Norddjurs launches READ project to enhance children’s language skills

As of 30 August, families can borrow bags with specially selected books to read at home

At the start of August, Norddjurs Municipality announced its plans to carry out a 4-year research project with the aim of finding ways to enhance students’ reading skills. Subsequently, several schools and all day care facilities in Norddjurs have now launched the “READ” project whereby parents are encouraged to read with their children.

On 1 September, the Danish municipality revealed that as of 30 August, parents can borrow a bag of specially selected books to take home. Inside the bag, they will find a guide featuring ideas on how they can read with their children, spark their curiosity, and enhance their reading experience. Families can use the materials for 7 weeks, after which they must return the bag for others to borrow.

How will READ benefit students?

School and day care manager Lene Mehlsen Thomsen commented on the goals of the project, noting that READ must contribute to the development of children’s language skills and enhance their desire to read. According to researchers, reading is considered the best way to grow one’s vocabulary as books contain far more rare words than movies and TV shows.

In addition to this, Thomsen notes that READ further aims to teach children about life’s challenges and how they can overcome them: “When you read on the couch with mom or dad, you can overcome many exciting challenges, which fortunately you have not yet encountered in life, but which you can come across in books.”   

It is important to note that the READ project was first launched in Aarhus Municipality where it had reportedly shown positive results. That is, schools and day cares noticed an improvement in both children’s reading and writing skills.

What is more, Aarhus is also participating in the aforementioned 4-year research project alongside Norddjurs and the TrygFonden’s Child Research Centre. Taking this further, TrygFonden will use the outcomes of the READ initiative to assess how children's language skills can be strengthened on a national level.