English Literature Receives a Boost

Starting this September, the government is launching a national reading competition in England to encourage children to read more books and improve children’s literacy skills.  The contest is open to children of seven to twelve year olds, offering local, regional and national prizes. The competition is likely to focus on ‘who can read the most books’.  Primary schools which sign up to teaching phonics have been offered up to £3,000 funding towards school material and training.

Adaptable Travel have for a long time supported the teaching of English, and offer a range of English themed school trips, from school trips to Stratford to explore Shakespeare, to WW1 Battlefield trips to explore War Poets of the Somme.  English School trips offer the perfect way to inspire your pupils and get them motivated for this competition in September.

Government spokesman Mr Gibb said “Children should always have a book on the go. The difference in achievement between children who read for half an hour a day in their spare time and those who do not is huge - as much as a year’s education by the time they are 15”.

Adaptable Travel believe this competition will be a great way to give reluctant readers a reason to finally get interested in books and reading; which will stop your pupils falling behind with not just their reading but also their writing.  Mr Gibb outlines a bit of healthy competition to spur on reluctant readers will improve their literature skills, which he hopes will give 11-year-olds higher grades in literacy tests at the end of primary school.

More than 4,000 schools have joined the scheme so far.  If you would like to inspire and spark your pupils interest in literacy even further, contact Adaptable Travel today to start organising an English related school trip this year.  In addition, with this being the year of the World Shakespeare Festival, there has never been a better time to inspire the next generation of British authors.