Virtual Read Aloud Day on Kamp-Lintfort Campus
Even though primary school children cannot visit the campus in Kamp-Lintfort in person this year, the Faculty of Communication and Environment did not want to miss out on participating in the 17th nationwide Read Aloud Day on November 20, 2020. To give the children insights into their work at university and to read exciting, funny books, Professor Franca Ruhwedel and Professor Torsten Niechoj made two videos - and got active support by a hand puppet and some soft toys.
Prof. Dr. Torsten Niechoj reads excerpts from the Hotzenplotz stories by Otfried Preußler which are well known, especially for older students. In this classic of children's book literature, Kasperl and Seppel want to recapture a stolen coffee grinder and catch a robber. To do so, they make up a plan to fool the robber and pretend to drag a crate of gold through the forest. Professor Niechoj then explains why a robber might be interested in gold from an economic point of view and discusses the topic with the only student present in the largest lecture hall at the university. Luckily enough, the student is a hand puppet, which cannot infect itself or others with the Corona virus.
Prof. Dr. Franca Ruhwedel first shows the young viewers around the campus and then explains what students learn in her business administration courses by using the example of an ice-cream parlour. Then she reads from the book “Eine Woche voller Samstage" by Paul Maar to a substitute audience of soft toys. The story of the cheeky Sams, who really makes a mess of his "daddy's" life Mr. Taschenbier, is also a classic among children's books and will surely make the children laugh.
For legal reasons, we can only show the videos by Professor Ruhwedel Professorin Ruhwedel and Professor Niechoj without the reading part. Nevertheless, the shortened videos are worthwhile, as they provide a child-friendly insight into the working world of professors. The teachers of the participating classes have of course received the complete videos.
In addition to the university staff, numerous other Kamp-Lintfort personalities volunteer as ambassadors for reading.
Read Aloud Day started in 2013 and has attracted about 700,000 participants to this day. It is supported by “Die Zeit”, “Stiftung Lesen” and “Deutsche Bahn Stiftung”. The Faculty of Communication and Environment at Rhine-Waal University is looking forward to being part of it next year again.
