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National Reading Aloud Day
One of the remarkable national programmes for reading is the National Reading Aloud Day. This initiative was taken in 1994 by Foundation Reading, The Book Promotion Institute and NBLC, Netherlands Public Library Association.
The idea is that reading aloud is fun and useful. It enhances the pleasure of reading and the willingness to read, with special focus on reading aloud. The project offers the possibility, in an active and creative way to share stories, to enlarge the stock of words and to stimulate imagination.
The Reading Aloud Day combines a number of reading promotion activities.
National Reading Aloud Competition
Months before activities start with the Reading Aloud competition. Local libraries organize local reading aloud contests, in co-operation with schools (January March). A number of knowledgeable adults related to education and children, such as (remedial) teachers, artists, mayors form the jury. Local winners find themselves competing in the next round, organized by the provincial library centres (April). The provincial winners meet at the National finals of the Competition in Utrecht, at the National Reading Aloud Day in May, where they hope to be chosen the National Reading Aloud Champion. In recent years, 2100 primary schools participated. In total 58.000 children read aloud during the preliminary rounds of the National Competition.
National Reading Aloud Breakfast
The Day itself, this year 2002 15th of May, starts with the National Reading Aloud Breakfast. Every year a number of well known persons, ministers and state secretaries, or in other years from the field of sports, soaps, music; this year, broadcast presenters are invited to read aloud to children in one of the 500 participating primary schools and 500 child care centres. At least once a year, schools and parents should focus on the importance of reading aloud, as it is researched that children will benefit from it in their language development and reading habits. Needless to say that this event is heavily broadcasted.
Changing focus on reading aloud
Every year another focus for the National Reading Aloud Day is chosen.
This year, on the 15th of May, the younger students in the secondary schools will receive extra attention.
Five pilot schools will organize reading aloud sessions for 12-13 year olds.
A quantitative research will investigate the reading aloud habits of parents and teachers of the students in the first three grades of secondary education 12-14 year olds. This is a test to see whether secondary education can be involved in reading Aloud Programmes.
Research
Apart from the research on this years target group, another research project will be related to this years occasion of the national elections for the Parliament, which will take place on the same day. This offers an opportunity to relate to these elections and to the reading (aloud) habits of politicians. Research on their habits and views in this field will be published with a view to the 15th of May.
You can also visit their website www.denationalevoorleesdag.nl (in Dutch only).
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28 June 2026
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