Canterbury College Launches the Six Book Challenge

Canterbury College has joined forces with a major charity to encourage more people to get reading.

From now until the end of June the College will be running the Six Book Challenge for students, staff and anyone else who would like to get involved.

The Six Book Challenge is a UK-wide annual event aimed at encouraging less confident readers to read six books, short stories, magazine and newspaper articles or poems, then record their reading in a diary to get a certificate and chance to enter a national prize draw for a weekend stay in London.

Research shows that getting involved in reading for pleasure increases confidence, motivation and skills.

The Six Book Challenge was launched in 2008 by The Reading Agency; it attracted 13,500 participants in 2010 through libraries, adult education, prisons and workplaces – up 50% on the previous year – and is fast becoming a major transformational tool for those struggling with reading and writing.

Over half of adults (56%) in England have literacy skills below the level of a good GCSE. The Six Book Challenge offers a new and creative approach to improving literacy skills in a fun and accessible way.

The Six Book Challenge 2011 runs from now until June, anyone wanting to take part can come along to Canterbury College where library staff will sign them up for the scheme, give them their reading diary and help them find a book they might enjoy. Alternatively the College library can be contacted on 01227 811166.