An intercultural/international comparative study between Germany and Israel

The idea of the method “Reading and Media Club” is based on creating an environment in which the so-called “risk-group” pupils can experience their own social operation radius. Important aims of the agenda are equal chances for all. The Reading and Media Club organizes an extra afternoon-oriented curriculum for the leisure time which is focused on encouraging reading, media and social skills for young people.

A scientific evaluation accompanies the pilot project and aims at testing the method

“Reading and Media Club”. It is an example to improve reading motivation, reading skills and social integration by an exchange of experience between Germany and Israel.

The joint aim is the promotion of reading and language skills, teaching media competence and advancing social integration and tolerance. Social competencies which are essential for a peaceful living together are strengthened.

The cultural diversity may help to overcome ethnocentric opinions as well as prejudice and stereotypes, hence it may contribute to social integration.

Within the framework of an intercultural/international comparative study, there will be established 10 Reading and Media Clubs in Germany and 10 in Israel. The installation of the Reading and Media Clubs is planned in schools, where a majority of the pupils is part of a weak reading risk group. These are schools in under privileged areas and schools with a high percentage of pupils with a migration background.

The cooperation between teachers in Germany and Israel ensures that both societies will profit from the planned project and from the intercultural exchange. Both states are confronted with immigration. Comparison allows the social and cultural heterogeneity in each country to be classified and defined. The method Reading and Media clubs is an approach to this item.

The joint topic, the improvement of reading motivation, reading skills and social integration of the “risk group young migrants” raises the following questions:

• How does a multicultural pupil in Germany and Israel spend his day during and after school?

• Which concepts exist with regard to the support and promotion of multicultural pupils?

• What kind of support and pre-conditions are necessary to teach multicultural pupils?

• How do teachers in Germany and Israel treat pupils with an immigration background?
    What  are the differences and where can common interests be found?

• To what extent can the method “Reading and Media Clubs” contribute to increasing reading, media and social skills?

• How does the education system informally support offers which take place outside the class room?

According to standards of quality management and in consideration of the above mentioned questions, the project “Reading and Media Clubs” shall be continuously evaluated. In this way, it makes an important contribution to dealing with the unresolved multi-national problems of today: of cultural, social and educational segregation.

The Project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
Partner of Stiftung Lesen in Israel is the Center for Educational Technology (CET), Tel Aviv.