BACKGROUND The ability to read and to comprehend text is a fundamental skill, required for success in school and later in life. In national and international surveys (PISA and others), it has come to our attention that the reading ability among pupils is on the decline. This fact imposes a great challenge for our schools and teachers – what are we to do, to thwart this negative trend? Finding methods that stimulate the curiosity for reading is of the utmost importance. Through development of systems and strategies that target how pupils relate to reading, we hope to turn the tide. An unfortunate but general development is that the difference between sexes is increasing, with boys getting left behind. This is disturbing and may ultimately become a mechanism of exclusion in society. With this project, involving children aged 6-12 years and their teachers, (preschool and primary school) four schools from Finland, Germany, Slovenia and the Czech Republic wish to exchange experiences through international cooperation. We want to trade experiences with others and find models that can improve on the pupils’ reading ability. At the same time we want to develop the teachers’ pedagogical competence regarding reading and multi literacy. The reading projects are performed in the native language of the school, but all documentation will be in English in order to be able to share the results. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT Primary goals: Strengthen the teachers’ pedagogical competence regarding reading through international interaction Develop the schools’ strategies regarding reading ability and multi literacy Develop the pupils’ reading ability and reading comprehension Stimulate curiosity for reading and create a positive reading environment in schools Secondary goals: Develop methods that help not so strong readers Support the pupils’ skills in interpretation, production and evaluation of texts Develop critical thinking regarding different types of texts Develop an ethical and reflecting reading ability in a world of cultural diversity Support schools working with reading and the difference between the home language and school language of the pupil Stimulate reading with the aid of technical devices ACTIVITIES This project activates teachers and pupils. In all of the participating schools different kinds of reading projects and activities are performed among the pupils. The teachers of the schools discuss and self-evaluate their activities in reading starting from various themes. At the project meetings thoughts are exchanged as well as best practice experiences by presentations and workshops. During the project meetings benchmarking of the host school´s function is carried out. THEMES 1. Preschool (pupils aged 6) and reading 2. Reading skills and reading comprehension 3. Reading and pupils with special needs – methods for testing 4. Reading and pupils with different home languages 5. Multi literacy 6. Cooperation with outside stake holders (e.g. libraries) 7. Curiosity for reading – reading culture – grown-ups as role models 8. The challenge of reading between boys and girls 9. IT equipment and the school library´s mission 10. Reading and teacher competence In the cooperation in the project and the documentation of the project digital aids are used. Experiences and products of the project can be used when supporting the development of reading locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.