Project VULKAN

Simplification and reading edition of Kleist’s Earthquake in Chile: offer and use of a parallel version

The VULKAN project examines how 14- and 15-year-olds respond when reading a parallel text of Heinrich von Kleist’s novella The Earthquake in Chile, presented in a reading edition (LA) and in a version in plain language created specifically for this project. The term ‘reading edition’ refers here to the ‘original version’ of Heinrich von Kleist’s novella ‘The Earthquake in Chile’. The planned online survey is based on a self-paced reading paradigm. In the survey, both text versions are hidden. With a click of the mouse, students can decide which of the two text versions they wish to read: the reading edition in the left-hand column or the simplified version in the right-hand column. If, for example, the students have chosen the standard version, they can navigate from section to section using the arrow keys. They remain in the respective text version until they decide to switch to the other one. The aim of this study is to find out how the students read the text, for example, whether they make use of the option to switch between Kleist’s standard version and the simplified version and to read them in comparison. It is particularly suitable for use in inclusive settings, as students can read either the reading version or the simplified version as required and switch between the text versions at will should they encounter specific comprehension difficulties. Since there is currently neither a parallel version combining a reading version and a simplified version nor any empirical studies on how they are used, this project represents a desideratum.