Focus on promoting reading: Bruchsal students show great talents!

Focus on promoting reading: Bruchsal students show great talents!

More and more children in Germany are completing primary school without adequate reading skills. This is the focus of this year's reading competition, which took place on March 21st at the Johann-Peter-Hebel-Elementary School in Bruchsal. Organized by the Karlsruhe University of Education (PHKA), the Rotary Club Bruchsal-Bretten and the Bruchsal elementary schools, the competition was intended to strengthen the students' motivation to read. PH Karlsruhe reports that a total of 36 classes took part, with 16 students appearing in the final in front of a five-member jury. Gernot Ries, the principal of the host school, moderated the event.

The importance of reading skills is not only emphasized in Bruchsal. According to a study on reading ability, a quarter of fourth graders in Germany are unable to understand texts, which significantly limits their participation in school and society. The Hoefer highlights that the decline in reading by parents has an impact on this development. Schools are responding with support measures to reverse this development.

Competition details and prizes

At the reading competition in Bruchsal, the best readers from the third and fourth graders competed against each other. The students were able to read from eleven titles in a specially put together book box or from their own books. The jury evaluated reading speed, accuracy, pronunciation and tone of voice. Dr. Nicole Bachor-Pfeff from PHKA was not only a member of the jury, but also responsible for the development of the evaluation forms, in close cooperation with the primary schools. PH Karlsruhe noted that all participants received a certificate and a book voucher worth ten euros.

The first prize, which included a visit to the Mannheim Planetarium, went to Ophélie Fath from the Johann-Peter-Hebel-Elementary School (level 3) and Julian Dörich from the Stirumschule (level 4). Second prizes, which included a visit to the Heidelberg Zoo, went to Theodor Hunger (Büchenau Elementary School, Level 3) and Teresa Eberlein (Dietrich Bonhoeffer School Heidelsheim, Level 4). The third and fourth place winners also received tickets for a performance of the Badische Landesbühne children's program. PH Karlsruhe highlights the important role of competition in promoting reading.

Long-term perspectives

The importance of these competitions goes beyond the immediate experience. As various studies and reports show, reading skills have a significant impact on social participation. Education Server states that inadequate reading ability not only affects school performance, but also reduces opportunities for political and social participation. Offers such as the reading competition try not only to teach children to read, but also to arouse enthusiasm for books and to illustrate their importance for a democratic society.

During the event, Mayor Cornelia Petzold-Schick emphasized the essential role of reading for education and critical thinking, while Prof. Dr. Jürgen Wacker, President of the Rotary Club, plans to repeat the competition annually in order to further promote reading. At a time when reading skills are crucial to surviving in modern society, the reading competition is an important step in the right direction.