It is a MMCC Literacy initiative focusing on improving reading and developing a regular reading habit for all students.

Students are asked to reflect on their current reading practice and, in consultation with their English teacher, set an improved reading target, which will be their Personal Best.

Students are asked to also consider what they are reading and other genres and texts they can explore.

When is it happening? Winter Reading Challenge 2020 begins in Week 8, Term 2 and ends in Week 10, Term 3.

What do I have to do?

• You will be required to borrow books from the IMC and your local library, or bring books that you own from home.
• You need to develop a good reading habit. This requires you to read regularly, each day.
• In Wide Reading lessons each fortnight you will record what you are reading in the Winter Reading Challenge Journal/Log
• You will also create a journal entry about the current book you are reading in your Winter Reading Challenge Journal/Log.
• Teachers will distribute and recollect these Reading Journals each Wide Reading Lesson.
• They will be evidence of your effort towards achieving your Personal Best. They will also be shown to parents at Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews to discuss your efforts and achievement in improving your reading skills.

Rewards & Prizes

• Academic Merit Awards will be given to students who are making a solid effort to achieve their Personal Best in Term 3.
• Certificates of Achievement and Merit Awards will be given to students who achieve their Personal Best.
• ONE student from each English class in Years 7 to 10, nominated by their teacher, will receive an award for Class Best Achievement, and attend a special Pizza Lunch as a reward for their outstanding effort at the beginning of Term 4.

Why is Reading Important?

 Benefits of reading for pleasure

Studies show that promoting reading can have a major impact on children and adults and their future. Several main areas of the benefits to reading for pleasure include:

• Reading attainment and writing ability;
• Text comprehension and grammar;
• Breadth of vocabulary;
• Positive reading attitudes;
• Greater self-confidence as a reader;
• Pleasure in reading in later life;
• General knowledge;
• A better understanding of other cultures;
• Community participation; and
• A greater insight into human nature and decision-making.

Evidence suggests that reading for pleasure leads to increased attainment. Pupils who read more are also better readers. A large scale survey of over 18 000 young people found that those who reported enjoying reading very much were six times more likely than those who did not enjoy reading to read above the expected level for their age. Evidence from OECD (2002) found that reading enjoyment is more important for children’s educational success than their family’s socio-economic status. Clark and Rumbold (2006) argue that reading for pleasure could be one important way to help combat social exclusion and raise educational standards.

(Department for Education, United Kingdom,. Research Evidence On Reading For Pleasure. 1st ed. 2012. Web. 28 Apr. 2015.)