“Reading to understand the world” the project that brings reading closer to the children of El Raval
A Psychology student at the UAB (Autonomous University of Barcelona) is leading a Bachelor’s Degree Final Project aimed at fostering reading habits in an active and critical way through the Service-Learning methodology.
Learning gains meaning when it has a direct impact on the surrounding community. This is the case of “Reading to Understand the World: A Project to Foster a Love of Reading”, the Bachelor’s Degree Final Project (TFG) of Psychology student Laia Cors Puigdollers, supervised by Professor Cristina Zhang Yu during the 2025–2026 academic year. The project arose in response to a request from the Open Centre of the Raval Comprehensive Educational Association (AEI Raval).
The project was created with the aim of encouraging a love of reading among children aged 8 to 10, while moving away from more traditional and prescriptive approaches. As explained in a recently published video summary of the experience, the initiative is based on anti-racist, dialogic, and critical pedagogies.
The “Club of Geniuses”
The initiative has found an innovative way to connect young children with reading. An editorial team made up of the children themselves, called the “Club of Geniuses,” became the driving force behind the project. Through this approach, primary school pupils took part in creative activities that differed from conventional learning methods, including writing reviews, creating comics, conducting interviews, and recording audiobooks.
All of these creations were eventually brought together in the group's own magazine, The Voice of the Media. The methodology sought to replicate real-world publishing processes, connecting children with professional environments. To this end, the editorial team participated in special activities outside the organization, including a visit to the local library, where they were able to obtain library cards, and a visit to the newsroom of the newspaper Ara.
Service-Learning
This final degree project is an excellent example of what Service-Learning (ApS) means at the UAB: a tool that enables the knowledge acquired by university students to create meaningful change in the education of the future. Laia Cors successfully addressed a local community need, identified a challenge, and found effective ways to engage children in reflection and critical thinking.
According to those behind the initiative, the project's success is largely due to the strong involvement of all the children who participated. Their current challenge is to ensure that this format takes root and becomes a permanent part of the centre's activities, with plans to incorporate digital tools in the future.