đź“° Adult Literacy News Summary
Does it matter that Britons are reading less than ever before?
10-Aug-2025 - UK
Many of us struggle to read for pleasure, with repercussions for our brain health and civilisation – but there may be an answer. The last time 33-year-old Barney Iley lost himself in a book was in 2017, when he read Middlemarch by George Eliot. “It blew my brains out,” he says, recalling the “gratifying” time spent reading what Martin Amis once called the greatest-ever British novel. But that was eight years ago. “I don’t do that now – read books,” he adds. “Now I put reading on a pedestal. Reading a book would be a magnificent achievement. It used to be that the equivalent of reading a book would be a stroll; now it’s a marathon. That’s tragic.”
Read moreKalamazoo Literacy Council hosts annual Scrabble Fest to fund adult literacy programs
07-Aug-2025 - USA
The Kalamazoo Literacy Council (KLC) is gearing up for its biggest fundraising event of the year, Scrabble Fest. "This is our major fundraiser for the Kalamazoo Literacy Council to raise awareness and funds to support the cause of adult literacy." The KLC provides free services to adults seeking to improve their reading and language skills. The organization targets the 13% of Kalamazoo County's adult population that reads below a fourth-grade level.
Read moreNew outdoor library unveiled at Gillingham Lakes development
06-Aug-2025 - UK
The library, situated at the Gillingham Lakes development in Gillingham, Dorset, was unveiled on Saturday, August 3. The opening coincided with a summer picnic event attended by residents. The facility, developed by Taylor Wimpey Southern Counties, aims to promote a love for reading within the community. It offers a range of adult and children's books on a 'bring and borrow' basis.
Read moreMS brings experts together in a bid to combat illiteracy in Wales
05-Aug-2025 - UK
Natasha Asghar, who serves as shadow cabinet secretary for education, launched the 'Alternative Literacy Panel' after an investigation found cueing was still being used in Welsh schools, despite being stopped in England more than 20 years ago. Cueing sees children taught to read by guessing words from pictures or the context of a sentence.
Read moreB.C. Expands Free Adult Literacy Programs to More Communities
05-Aug-2025 - Canada
British Columbia is expanding access to free adult literacy programs to help people across the province improve essential skills in reading, writing, math, and digital literacy. The provincial government is investing $3.4 million annually through the Community Adult Literacy Program to support adults, families, and Indigenous communities
Read moreWinchester Beer and Cider Festival raises nearly ÂŁ700
02-Aug-2025 - UK
A charity has received nearly ÂŁ700 thanks to the Winchester Beer and Cider Festival that took place in June. Read Easy Winchester was selected as the nominated charity for the event on June 27-28, raising ÂŁ700 through customer donations during the event
Read moreNew Trump Policy Could Ban Thousands of Adult Students From Classes
31-Jul-2025 - USA
As president Donald Trump ramps up immigration enforcement, targeting immigrants at workplaces and street corners across California, his administration is turning its attention to adult students. In a memo earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Education said adult students without legal status must be banned from federally funded career technical education classes, English-language programs and high school equivalency courses.
Read moreNational literacy charity based in Bedford urges parents to read with children this summer
30-Jul-2025 - UK
With around 600,000 pupils set to begin secondary school later this year, it's estimated that one in four will do so without meeting the expected reading standard – a challenge a national literacy charity is urging parents to help tackle. Schoolreaders provides over 35,000 children with weekly classroom reading sessions in England, connecting over 3,500 volunteers with primary schools.
Read moreCall for volunteers to boost school literacy levels
28-Jul-2025 - UK
A reading charity based in Nottingham has set a target to place a volunteer in every primary school - as the city and county remain below average in literacy standards. Literacy Volunteers, founded in 1996, supports children aged four to 11 with one-to-one reading time during school hours.
Read moreBottom 10 per cent missing out on GCSE core subject success
27-Jul-2025 - UK
A focus on English and maths resits has pushed England’s young adults up the global rankings but the most needy have been left behind.
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