Children learn to read and write from primary school onwards. However, some pupils need more support than teachers can give them in class. To provide better support for these children, Dr Amelie Haas and Dr Annika Krisp founded "Mentor - Die Leselernhelfer Gießen e.V." at the beginning of this year. The independent association, of which there are 60 more nationwide, aims to improve the reading and language skills of children in first to sixth grade with its mentoring programme. "Our concept is based on 1:1 contact," explains Annika Krisp. "Because an adult is always looking after a pupil, a relationship of trust is created that has a positive effect on learning success."
Katja Ulrich from the Human Resources & Organisation department at Stadtwerke Giessen (SWG) suggested the new Giessen association for one of the 75 good deeds in the anniversary year. After all, she herself is the mother of an eleven-month-old son to whom she regularly reads. "Mastering your own language is very important. Children also practise their expressive and language skills through reading," says Katja Ulrich, explaining her decision in favour of the Leselernhelfer. Their library, from which mentors and pupils choose their books, is not yet so well equipped. On 25 November, the SWG sponsor handed over the symbolic donation cheque for 60 books to Annika Krisp and Amelie Haas. "We are very happy about the generous donation," says Amelie Haas. "As a young organisation, we are dependent on financial and reading supporters. So far, we can only fulfil a fraction of the requests because we don't yet have enough mentors." The reading mentors are allowed to choose the 60 books themselves and then add them to the library. The pupils then decide for themselves which book they want to read with them. The mentors are currently working at the Korczak and Ostschule schools in Giessen, and collaborations with other schools are being planned.