International symposium: ‘Prepare for Life! Raising Awareness for Early Literacy Education’

During the international symposium ‘Prepare for Life! Raising Awareness for Early Literacy Education’ held from 12 to 14 March in Leipzig, 130 participants from 35 countries discussed cultural, social and political parameters for modern methods of promoting language and literacy education in early childhood.
A corresponding international exhibition featured examples of the diverse ‘Bookstart’ concepts currently in place in 20 countries. The symposium was organised by ‘Stiftung Lesen’ (Reading Foundation) and sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. As a result of the discussions, an interdisciplinary group of expert scientists and practitioners are working on an action plan that will be presented shortly. With these ‘Leipzig Recommendations’, the experts want to make concrete suggestions on how to improve early childhood education. Promoting early childhood language and literacy education is a basic prerequisite for individuals’ ability to learn – consequently, it is also the basis for successful societal, cultural and particularly economic development in all countries, the experts agreed.