Letterprins, the innovative reading project, is nominated for two Digital Impact Awards

Nijmegen, September 19, 2023 – Letterprins, the groundbreaking reading project that encourages children to make reading progress through play, developed by IJsfontein, has received two honorable nominations at the Digital Impact Awards. These nominations are a significant recognition of the impact and innovation of Letterprins in promoting literacy among young readers. The campaign was commissioned by Radboud University and developed by Vertigo 6.

The Digital Impact Awards, a “leading accolade for impactful digital achievements,” are organized annually by the British Communicate Magazine. The expert jury has nominated Letterprins in two prestigious categories: ‘Best Use of Data’ and ‘Best Use of Mobile and/or Corporate App.’ These nominations affirm the success of Letterprins in redefining reading through gamification and reinforce its position as an inspiring educational tool.

Letterprins has made a strong impression with remarkable results, including the registration of over 10,000 accounts and an enthusiastic community of 3,000 children who play the app daily. Furthermore, a preliminary analysis has demonstrated that Letterprins genuinely enhances the reading skills of young readers.

“We have achieved some significant results,” says Esther Steenbeek, the initiator of the Letterprins project. “Children voluntarily engage with the game daily. This means they enjoy it and are motivated to play. This is a crucial outcome because reading motivation is currently subpar both nationally and across Europe. If children aren’t motivated to read, they won’t do it. So, this is a highly important initial outcome. Without motivation, you won’t get anywhere. Additionally, reading skills improve while playing the game. We observe that children recognize words more quickly because they practice. This is a vital outcome because it indicates that they are mastering the skill. They are automating their skills (compare it to driving a car), initially, you do it cautiously, and then you do it automatically without thinking.”

IJsfontein developed Letterprins on behalf of Radboud University in collaboration with various scientists from the Donders Institute and the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics. It embodies IJsfontein’s mission to develop innovative educational resources that harness people’s natural curiosity and intrinsic motivation to learn. IJsfontein designed and developed Letterprins with a deep understanding of the needs of young readers and the power of gamification.

Vertigo 6 was responsible for the social media and PR campaign for Letterprins. The Digital Impact Awards ceremony, where the winners will be announced, is scheduled for October 18, 2023, in London.

Earlier this year, Letterprins was also nominated for a Digital Communication Award (Berlin) in the category of Best Digital Publishing. These awards will be presented online on September 29. The jury particularly praised the scientific use of data to promote reading.