Premier's Reading Challenge

The Premier's Reading Challenge is a literacy initiative developed by Australian state governments. It is set not as a competitive event, but rather as an individual challenge to each student, as well as to promote a love of reading books. [ [http://education.qld.gov.au/schools/readingchallenge/about.html About the challenge ] ] [ [http://www.education.vic.gov.au/prc/default.htm Premier's Reading Challenge - Home - Reading Challenge - Department of Education and Early Childhood Development ] ] [ [https://products.schools.nsw.edu.au/prc/faqs.html#about1 NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2008 : Frequently Asked Questions ] ] [http://www.premiersreadingchallenge.sa.edu.au/prc/files/links/PRC_pamphlet_A5.pdf] The challenge is run in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Victoria. In Western Australia, a similar program called the Premier's Summer Reading Challenge is run. [http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/events/readingChallenge/index.htm] . Tasmania's conservative Labor government joined the other states in 2008.

Guidelines

The guidelines to the program in each state differ slightly, but students must generally read a minimum of books within a certain amount of books, within a certain amount of time. In some states, these books must be a combination of personal chioce books and books from a pre-selected list of approved literature. [ [http://www.premiersreadingchallenge.sa.edu.au/prc/pages/books/guidelines Premiers Reading Challenge ] ] [ [http://education.qld.gov.au/schools/readingchallenge/guidelines.html 2007 Guidelines ] ] [ [http://www.education.vic.gov.au/prc/about/rules.htm Rules - Reading Challenge - Department of Education and Early Childhood Development ] ] [ [https://products.schools.nsw.edu.au/prc/rules.html NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2008 : Challenge Rules ] ]

In special needs schools

The NSW Premier's Reading Challenge has been used at Mary Brooksbank School, to help give the pupils with intellectual difficulties as many educational opportunities as are possible. [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/equal-opportunity-for-all-students/2007/09/08/1188783558455.html Equal opportunity for all students - National - smh.com.au ] ] The 50 students which attend the school have all successfully completed the challenge in two consecutive years. Many of the students cannot read independently, and so the books on the list were read to them by the teachers.

In the News

In 2005, the Victorian Premier's Reading Challenge attracted over 130,000 students, with 60,000 of these students meeting the requirements for the award by reading 12 books in the set time. [ [http://www.theage.com.au/news/books/premiers-reading-challenge-attracts-60000/2005/08/20/1124435182574.html Premier's reading challenge attracts 60,000 - Books - Entertainment ] ] In six months, over 1,000,000 books were read by the students.The Sun-Herald has provided an online section of their website which provides links to articles which can be used as part of the personal choices reading by students in the New South Wales Reading Challenge. [ [http://www.classscoop.sunherald.com.au/readingchallenge.asp Sun Herald Class Scoop ] ]

References