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Revolution in primary schools: NRW says goodbye to “writing by ear” - English only later

2020-08-13T11:49:24.449Z


North Rhine-Westphalia is working on the polish of elementary schools with a “revolution” - with a lot of money. Schoolchildren, teachers and parents should all benefit from it.


North Rhine-Westphalia is working on the polish of elementary schools with a “revolution” - with a lot of money. Schoolchildren, teachers and parents should all benefit from it.

  • The state of North Rhine-Westphalia will pump more than 718 million euros into its almost 2,800 primary schools by 2025.
  • What is officially called a “master plan” is actually a small “revolution” in some areas.
  • “Writing by ear” should be a thing of the past, and English lessons start later.

Düsseldorf - A concept for the elementary school of the future , even a small revolution in parts : North Rhine-Westphalia has presented a “master plan” for the work at the almost 2,800 elementary schools in the most populous federal state. This includes short-, medium- and long-term measures to improve learning in grades 1 to 4 for around 650,000 pupils and teachers.

stateNorth Rhine-Westphalia
State capitalDusseldorf
population17.93 million
Biggest citiesCologne, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen

The state government is thus giving the go-ahead for contemporary further development and support for primary schools in North Rhine-Westphalia, it was said in Düsseldorf. With the “Primary School Master Plan”, a central mandate from the coalition agreement is being fulfilled. School Minister Yvonne Gebauer (FDP) explained: "We want to make the good of the elementary school even better and also set new impulses."

According to its own statements, the state is spending a lot of money on this: By 2025 , a total of more than 718 million euros are to be invested in the foundation of a successful educational biography for children in North Rhine-Westphalia, as WA.de * reports. What is the “master plan”? Here are the answers.

Revolution at primary schools in North Rhine-Westphalia: curricula that are over ten years old updated

The curriculum, which is now more than ten years old , is currently being further developed and should come into force in the school year 2021/22 . In this context, the competency expectations for digital learning are also incorporated and opportunities for distance learning are improved for primary schools.

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According to its own statements, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia will invest more than 718 million euros in the “Primary School Master Plan” by 2025, which in parts represents a small revolution.

© Jens Büttner / dpa

Revolution at primary schools in North Rhine-Westphalia: English only from grade 3 - but then "correctly"

So teachers in the so-called "school entry stage" - 1st and 2nd school year - to put focus on mathematics, reading and writing can that catches English classes differently now (second half of the 1st class) from the school year 2021 / 22 only starts in the third school year - but then more intensively due to a higher number of hours . Specialist offensive in German and mathematics is called in the master plan.

Revolution at primary schools in North Rhine-Westphalia: "Writing by ear" is being deleted

The abandonment of the controversial principle of “writing by ear” is being pushed further in North Rhine-Westphalia. Also from the school year 2021/22, a previous handout for systematic spelling lessons and mandatory compulsory vocabulary with all the special features of German spelling will be firmly anchored in the curriculum.

Support and relieve staff - strengthen professionalism. The primary school master plan in 7⃣ fields of action with a mix of short, medium and long-term measures is geared towards these two goals. Click here for the master plan ➡️ https://t.co/8mAK2ATaMn pic.twitter.com/tP21ye2rWp

- Bildungsland NRW (@BildungslandNRW) August 11, 2020

Revolution at primary schools in North Rhine-Westphalia: focus on mathematics and computer science

In the subject of mathematics , orientation aids and templates for funding plans are to be developed from 2021 . In addition, the primary school students should already learn the basics of computer science and then, for example, "playfully program a robot" in a subject lesson , said School and Education Minister Yvonne Gebauer.

In order to strengthen the subjects German and mathematics , a total of 106 additional positions for subject coordinators are to be set up at the school authorities . These should accompany the implementation of the curricula on site . A total of around 21 million euros are earmarked for this by 2025. The performance of fourth graders in math and German has not only deteriorated in North Rhine-Westphalia, but throughout Germany, emphasized Gebauer.

Revolution at primary schools in North Rhine-Westphalia: Postponement of school enrollment

School-age children can be postponed from attending school by one year if there are significant health reasons . The parents' own specialist medical or specialist therapeutic reports should also be taken into account during the school entrance examination . In addition, in particularly well-founded cases, a decision should be made at the end of the first grade whether a child will stay in the class. This corresponds to a wish expressed by parents and teachers that has often been expressed.

In addition, children after grade 4 should make the transition from primary school to secondary level I even better - through "a mutual inclusion of primary school expertise in the curriculum work for schools in secondary level I and vice versa."

Revolution at primary schools in North Rhine-Westphalia: Great focus on swimming

In 2019, the state government presented the action plan "Learn to swim in North Rhine-Westphalia 2019 to 2022" with various measures to strengthen the swimming ability of children and young people. The “Primary School Master Plan” provides for a further expansion of the state program “NRW can swim” , which is intended to finance swimming courses during the holidays. A total of ten additional positions are planned for this.

Revolution at primary schools in North Rhine-Westphalia: 570 additional vice-principal positions

To support the school management , all primary schools are to receive deputy positions in the future . This also includes the small primary schools with fewer than 180 students. From the school year 2021/22, around 600 small primary schools will each receive a vice-principal position, said Yvonne Gebauer. "With this we would like to strengthen the management at small elementary schools." According to the ministry, a total of around 570 vice-rector positions are to be created. The state will plan a total of 21 million euros for this by 2025.

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North Rhine-Westphalia School and Education Minister Yvonne Gebauer (FDP) presented the "Primary School Master Plan" in Düsseldorf - an investment of more than 718 million euros in the educational future of around 650,000 boys and girls. Details of the concept are a revolution in the most populous federal state.

© Marcel Kusch / dpa

Revolution at primary schools in North Rhine-Westphalia: 600 full-time administrative assistants

The school administrative assistants to support schools and school administrators will be expanded and 400 additional positions will be set up for this purpose from the coming year . This means that 600 assistants can be employed full-time. The number of so-called credit hours for processing special tasks is increased so that primary school teachers are relieved. The costs for this will total more than 100 million euros over the next five years.

Revolution at primary school in North Rhine-Westphalia: promotions possible for the first time

For the first time, primary school teachers are also offered promotion positions. This should also give teachers outside the school management office a professional perspective . These promotion opportunities are to be created for five percent of the permanent positions - almost 1,300. That means more money for these teachers too. However: There is still no statement about the required equal pay for primary school and high school teachers . The teachers' association VBE stated that the future promotion agencies will not solve the problem of the teacher shortage either. Around 45 million are planned for this in the state budget by 2025. For the new school year 2020/21, the state has taken numerous measures to bring additional teachers to the schools.

The new school year in the #BildungslandNRW starts with a master plan for the # primary schools. "We want to make the good of the elementary school even better and also set new impulses," emphasized School Minister Gebauer when presenting the master plan. ℹ️ https://t.co/E7R1fZbFMv pic.twitter.com/LOV24I8A3d

- Bildungsland NRW (@BildungslandNRW) August 11, 2020

Gebauer said the real reason for the shortage of teachers was that there had been too few places for primary school teaching in the past . Two out of three applicants should have been rejected. The CDU / FDP state government has created 700 additional study places since taking office .

Revolution at primary schools in North Rhine-Westphalia: three times as many jobs for social pedagogues

According to the ministry, the number of posts for socio-pedagogical specialists in primary schools has tripled to 1750. An expansion to a total of 3,000 jobs is planned by 2025. The state will provide a total of more than 260 million euros for this. In advance, 400 jobs were released at the beginning of this school year.

Revolution at primary schools in NRW: 800 additional inclusion positions

To strengthen joint learning in primary schools, all primary schools with at least two classes should have teachers for special needs education permanently in their staff . The inclusion positions are to be increased by a total of 800 positions to 4,300 in the coming years. This job expansion is to begin in the school year 2021/22. Around 138 million euros are earmarked for this by 2025.

Revolution at primary schools in NRW: digital forms of learning are becoming more important

Modern elementary school lessons require a digital infrastructure (such as a gigabit connection or WiFi access in all classrooms and subject rooms) in order to enable the pupils to acquire media skills at an early stage . The implementation of the digital infrastructure is to be financed and implemented through the School Digital Pact, among other things . The state's additional investments in digital equipment for pupils in need and for digital end devices for teachers will be able to expand digital forms of learning in primary schools, according to the state.

Revolution at primary schools in North Rhine-Westphalia: alignment with secondary and secondary schools

The state government wants to use the increasing number of teaching posts to increase the number of credit hours that a primary school receives. So far, primary schools have received 0.2 hours of relief per basic position for processing special tasks . Compared to other types of school, this is by far the lowest value. The state government therefore wants to gradually increase the credit hours, aligned with the level of secondary schools and secondary schools . The goal is to increase the relief hours to a total of 0.5 relief hours. The medium-term financial plan has earmarked more than 76 million euros for these measures.

The new school year in North Rhine-Westphalia is under the sign of the mask requirement in secondary schools, initially until August 31. Primary school students are allowed to take off the corona protective masks at least at their fixed seats- * WA.de is part of the Ippen-Digital network

List of rubric lists: © Jens Büttner / dpa

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2020-08-13

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