Being able to read is important for mastering most subjects at school. Nevertheless, there are many who struggle to make it happen. Between 21–26 per cent of Norwegian boys aged 15 have problems reading a difficult text. This has been the situation for nearly 20 years. The girls are doing quite a bit better. Hermundur Sigmundsson is professor of psychology at NTNU, and has worked with reading training for many years. Recently, he and colleagues published results from a new reading project in Iceland. – Everyone in first class has cracked the reading code. 96 per cent of them read complete sentences after one year, he tells news. A definite plan The project in Iceland is still in the starting pit. The plan is to train 50 new children every year for the next ten years. A total of 500 students. – The most important reasons for doing something about this are to improve results and well-being in the school. We see that this results in significantly better well-being in the group that has completed the scheme, compared to the pupils who went to first grade the year before, says Sigmundsson. What they have done is simply to change the daily school life of the children. They have followed a clear plan: before lunch, the children first learn basic skills such as reading, mathematics and science. During the first two to three hours, they must also be physically active. After lunch comes the training session. In the first year of school, teaching places great emphasis on reading skills. The training provides targeted training and an introduction to the connection between letters and the sound that follows the letters. Towards the end of the day, students have what is called the passion hour. There they choose between five different subjects: home economics, music, carpentry, sewing or painting and drawing. The project is about giving students challenges that are individually adapted to their level. Because it is not useful to give all pupils the same teaching. Then many people drop out, explains the researcher. In Iceland, they have introduced something called the hour of passion. Here, students can choose based on their own interests. Photo: Hermundur Sigmundsson Close to 100 per cent According to the Icelandic professor, the results after the first round of training are very good. Single words: In September, 58 per cent of pupils in first grade could read single words. These had already cracked the reading code. In May, the proportion was 100 per cent. In other words, everyone could read single words. Sentences: In September, 28 per cent could read sentences. In May, the proportion was 96 per cent. Coherent text: In September, just over 8 per cent could read coherent text. In May, 88 per cent of pupils could do the same. – We see the findings from Vestmannaeyjar as very important, says Sigmundsson. He believes that in Norway it should not be accepted that so many young people struggle to read. Hermundur Sigmundsson is a professor at NTNU in Trondheim. Photo: NTNU – Too bad – We read too badly. This is what Professor Magnhild Selås says to news. She is employed at the University of Agder. She says 1 in 5 Norwegian pupils are too poor to read, and that even more struggle. Students also have too poor reading skills. Selås thinks the project in Iceland is exciting. – It is interesting to see such a pure experiment in a society that is so similar to ours. Vestmannaeyjar is a perfect laboratory, large enough, clearly separated from the rest of Iceland. It is easy to create enthusiasm. Such projects often work precisely because you bring new enthusiasm and spark, explains the professor. She points out that the project has a strong focus on individual adaptation. – Here the pupils also get to choose their own colour-coded books from the library. It’s great. It’s hard to find books that are fun to read. The books should appeal to young readers. It has often been a problem to find books that are suitable for both level and interest, she says. Selås believes that you have to work on a number of things if the level of reading is to improve. Also among students. – All reading competes with the digital. You probably have to work with a number of approaches in order not to get even less persistent readers. Magnhild Selås is a professor at the University of Agder. She believes there are various reasons why people struggle with reading. The professor is no stranger to the need to think anew, also in Norway. Photo: The University of Agder Has a plan Kjetil Vevle (Ap) is state secretary to the Minister of Knowledge. In an e-mail to news, he writes that it is a goal in Norway that all students who leave school can read and write. – We have various surveys that measure pupils’ reading skills. The international survey PIRLS shows that Norwegian pupils in fifth grade read very well in an international context. The PISA results, on the other hand, show a decline in fifteen-year-olds’ skills. Here there are some areas that are of particular concern, he says. – There are more people who read at a low level and there are greater gender differences than before. But what is being done to improve the situation? Vevle says that the government will begin work on a new reading strategy. – In addition, the government will submit a notification to the Storting on 5.-10. steps. The main aim of the report is to explore and describe how the school can to a greater extent safeguard and promote pupils’ motivation, mastery, learning and development. Among other things, the message will look at how the school can become more practical and varied, so that pupils can learn more and enjoy themselves better. Happy to help others One of the reasons why Hermundur Sigmundsson chose to carry out the project in Iceland is that there the children struggle even more with reading than here in Norway. As many as 34 percent of the 15-year-old boys on the island have problems understanding text. In addition, students also struggle more with general basic subjects. The NTNU professor believes that it will be easy to carry out similar training in Norway. And he encourages teachers and professionals who are interested to get in touch.
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New method led to almost all first-graders learning to read within a year, new study shows – news Trøndelag
