Not all students come to class with a natural love for reading. Many struggle, especially at the beginning of their language learning journey. As teachers, we know that developing a habit of reading is essential, but we also know it is not always easy. Sometimes an external motivator helps. A Reading Marathon can provide that spark, bringing a sense of excitement and purpose to Extensive Reading.
What is a Reading Marathon?
A Reading Marathon is a competition where students aim to read a certain number of books within a set period of time. The purpose is simple: to encourage students to read as much as possible and to give them a clear goal to work toward.
I first came across the idea in Extensive Reading Activities for Teaching Language by Richard Day and Julian Bamford, and I began experimenting with my own classes in 2013. Over time, I have modified the approach to better suit my learners, making it digital and more interactive.
How to Set Up a Reading Marathon
Before giving students their “Marathon Course,” it helps to explain what a Reading Marathon is and why it can help them.
A marathon is a long-distance race of 42 kilometres where progress is measured kilometre by kilometre until the finish line is crossed. A Reading Marathon uses the same idea: each book read represents a a distance completed. Instead of running, students move forward by reading.
This matters because it ties into Extensive Reading, the practice of reading large amounts of easy, enjoyable books. Research shows that when students process a large amount of comprehensible input at the right level (about 98 percent of words already known), they:
- Build reading speed and fluency
- Grow their vocabulary in context (incidental vocabulary acquisition)
Gain confidence and motivation - Develop habits that transfer to listening, speaking, and writing
By combining Extensive Reading with the clear goals of a marathon, you give learners the freedom to read at their own pace and choose books at their level and interest. This choice is the differentiation that keeps them motivated to continue.
1. Announce the Marathon
Tell your students that the whole class will take part in a Reading Marathon. Their progress will be measured in kilometres, with each book read counting as one kilometre. Offer different “distances” such as 5K, 10K, 15K, 21K, or 42K. This way, beginners and advanced readers can choose a challenge that feels realistic and motivating. I run the marathon across the whole school year, but you can also set it for a shorter period
2. Decide How to Measure
Some teachers calculate progress by counting words. While precise, this can be difficult to manage. A simpler approach is to set one book as equal to one kilometre. This makes the system straightforward and inclusive for everyone.
3. Track Progress
My first experiments used paper templates from Day and Bamford’s Extensive Reading Activities for Teaching Language. Students could shade in their marathon course as they read, but the format lacked excitement. Later, I moved to classroom wall charts where each student’s runner moved along a track as books were completed. This gave a visual sense of progress and made achievements more tangible, but it still had its limits. It was difficult to tie visual advancement on the chart directly to the record of books read, so the progress shown did not always reflect the reading in detail.
Note: Many of the books I used between 2016 and 2018 are no longer in my library, as they included harmful stereotypes.
Moving to Digital Reading Marathons
In Term 1, 2025, I built my first Digital Reading Marathon with my ESL class. I set up all the marathon courses on a single Canva whiteboard and shared it with my students. They customised their Reader-Runner and began logging reviews for each book they read. Students read at the beginning of lessons and also during their free time.
For every book completed, students had to:
- Add the book cover
- Give a star rating
- Add a quick visual summary
- Write a short, meaningful review that did not simply summarise the book but focused on why they enjoyed the reading
Each time a student reached a milestone, they emailed me to let me know. I added comments directly on their course, and students responded, which made the Reading Marathon more interactive. Having all students on one shared board was powerful because the whole class could see collective progress and celebrate achievements together.
However, the platform had its limits. Canva whiteboards allow a maximum of 300 images, which quickly becomes a problem when each book cover, runner, and review adds to the total.There were also issues of privacy and control. Not every student wanted their reading course displayed publicly. In addition, with everyone working on the same board, there was always the risk that a student could erase or move someone else’s work, whether by accident or on purpose.
A Hub for the Marathon Courses
Trying to overcome the obstacles of a common Reading Marathon on a shared Canva whiteboard led me to create The House of Reading. This hub is presented visually as a house made of doors. Each student has their own “door” in the house. Behind that door sits their individual marathon course, which only they can edit and control.
The advantage of this system is that students still feel part of a community because all their doors are visible in the shared house. At the same time, they maintain ownership of their own space. They link their marathon course to their door, so the class can celebrate achievements together while respecting privacy and giving students full responsibility for their own progress.
Year 7 and Year 8 Spanish House of Reading
Beginner Spanish Student’s Reading Marathon Course
Reading Runners Customised by Students
Tutorial Setting up A digital Reading Marathon on Canva
Reading Marathon Templates
Tips for Success
After running extensive Reading Marathons for three terms with four different classes, here are the practices that have made the biggest difference:
- Explain the why. Take time to show students why an extensive Reading Marathon matters and the impact it has on their language learning. Emphasise choice and differentiation so students can read what they like, at their own pace.
- Take time to set it up. Plan for at least two class periods to introduce the marathon. One for explaining and one for doing. Walk students through reading a short book together and show them how to complete a review. If you skip this step, many will struggle to participate.
- Make space for reading. A marathon only works if students have time to read. I devote 20–25 percent of my program to in-class reading. How much space do you give in your program?
- Model participation. Read alongside your students. I often read in Japanese while they read in Spanish or French, and I share my own progress. This shows reading is a habit for everyone, not just learners.
- Guide book choice. Support students in choosing books and setting goals that are realistic for their level and interests. A good match leads to successful reading and ongoing motivation.
- Celebrate achievements. Recognise milestones with weekly updates, digital badges, or end-of-term showcases. These celebrations keep motivation alive and highlight progress for the whole class.
Final Thoughts
Digital Reading Marathons are a powerful way to motivate language learners to keep reading. They combine individual progress with community celebration, and they turn the habit of reading into something visible, shareable, and enjoyable.
With teacher’s love, Margarita x
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