World Language Reading Challenge
Information about the annual World Language Reading Challenge for students, parents, and educators.The World Language Reading Challenge is an annual event taking place during National World Language Week in March. The World Language Reading Challenge was developed in partnership with the California Language Teachers’ Association (CLTA).
The 2025 World Language Reading Challenge will take place March 2–8, 2025. Information about the 2026 World Language Reading Challenge will be posted during the 2025–26 school year.
To participate in this program and recognize students, please review the optional criteria and resources and submit an online participation form, available under the “Toolkit and Forms” tab below.Overview
The World Language Reading Challenge is an optional event and participation is voluntary. Local educational agencies (LEAs) may customize the criteria to fit their local needs and to ensure the criteria reflects their program goals.
The California Department of Education (CDE) will provide guidance and certificate templates as resources. LEAs may choose to use or modify the materials provided. No student information is required to be submitted to the CDE to participate. LEAs may keep records locally. The CLTA provides a World Language Reading Challenge Toolkit that includes optional templates and resources that LEAs may use or adapt.
Students may earn the World Language Reading Challenge Certificate in any world language other than English.
World Language Reading Challenge
What:
In collaboration with the CDE, the CLTA Underrepresented Language Special Interest Group invites you to participate in the World Language Reading Challenge through reading various authentic texts in the target language.
Who:
All California preschool through grade 12 (P–12) world language and multilingual programs.
When:
National World Language Week, March 2–8, 2025
Where:
At the school site with students enrolled in world language or multilingual programs.
Goals:
- To provide language and multilingual programs with recognition from the CDE for encouraging students to improve literacy by reading in the target language
- To celebrate the achievement of the students
- To celebrate the success of the school’s world language or multilingual program
- To celebrate student success
- To engage with authentic materials in the target language
- To discover cross-cultural connections
- To promote community building in the classroom and beyond
- To encourage cross-cultural interactions across language programs at the school site
- To increase students’ motivation to learn the target language
- To create a positive attitude toward the language and culture
- To have fun reading
- To promote literacy fluency
- To put the World Languages Framework for California Public Schools, Kindergarten through Grade Twelve (PDF) into action
Equity
It is important to ensure that all students have access to the World Language Reading Challenge including underserved populations and students with disabilities. All students, including English learners, students with disabilities, and English learners with disabilities, can benefit from opportunities to develop multiliteracy.
For more information on serving English learners with disabilities see the CDE California Practitioners’ Guide for Educating English Learners with Disabilities(PDF).
For more information on parent and family engagement, see the CDE Parent/Family web page.