What is the First Minister’s Reading Challenge?
The First Minister’s Reading Challenge is a programme for Primary 1 – 7 pupils in Scotland, providing opportunities and resources to help them develop a love of reading.
There are a range of challenges to encourage children to go on their own reading journeys, explore different types of books and celebrate personal reading achievements. The Reading Challenge aims to support schools and communities to develop reading cultures and for these to be embedded and go on to benefit your children in the long-term.
The First Minister’s Reading Challenge will run from September 2017 until May 2018 and there will be a celebration event in June 2018, where good practice from across the country will be showcased and prizes awarded.
Why is it Important?
The importance of developing a life-long love for reading cannot be underestimated for children and the impact it has on all aspects of education – the curriculum and beyond – is immeasurable. Allowing children to enjoy the fun and pleasure of reading by developing a reading culture in schools, communities and families is therefore incredibly worth-while and something which lies at the heart of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge.
What can you do to help?
Your child has now received a Reading Passport (P1-P3 have a class poster) where they will be able to record books they have read throughout the Challenge and what they think of them. Talk to them about the books and reading materials they enjoyed and the ones they didn’t. You might want to discuss challenges they and you face as readers, and that it’s ok to start a book and realise it’s not for them. They could also take their Reading Passport along to their local library and record recommendations inside.
One of the most important things you can do with your children is make time to talk about books, stories, and words. Let them develop their own interests and, above all, help them to value reading and the world it opens up to them
https://www.readingchallenge.scot/
Mrs Roy
Principal Teacher
