đź“° Adult Literacy News Summary
America is in a literacy crisis. Is AI the solution or part of the problem?
22-Sep-2025 - USA
Reading levels dropped to historic lows during the pandemic. Now parents, teachers and tech companies are hoping AI can help solve America’s literacy crisis. America’s literacy challenge has been building for years, with reading scores sliding even before the pandemic pushed them to their lowest levels in decades. Educators said potential factors include children’s increased screen time, shortened attention spans and a decline in reading longer-form writing.
Read moreLearn from UK's book culture: A call for Korea
19-Sep-2025 - Korea
I was aware that Koreans are not close to books. Nevertheless, the scene of numerous books piled up as recyclable waste on the day of waste separation at the apartment where I lived at the time remains a great shock. In the UK, many houses place books in boxes in front of their doors for people who want them. There are also several charity shops (stores run by charitable organizations) in each neighborhood with shelves full of donated books. Recently, unused public phone booths have been steadily transformed into local libraries where residents can share books. It is rare to find aspects worth learning from the UK, which is struggling due to a declining economy and collapsing social values.
Read moreCommunity Hubs Welcome Record Numbers of Learners Across Wrexham and Flintshire
19-Sep-2025 - UK
Coleg Cambria is reinforcing its commitment to adult learning by delivering more opportunities for people across North East Wales to gain vital qualifications and digital confidence. Classes are being delivered in libraries, community centres and outreach posts.
Read moreLiteracy & Justice for All Podcast: New Podcast Confronts Literacy Crisis as a Social Justice Issue
18-Sep-2025 - USA
Illiteracy is not only an educational challenge; it is one of the greatest threats to equity in our society. This belief is at the heart of the new Literacy & Justice for All Podcast, produced by the Rollins Center for Language & Literacy and available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Read moreWhy I took a 75 per cent pay cut to become an English teacher
17-Sep-2025 - UK
After spending nearly 30 happy and successful years in book publishing, Ed Christie had a “road to Damascus” thought. “In a moment of inspiration (or madness) I decided to leave the corporate world to become a GCSE English teacher,” he explains.
Read moreLanarkshire community hub secured ÂŁ20,000 grant for upgrades
17-Sep-2025 - UK
A community hub has secured a ÂŁ20,000 grant for renovations. Hareleeshill Community Hub in Larkhall received the funding from the Asda Foundation to upgrade its facilities, including the installation of fully accessible toilets. It provides space for a wide range of community events and activities, including baby and toddler groups, a community cafe, craft sessions, adult literacy support and after-school programmes.
Read moreLiteracy charity seeks primary schools and businesses to boost reading
15-Sep-2025 - UK
Literacy charity Chapter One will launch its unique Online Reading Volunteers Programme in Warrington in January 2026 and is looking for primary schools and local businesses to get involved. The programme will see children aged 5-8 receive weekly 30-minute online reading sessions with volunteers from local and national businesses, all designed to build confidence and spark a love for reading at a crucial stage in their development.
Read moreTeenage boys spend more hours gaming than in school, suggests study
15-Sep-2025 - UK
Teenage boys in the UK are spending more time playing video games than being in a classroom, according to research. The average 15- to 17-year-old boy spends approximately 34 hours a week on video games, a new report by Mumsnet has revealed. In comparison, pupils are expected to be in school for 32.5 hours a week.
Read moreBuilding confidence in literacy can change lives
11-Sep-2025 - Ireland
For pub owner and suckler farmer Declan Walsh from Woodford, Co Galway, school was never easy. Struggling with literacy skills from a young age, Declan always dreaded reading aloud in class. Declan’s story is just one – but there are approximately 700,000 adults in Ireland with unmet literacy needs. Results of a survey, ran by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reported, one in five adults in Ireland scored at or below Level 1 in Literacy, meaning they struggle with tasks like reading instructions, filling out forms or using digital media.
Read moreMinister Marian Harkin Congratulates the National Adult Literacy Agency on Winning UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy
11-Sep-2025 - Ireland
The National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) received one of three UNESCO Confucius Prizes for Literacy, which were established in 2005 with the support of the Government of the People’s Republic of China. These awards focus on literacy programmes that harness technology to promote functional literacy, particularly among adults in rural areas and out-of-school youth.
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