Reading Challenges to boost literacy

In the UK we’re lucky to have a number of different literacy initiatives to encourage children to read.

The Reading Agency, for example, have their regular Summer and Winter Reading Challenges that encourage children to read books they’ve borrowed from the library.

There are numerous writing challenges –  from writing book reviews through to short stories. Indeed, we’ve run a number of Young Authors’ Competitions, which have resulted in amazing stories and poems being published on Fonetti, and inspired other children to believe in their creative writing abilities too.

Competitions are a great way to get some people to take action. Some like the idea of winning, while others like the idea of improving their performance.(1)

The Fonetti interactive reading format is engaging for both enthusiastic and reluctant readers alike, so, by combining it with the compelling aspect of a competition, we believe more young readers will be inspired to read, to read more, and will progress, wherever they are on their reading journey.

The India Reading Challenge brings the benefits of English language reading practice (alongside public recognition and prizes) to children across India, and the Summer UK Read Aloud Challenge does much the same for children in the UK.

(1) Franken B, Brown D, 1995, Why do people like competition? The motivation for winning, putting forth effort, improving one’s performance, performing well, being instrumental, and expressing forceful/aggressive behavior, Personality and Individual Differences, Volume 19, Issue 2, August 1995, Pages 175-184
https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(95)00035-5