Supported by the State’s pedagogical innovation fund « Notre école faisons-la ensemble » (NEFLE), Ouangani Middle School in Mayotte has acquired a Cub’Édito. This Short Story Dispenser offers works to read on papyrus for students and teaching staff. It also encourages students to write, with the promise of having their work published within the school.
The Cub’Édito: Fostering the Joy of Reading and Pride in Writing
This original device was invented and manufactured by Short Édition in Grenoble. The publisher’s mission is to contribute to the development of reading and writing through various means and formats. Currently, 310 institutions in France and across the English-speaking world (US, UK, Australia, HK) use Short Édition’s educational reading/writing tools. These include primary schools, middle schools, high schools, universities, and public libraries.
A Rich Editorial Collection with Tailored Works
The Cub’Édito provides teachers with access to a library of 12,000 works, spanning all literary genres such as comics, short stories, and poetry, available in both French and English. The richness of this editorial collection allows teachers to adapt reading material to the level and interests of their students, making literature more accessible to everyone. The texts are randomly printed for free at the push of a button.
The Édito Site: An Inclusive Reading and Writing Platform
In addition to the Cub’Édito, the system includes an online platform – a personalized website – where teachers can introduce writing projects to complement reading. Students can have their texts published in the Cub’Édito after approval by the teaching staff. This initiative showcases students’ literary talents, stimulates their creativity, and strengthens their writing skills. The digital platform is inclusive and adaptable to readers with DYS disorders, and the stories are also available in audio format.
Scientific Monitoring of the Project
The system is being scientifically monitored by the Gériico laboratory at the University of Lille III, under the direction of Béatrice Micheau, highlighting the Cub’Édito’s ability to build students’ confidence in their ability to produce quality stories.
The First Cub’Édito in Mayotte to Tackle the Reading Challenge
The arrival of the Cub’Édito in Mayotte in May 2024 aims to address the challenge of reading, a major issue in the department*. In a context where young people are often disengaged from reading, Short Édition’s original and innovative system sparks students’ curiosity with easily accessible texts.
The dedication and enthusiasm of the teaching staff have resulted in numerous projects over the summer, and this energy continues with the students in the new school year.
As Alice Chevrant-Breton, librarian and project leader alongside her colleague Gwénaella Régnier for Ouangani Middle School, confirms: « The Cub’Édito has offered students a new, fun, and interactive way to discover reading. The papyrus has quickly found its place in students’ backpacks, and they are eager to become the authors of future stories. »
The Cub’Édito is perfectly suited to the national « 15-Minute Reading » initiative, which encourages reading: students without books can print one or more stories to read during this dedicated time.
*(In 2020, the Defense and Citizenship Day revealed that 71.1% of young people in Mayotte have reading difficulties, compared to the national average of 9.5%).
Source: Short Edition, press release dated October 3, 2024
