Special Reading Initiatives
The Flemish Minister of Education and Training has undertaken several initiatives to enhance students’ knowledge of and competence in the Dutch language and foreign languages (particularly French, English, and German). The Ministry of Education aims to broaden literacy for students in compulsory education and for adults in general—especially for those with a home language other than Dutch. The targets of the Flemish Minister are the:
- Elaboration of a strong(er) language policy
- Amelioration of the didactical approach of languages, especially Dutch
- Review and actualization of the curriculum for Dutch
- Development of additional teaching materials
- Continuation and the extension of additional support for immigrants
- Organization of several actions to promote reading
Currently, the following initiatives of the Ministry promote literacy in the Flemish Community include:
- Concept note on languages at school (2011)—Initiatives on enhancing the knowledge of the Dutch language and of foreign languages such as French (possible from the third year of regular primary school) and English or German (offered as initiation)
- Toolkit of Broad Evaluation Competences Dutch (2011)—A set of valid and reliable instruments for teachers and schools to measure the competencies of Dutch
- New strategic plan called Raising Literacy (2012–2016)—Raising the level of literacy of the population is the central mission of the plan
The Ministry of Education and Training develops general objectives, but it is up to schools, experts from the field of action, and key organizations to take initiative. Currently, the following initiatives to promote reading and literacy in the Flemish Community includes:
- Book Babies—A project to enhance the use of children’s books by parents during early childhood
- The Book Finder—A website that stimulates reading by assisting children and teenagers in choosing books
- Readers Tipping Readers—A website with reading tips from readers to readers, describing the general content of their favorite books
- The week of readout—A week in which adults read books to children
- The Month of Youth Books—An annual campaign that focuses on increasing the enjoyment of reading from reading and viewing illustrations, using a quality offering
- Best book teacher —This annual prize aims to reward teachers who show a practical and daily effort to include childrenʼs books in class
- O Mundo, A Little World Library—A project to introduce the most beautiful picture books in multicultural classrooms
- IBBY-Flanders—A project from a department of the International Board on Books for Young People in Flanders that strives for children to have access to books
- The Book Jury—The Children and Youth Jury is a jury of children ages 4 to 16, in which jurors get a list of books to review and sometimes meet in groups to talk about books; it is the biggest reading group in Flanders
- Culture Connect (Cultuurconnect)—An organization with projects to support libraries and local cultural and community centers, including reading projects
- Culture in Schools Starts Here—A Web portal organized by CANON Cultuurcel and Cultuurnet Vlaanderen that provides an overview of cultural activities, partners, and support
The LIST Project—A research-based project organized by the Hogeschool Utrecht in the Netherlands and implemented by school counselors to improve reading instruction and follow a three phase system consisting of regular support, remedial teaching, and intensive remedial teaching11