly or understand texts well enough.
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- To improve children's reading skills before they begin school in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, educational activities such as reading books aloud, telling stories, singing songs, and discussing activities should be encouraged.
- According to Ramin Schaufelberger, an education researcher and employee at the IFS in Dortmund, many children in Germany enter first grade with less developed literacy skills than the EU average, including recognizing most letters and reading simple words.
- In a representative survey by the Iglu study, 78% of school principals in North Rhine-Westphalia reported that less than 25% of their first-grade students have basic reading skills, and only 9% of parents rated their children's reading skills as "very good."
- Nele McElvany, managing director of the IFS and leader of the Iglu study, emphasized the need for action in Germany, stating, "The high proportion of pupils who do not have good reading-related skills when they start school indicates that more attention should be paid to preparing children for school."
- The Iglu study also found that around 25% of fourth-graders in North Rhine-Westphalia struggle with reading and comprehension skills, which is a cause for concern for educators and parents alike.
Source: www.stern.de
