Iceland is home to families with diverse backgrounds and languages, and classrooms increasingly bring together many languages and accents. Proficiency in the language gives students greater confidence, security, and wellbeing. In everyday school life, being able to communicate in Icelandic—both orally and in writing—is key to following lessons, taking part, and building relationships.
Recent research in Iceland shows a clear link between language learning and academic progress. When persistent language difficulties remain, the risk of fragile educational pathways increases, with later impacts on social participation and access to the labour market.
Heimalestur is the daily reading homework that students take home from school. It is a key moment to strengthen the bond with the language and with the family through guided reading practice. However, when Icelandic is not the first language at home, this daily routine can become stressful and less effective.
In Lesum saman, students with a strong command of Icelandic support and supervise their peers’ heimalestur.
The programme offers schools a simple model in which students themselves, through guided peer support, not only listen and support reading comprehension, but also foster a close, motivating and up-to-date school connection that is multilingual and grounded in cross-curricular educational values.
We read together
We talk together
We grow together
For schools, it is a practical and easy-to-implement programme, sustainable over time and with short- and long-term impact. For families, it helps progress without daily reading at home turning into a struggle. For students, it is a tool that supports language learning and facilitates adaptation to the school environment and social integration. Lesum saman builds on making the most of existing resources and on a reciprocal support model: learning happens by listening, explaining and accompanying.
We help schools and partners run Lesum saman with practical, ready-to-use materials and guidance: reading texts, conversation prompts, communication activities, reading/ambassador logs, training, follow-up, and progress monitoring. Downloads are shared on request; email us and we will send the materials directly.
Lesum saman is expanding through School Edition (the core model), with High School Edition and University Edition launching in 2026–2027, built around supervised roles and recognised participation. If your school, library, or institution would like to take part, we’d be glad to set up a short meeting.
Join Lesum saman to strengthen Icelandic language learning and build a learning environment where every student can participate, grow, and thrive.
Main objectives
Strengthen Icelandic through shared, guided reading and short conversations, supporting fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, pronunciation, and spoken confidence.
Support active participation in school life by building confidence to follow learning, contribute, and connect with others.
Create reciprocal learning: students progress through receiving support, and ambassadors grow through giving support (responsibility, communication, leadership).
Reduce pressure around heimalestur by ensuring steady reading practice is supported through the school community, not carried by the home alone.
Help families stay engaged by offering a clear structure and simple tools that make progress visible and easier to encourage.
Provide institutions with a practical, supervised model -ready-to-use materials, training, follow-up, and progress monitoring.
Deepen connection to Icelandic language, culture, and community through shared texts and guided discussion.
Support wellbeing by lowering stress around reading and strengthening confidence and relationships over time.
Help students reach their potential by strengthening Icelandic in ways that support learning pathways and future opportunities.
A Project Benefiting All
A sustainable programme that is straightforward to run: Lesum saman makes shared reading and conversation a steady, supervised part of school life, supporting Icelandic development, confidence, participation, and stronger relationships over time.
How does Lesum saman work?​​
Lesum saman strengthens reading for all students, and it is especially important for the more than 5,000 students in Iceland whose families use a home language other than Icelandic.
Lesum saman is delivered through partner centres (schools and other institutions). The centre runs sessions locally with supervision, and our team supports set-up and follow-through with materials and guidance, so the programme becomes consistent in everyday practice. We also develop and adapt reading resources and activities that work in real classrooms and groups.
Initial Meeting
We meet with the responsible team to agree on the set-up: who will take part, how sessions will be supervised, and what materials fit your group. We keep it practical and tailored, so you can start with clarity.
Program Presentation
We introduce Lesum saman to staff and participants (and, when relevant, families): what it is, how it works in everyday practice, and how to use the materials. Participants leave with a ready-to-run structure and clear roles.
Program Follow-up
After launch, we stay connected with support and feedback, share engaging reading strategies, and provide simple progress tools. We also help keep motivation high through activities such as gatherings between participating centres, library events with partners, reading challenges, and contests.
Alongside the programme, we offer guidance and training through workshops, seminars, and talks (in person or online) for schools, libraries, educational organisations, parent associations, and community groups.
Pay-as-you-can: centres may contribute to cover coordination, materials, and delivery costs.
About Us
Project Coordinator
Lead Author
Translator
I am Noemí Cubas Martín, a teacher and researcher. I hold a PhD in History and I have worked as a teacher in Iceland since 2014. I have published academic work, coordinated book projects, and participated in international conferences. I completed an MA at the University of Iceland (2025) and, since February 2026, I have been a Rannís-funded postdoctoral fellow.
As a mother who started a new life in Iceland, I understand the needs and challenges students and their families face when adapting to a new environment and learning a new language.
As a teacher, I also understand the importance of building cultural bridges in multilingual classrooms and helping students gain confidence, language skills and real opportunities for academic success.
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David Hidalgo Rodríguez. Lead author: stories, activities and learning materials.
Helga Markúsdóttir. Translation, adaptation and Icelandic language proofreading
We also count on: accounting · graphic design · web support · community manager.
We work with schools, libraries, and partner institutions in Iceland, together with volunteers who support events and community activities.
Resources
These online resources provide a variety of tools and activities suitable for aiding Icelandic language learning:
A free online course that includes interactive lessons, exercises, and games, designed specifically for children who wish to learn Icelandic in a fun and effective manner.
The website of RÚV, Iceland's national broadcasting service, offers television and radio programs in Icelandic, games, news, and other educational content suitable for children to learn and practice the language.
Provided by the Institution of the Icelandic Language, it offers a wide range of materials and resources for learning Icelandic, including dictionaries, grammar guides, exercises, and more.
This platform includes interactive games, songs, stories, and exercises that help children learn the language in an engaging and practical way.
An online platform offering educational resources and activities for Icelandic language learning. Its section "Íslenska sem annað mál" is directed towards children and provides games, exercises, songs, and other interactive resources to aid their language learning journey.
Practical materials and support for Icelandic as a second language in schools.
This subscription service offers school materials, including interactive e-books and downloadable PDFs. It is designed to provide access to materials taught in Icelandic schools, catering to both native children and those interested in learning Icelandic.
This text processor reviews your writings and provides a preliminary revision of grammatical errors in Icelandic.
Official language portal with dictionaries and Icelandic language tools.
Simple, learner-friendly language support for people studying Icelandic.
Provides a graded reading experience, ideal for school-age children looking to improve their reading comprehension in Icelandic.
Assisting with Icelandic language learning by providing clear answers and explanations to language-related queries, offering practical examples, interactive exercises, and suggestions to enhance comprehension and linguistic abilities.
To get involved with Lesum saman and contribute to strengthening our society through the power of words, connect with us
Donations are warmly welcomed to support our project and growing community. All contributions will be allocated to collaborate with Icelandic schools: we will assist children and families with their reading homework while strengthening social bonds in our homeland, Iceland.
To make a direct bank transfer to support the project, kindly utilize the following account, designated for the Lesum saman Project, or if you prefer, please feel free to contact us directly via email
KENNITALA: 410223 0740
BANK: 537-26-011621
