Students wanted for volunteer work or internship!

Since 2014, volunteers from the University of Bayreuth have been helping schoolchildren at the Luitpoldschule, a primary school in Bayreuth, to learn German. The Rotary Club Bayreuth-Eremitage is always on board and supports the project financially. The project is also taking place in Winter Semester 2020/21 despite the pandemic, although under slightly different conditions.

In the past school year, the project supported a total of 21 children, including children of immigrant workers, refugees, and international guests of the University of Bayreuth. With both one-on-one and group sessions under the guidance of classroom teacher Petra Schmeußer, the language mentors provided support for children who are still developing their German language skills, adapting to their individual learning needs and level of proficiency. The aim is to enable the children to be integrated into standard classes more quickly. In addition, the language mentors (prior to the pandemic) organized theatre visits, swimming lessons, and various sports activities for the children.

However, the school closure at the beginning of March 2020 meant that a new approach was needed. One-on-one and group discussions with the children were then carried out online and by phone. Especially those children who were to be integrated into standard classes after the Pentecost holidays continued to receive support from their language mentors. When the schools reopened after Pentecost, classes were divided up and the timetables were structured in such a way that the children could attend German classes on the days when they did not have normal lessons.

Support for children with language difficulties

Early integration into standard classes has been shown to improve the children’s language level much faster than in transitional classes with other non-native speakers. In the 2020/21 school year, the children will therefore tend to be integrated into standard classes, spread out among the Luitpoldschule, Altstadtschule, Grundschule Herzoghöhe, Graserschule, Jean-Paul-Schule, Volkschule Meyernberg, Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Schule, and Markgrafenschule (other primary schools in Bayreuth). An additional team at the Luitpoldschule will offer intensive language training for the first graders. This means that the language mentors will be working with all classes. Any teacher can request mentors to provide extra support for children with language difficulties. The coordination work is carried out by Patrick Weis, who is studying at the University of Bayreuth to become a high school teacher in chemistry, mathematics, and physical education. He has been active in the project for some time.

Language mentors are still urgently needed! For this reason, we are looking for students from all programmes of study who would like to join our team for the current school year. You can become a mentor on a volunteer basis, and depending on your subject area, it may also be recognized as an internship. Your profile: You have a strong command of German and, most importantly, you enjoy working with children. One thing is certain – you will benefit from the experience just as much as the schoolchildren you are helping!