Project SuSi: Coming together to promote reading skills

Students from the University of Passau are providing children and adolescents with individualised remedial support to improve their reading skills in the project "SuSi – Studierende unterstützen Schüler*innen individuell" (Students providing pupils individualised support). Once the school children's reading ability has been assessed, a remedial programme tailored to the children's skill level is drawn up based on the results of the assessment and on research findings.

In the winter semester 2023/24, the team has been assigned to work with pupils from St. Nikola primary school, Hacklberg primary school, and St. Nikola secondary school. Each student is responsible for a reading team consisting of up to three children or adolescents. At the beginning of the semester, the starting level is assessed on the first project day. For this purpose, students visit the schools and test the reading skills using informal and standardised methods. Based on the results, individualised reading packages are put together in line with the respective skill level. These are presented and discussed on the second project day.

The third project day was held in January 2024. For this purpose, year 2 pupils from St. Nikola primary school and year 5 pupils from St. Nikola secondary school paid the university a visit. The kids' reading ability was measured a second time at the research lab "SKoLa" to make their learning progress visible. The results of the analyses were rated, talked trough together with the students, and will serve as basis for new remedial decisions.

The project was initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic as a collaborative effort between the Chair of German Literature and Language Didactics held by Professor Markus Pissarek and Hutthurm primary school with the aim of filling the educational gaps that children and adolescents had been left with on account of the pandemic. After the pandemic, the project was further expanded, as children and adolescents still do not enjoy equal opportunities and educational equality and because the increasing differences in the reading proficiency of pupils represent a major challenge for schools. The project aims to facilitate remedial reading for children and adolescents at a level that matches their skills, on the one hand, and to prepare advanced students for work and support them with their professional skills development, on the other. This process is supported by two university seminars held by Professor Markus Pissarek and Magdalena Schlintl from the Chair of German Literature and Language Didactics. In addition, students are closely mentored and guided in tutorials and by primary and secondary teachers.

Photograph: Munzinger / PNP