I am delighted to be able to give you news about Kids' Lit Quiz Australia's 2014 program.
With our 2013 team from Canberra Grammar School representing Australia so well at the World Final in Durban this July, we now build toward the 2014 World Final in Cornwall, UK in July next year.
In 2014, there will be four heats prior to the national final so, hopefully, lots more schools and students will be involved in "the sport of reading".
The 2014 Program is:
• Queensland Regional Heat: Ipswich, 18 February 2014;
• NSW Regional Heat: Orange, 19 February 2014;
• ACT Regional Heat: Canberra, 21 February 2014;
• NSW Regional Heat and National Final: western Sydney, 22 March 2014
• World Final: Truro, Cornwall, UK: July 2014
Wayne Mills will, again, run all the heats and the final and, of course, spectators are very welcome to come and be a part of the day.
Registration Packs are now available to give you plenty of time to prepare for next year.
If you would like more information, have any questions or would like a registration pack to be sent to you, please contact me at kidslitquizaustralia@gmail.com, letting me know which heat you are interested in and I will happily provide what you require.
The registration pack includes information specific to your heat as well as 50 pre-test questions to get you started. The sooner you express your interest, the sooner your children can start their 2014 reading adventures.
All registrations made before 30 November 2013 will go into the draw for free entry to the 2015 Quiz.
Please share the word with anyone you think would like to be a part of next year's Quiz. Word of mouth is the best way to get word out there and those of you who have been involved previously know what a fantastic experience the Quiz is for the children involved.
I look forward to you being a part of the Kids' Lit Quiz in 2014.
Best wishes,
Nicole Deans
National Coordinator,
Kids' Lit Quiz Australia
kidslitquizaustralia@gmail.com
Information on the 2014 Quiz
What
The Kids’ Lit Quiz is a major international literature competition where teams of four students work together to answer wide-ranging literary questions. Students collaboratively answer 100 questions arranged in ten categories. (The categories are unknown to contestants prior to the event).
Why
The Kids’ Lit Quiz celebrates and rewards reading and literary knowledge:
- It offers reading challenges
- It broadens literary awareness
- It fosters positive attitudes towards reading
- It motivates students
- It provides a literary focus for schools to extend their students' reading mileage and knowledge of literature
- It’s highly motivating
- It’s fun
Who
The Kids’ Lit Quiz is open to students in Years 5, 6 and 7 (and Year 8, if within age limit). Students should be no younger than 10 years and no older than 14 years at 1 July 2014.
- A school can enter 1 or 2 teams. Teams may be from mixed grades or just a single grade.
- Students must all be from the same school. (Small schools under 30 can have combined teams, please contact the National Coordinator for more information.)
- Teams do not need to be allocated prior to the relevant heat.
- Substitutions are not permissible after the heat. (That is, the team that takes part in the heat must be the same as the team that takes part in the final.)
- The heats and final are run by the Quizmaster.
The Quizmaster
Wayne Mills is a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland. He was awarded the Margaret Mahy Medal in 2008 for services to children’s literature and in 2011 was made a Member of the NZ Order of Merit.
When
The Australian Kids’ Lit Quiz regional heats and national final will be conducted from 18-21 February and on 22nd March 2014.
The World Final will be held in Truro, Cornwell in the United Kingdom in July 2014.
Where
The Kids’ Lit Quiz Australian competition will be held in:
QUEENSLAND: Tuesday 18th February, Ipswich. Ipswich Girls Grammar School
Time: 10am – 1pm
NEW SOUTH WALES: Wednesday 19th February, Orange. Kinross Wolaroi School.
Time: 11am – 2pm
ACT: Friday 21st February, Canberra. Canberra Grammar School.
Time: 11am – 2pm
SYDNEY, NSW: Saturday 22nd March, Mount Annan Christian School.
Time: 9.30am – 12.30pm
NATIONAL FINAL: Saturday 22nd March, Mount Annan Christian School.
Time: 1.30pm- 3.30pm
How
Contact the National Coordinator, Nicole Deans, at kidslitquizaustralia@gmail.com to obtain a Kids’ Lit Quiz information pack (this includes an entry form - to be completed and returned - and pre-test questions to get you started)Return the entry form and enclose $100 ($25/ student) for registration and payment for each team.
Entries received before 30 November 2013 go into a draw for free entry to the 2015 Quiz.
Prizes
Participating students have the opportunity to win books and also the chance to win on-the-spot cash prizes.
Plus: the Australian Champions are invited to the World Final in Cornwall, United Kingdom in July 2014.
More Information
Contact the National Coordinator: Nicole Deans at kidslitquizaustralia@gmail.comSee also:
www.kidslitquiz.com
readingforaustralia.blogspot.com.au
Kids' Lit Quiz Australia's Facebook page
As a fellow coach (albeit in New Zealand!) of a few years standing, I absolutely support all of Nicole's comments about the benefits of Kids' Lit. Success at the competition boosts enthusiasm hugely in the school, leading to more and more children avidly reading, wanting to be part of this competition. The good thing is that even if they don't make it into the school's team, they remain motivated and supportive of those who do. It is great fun for all who are involved, whether you do well or not. The children come back enthused about the books they've heard about and spread their enthusiasm to other kids. If you haven't tried entering this competition, I strongly recommend it! You won't regret it. (P.S. I've been fortunate enough to have two of my teams win overseas trips - where else can you read books and get fantastic prizes like that for it? It's an unbelievable opportunity for primary aged kids to be able to win something like this - they come back hugely enriched, not only from the people and cultures they've been exposed to, but also just loving meeting so many other like-minded children and discussing books, books, books and more books....)
ReplyDeleteJenny Armitage, Belmont Intermediate, NZ
Thank you for your comments, Jenny.
DeleteYou make a good point about the support from other children in the school community, even if not in the school teams.
All the boys of CGS are very proud of the KLQA trophy which sits in a prominent place in the library, due to the success of its 2013 team.
Congratulations on coaching two teams to the world finals - no mean achievement in New Zealand where the national competitions attracts 255 schools and 425 teams!
I agree totally with Jenny’s comments above. I too have been involved as a coach of a New Zealand team for a number of years and have seen how this competition boosts enthusiasm for reading within our school. Each year I see more and more students endeavouring to make it into our Lit Quiz team. This year our school made it to the World Final in Durban, South Africa. What a fantastic experience! It was not only the team who were excited but the whole school was just buzzing. Students suddenly realised the opportunities reading could create. It was an amazing opportunity for our students to experience a different culture, meet other people and like Jenny stated above, meet other like-minded students and discuss books. The Kids’ Lit Quiz is a wonderful competition and I too would urge any school that hasn’t entered it yet, to give it a go.
ReplyDeleteKaren Lines, Takapuna Normal Intermediate, NZ