LukuBattle reading challenge attracted hundreds of pupils: ‘60% of participants now read more’

This spring, the LukuBattle challenge has been running in lower secondary schools and year 6 classes in primary schools across Vaasa. By reading three books, pupils taking part in the reading challenge earned a chance to enter a prize draw with great rewards. The prizes are sponsored by the MLL Vaasa Association.

– All kinds of reading were allowed in this challenge – anything from comic books and short stories to newspapers, e-books, or audiobooks. Students were given a couple of months to read, says Heta Pentsinen, a teacher and project worker at Onkilahti Comprehensive School.

230 students took part – and reading soared

The aim of the LukuBattle challenge was to encourage lower secondary school students to engage with all kinds of reading.

– There were around 230 participants and every reader is a huge win! Based on feedback from the students, 60% of those who took part now read more than they did before the challenge, says Outi Närvä, a teacher and project coordinator at Variska Comprehensive School.

The LukuBattle challenge will return next school year and, at teachers’ request, it will be expanded to include all levels of basic education.

Let’s make reading so enjoyable it draws pupils in!

This spring, the LukuBattle challenge was aimed at lower secondary schools, as the decline in reading is more noticeable at that level. Primary school pupils tend to read more, but even in primary schools, pupils are encouraged to read in many different ways.

Marika Viita is a teacher of Finnish language and literature, as well as an S2 teacher at Nummi School (S2 = Finnish as a second language and literature).

Reading is a passion for Viita, and encouraging her students to read is a key part of her work.

– These days, with so many things competing for a child’s time, reading needs to be made to feel worthwhile from the child’s perspective. My aim is to make reading time so enjoyable that it naturally draws students in, Viita says.

Books are always on display in the classroom

At Nummi School, pupils are encouraged to read through activities like reading challenges, small rewards, and dedicated storytime and reading breaks. Next school year, the school will take on the ‘one million pages’ reading challenge.

The power of setting an example is also important.

– At our school, the adults lead by example: when the class has a reading hour, the teacher joins in by reading their own book too. On the wall of the school canteen, there’s a board where teachers list all every book they read, says Viita.

Reading is made highly visible in many other ways throughout the school as well. In Viita’s classroom, books are always on display – with their covers facing out to make them more inviting.

– A reading-friendly environment promotes the idea that reading is important and a meaningful way to spend time. Collaboration with the library and support from families are also essential.

Every school has a teachers’ reading team

LukuBattle is part of Vaasa’s basic education initiative Lukeva koulu (‘Reading school’) which draws on resources such as the Finnish National Agency for Education’s (EDUFI) Lukeva koulu toolkit.

Närvä emphasises that promoting literacy in schools is a collective effort.

– The entire school community and all basic education subjects share responsibility for developing pupils’ literacy and inspiring them to read. Here in Vaasa, every school also has a teachers’ reading team. When pupils read more, the impact is immediately visible in the teacher’s work. As their vocabulary grows, pupils are able to use language in a much more sophisticated way.