Smart Work 2026: Improving literacy with the Summer Reading Challenge
The Smart Work page presents everyday innovations and success stories developed by the employees of the City of Hämeenlinna.
A joint literacy team from our local primary and lower secondary schools and the library designed a summer reading challenge for pupils and families during school transition phases. The goal of the challenge is to increase guardians’ understanding of the importance of literacy in studies and society, and to encourage pupils to read more. The challenge involves counting the number of pages read in books and magazines. The 1st and 7th grade classes that read the most, as well as the most active individual pupils in each age group, will be rewarded.
The challenges were launched in the spring during preschool and 6th-grade events by reading together. Guardians and pupils were successfully reached during these evenings. Time has been allocated for reading at schools, and reading at home is encouraged. The challenge will continue until week 41.
The idea for the challenge arose from everyday experiences: reading among families and pupils has decreased, which is reflected at school in challenges such as reading comprehension. Through our work, we wanted to promote reading as a hobby and thereby hopefully improve literacy levels. With this joint reading challenge campaign for primary and lower secondary schools, we also began the cooperation for our future comprehensive school.
Developers
Enna Paitsola-Nordlund, Library Clerk
Päivi Ruuskanen, Librarian
Maria Elomaa, Class Teacher
Tiina Vesamaa, Special Education Teacher
Laura Wegelius, Class Teacher
Leija Kuuranhalla, Lecturer in Finnish Language and Literature
Kirsi Saarikko, Upper Secondary School Lecturer in Finnish Language and Literature
Jenni Perälä, Part-time Teacher of Finnish Language and Literature