A strong emphasis continues to be placed on children's literacy and language development.

Reading policy reviewed and new tools introduced

Reading is highly valued in Hafnarfjörður, and every possible means is used to promote and encourage reading and literacy among children and young people, in active collaboration between schools, institutions and homes. Seven years have passed since the Hafnarfjörður project Reading is the game of life. was launched. The project has since evolved and expanded, thanks to a dedicated staff and an active school community that recognises the importance of implementation and participation. Success was celebrated with a presentation of the project and new tools at a harvest festival at Víðistaðaskóli. This included, amongst other things, the introduction of increased support for the vocabulary of the youngest children in the nursery school and a new vocabulary curriculum for the earliest years of primary school. 

^{At a harvest festival at Víðistaðaskóli, school governors and the schools' contacts for the town's literacy project came together.} 

^{Many people are involved in the development and implementation of a project in schools and the borough's institutions. Here you can see part of the group that works in the borough's Education and Public Health Department.} 

New alphabet cards and a new booklet on language stimulation for preschool children

At a harvest festival at Víðistaðaskóli, school leaders and the schools' contacts for the literacy project came together, along with staff from the relevant municipal departments. The occasion was to celebrate the successful implementation of the policy, standards and procedures for language use, reading instruction and literacy in all schools and to introduce Reissue of 'Reading is the game of life'. This is the third edition to date and builds on previous focuses from 2015 and 2018. At the celebration, the first copies of the new edition were presented, and the group was thanked warmly and sincerely for the tremendous work that has taken place in all the schools with the implementation and execution. At the same time, contacts in all the nurseries were presented with the first copies of a new booklet for parents of nursery children on language stimulation. Contacts in all primary schools were given a special alphabet box containing, amongst other things, a set of letter cards and card sleeves for all Year 1 pupils and for older pupils in special education who struggle with reading. The approach is new in Hafnarfjörður and involves both school and home practice. The aim of the games is for all pupils to learn to associate letter sounds and names as quickly as possible. Teachers in Years 1 and 2 will be attending a special course this autumn on teaching beginning reading, where the targeted use of the alphabet games and communication with parents will be covered, among other topics.

^{Contacts in all the nurseries were given the first copies of a new booklet on language stimulation for parents of nursery children.}

^{Contacts in all the primary schools were given a special letter box which contains, among other things, a set of letters and a card holder.}

A Hafnarfjörður collaborative project that promotes reading and literacy.

LESTUR ER LÍFSINS LEIKUR is a project from Hafnarfjörður which aims for every child to achieve the best possible command of reading and to be able to read for both benefit and pleasure. This is a clear and effective literacy strategy that involves pupils, teachers and parents and, over the years, has resulted in, among other things, increased continuity between school stages and has laid out clear guidelines on the importance of literacy as a cornerstone of learning. The project in Hafnarfjörður was prompted, in part, by PISA results showing stagnation in reading comprehension in Iceland and the need for children to be able to read for both information and enjoyment. Reading skills are a prerequisite for active participation in society, and poor reading skills can have a negative impact on academic progress and, consequently, on future life opportunities. The project READING IS THE GAME OF LIFE involves all nurseries, all primary schools, after-school clubs, the Hafnarfjörður Public Library, childminders and the parents of the youngest children.