📰 Adult Literacy News Summary
"It’s like a giant book club": how schools are getting children excited about reading again
13-Mar-2026 - UK
Research has shown there is a reading for pleasure crisis among children in the UK, where enjoyment of books has fallen to its lowest level in two decades. Not so here at Christ Church primary, a tiny Church of England school tucked behind the maze of HS2 construction works in Camden, north London, where children fizz with excitement about books.
Read moreLinguistics professor Victor Kuperman awarded a 2026 Killam Fellowship
11-Mar-2026 - Canada
Kuperman’s research project will focus on using AI to improve adult literacy, especially for newcomers to Canada. Primarily, it will work with learners of English as a second or additional language — and with Canada being the immigrant country that it is, there’s plenty of need for that. Someone who speaks Portuguese will need a slightly different output than someone who speaks Arabic, for example, because learners of English face different challenges with the language depending on what other language they speak. The novel part is this very personalized education — this customized preparation of reading materials that will adjust to that specific person’s proficiency as well as which first language they speak.
Read moreWhen literacy thrives, our businesses thrive too
10-Mar-2026 - UK
A week on from World Book Day and many parents and caregivers will still clearly recall the early morning scramble for costumes, last-minute crafting or the frantic search for something that vaguely resembled a book character. Beyond the costumes, though, World Book Day offered a useful moment to pause and think about reading and our relationship with books and literacy.
Read moreLiteracy charity seeks Southport volunteers to help children become confident readers
10-Mar-2026 - UK
Coram Beanstalk, a national children’s charity with over 50 years’ experience of supporting children to become confident, independent readers, is looking for volunteers in Southport. At Coram Beanstalk, we believe that every child has potential. But for many, limited one-to-one support, a lack of books that reflect their interests and a home without reading advocates can make learning to read feel like building a Lego castle without the instructions.
Read moreLeicestershire universities "Go All In" to host March events for national reading competition
10-Mar-2026 - UK
Universities across Leicester and Leicestershire are backing a national campaign to encourage more young people to read by hosting a series of literary events for the community throughout March. To help drive the initiative, De Montfort University, Loughborough University, and the University of Leicester – which forms the Universities Partnership – are hosting festivals, exhibitions and book swaps throughout March and the rest of the year.
Read moreFrom struggle to light: Wiltshire man's literacy journey
10-Mar-2026 - UK
A man who struggled with reading for most of his life has now found joy in books. Trowbridge resident Roy Verrier, aged 58, recently completed 85 reading sessions with Read Easy North and West Wiltshire, a charity offering free, one-to-one coaching for adults who have difficulty with reading and writing. Mr Verrier was referred to the programme by a social prescriber at his GP surgery.
Read moreTwinkl pledges one million books to help UK children spark a lifelong love for reading
09-Mar-2026 - UK
To celebrate the National Reading Trust’s National Year of Reading campaign educational resource provider Twinkl is donating one million books, in various formats, to children across the UK. The books’ topics are vast – from adventure stories to comic books, and science-fiction tales to nature books. To help remove any accessibility barriers when it comes to reading the donated books, Twinkl is adopting a ‘phygital’ approach, donating both physical and digital books to libraries, schools, book clubs, and families, to help children engage with reading in ways that best suit them.
Read moreDulwich man who learned to read in his 30s urges others in same position to ‘reach out for help’
06-Mar-2026 - UK
A man from Dulwich who learned to read for the first time in his 30s has urged other adults in his position ‘not to let the embarrassment win’ and to ask for help. In a week where many schoolchildren have been dressing up as their favourite literary characters to mark World Book Day (Thursday 5 March), 38-year old Ashley has spoken out about his experience learning to read as an adult and the transformative impact it has had on his life. He began his journey in 2024 with the help of local charity Read Easy Southwark who provide one-to-one reading coaching for adults.
Read moreCornwall's Voice: Jayne Kirkham, Labour MP for Truro and Falmouth
05-Mar-2026 - UK
Reading opens so many doors. It develops imagination, empathy, language and confidence, and children who read regularly tend do better in school and it enriches their lives. But not everyone finds reading easy, and not every home can be filled with books. Time and money are tight, and reading aloud can feel daunting for many. Adults with low literacy face barriers to employment and may also struggle to support their children’s learning. But there is help, and groups like ‘Read Easy Cornwall’ offer free, friendly, confidential coaching, and the National Literacy Trust also provides excellent resources. Audiobooks also offer a brilliant, accessible way to read.
Read moreBook donation campaign to inspire schoolchildren to read a ‘huge success’
05-Mar-2026 - UK
A campaign launched by Fortitude Communications to help inspire children to read has been backed by scores of local authors, schools, business owners and reading enthusiasts. The Oxford-based PR agency partnered with Assisted Reading for Children (ARCh) this month and encouraged people to donate good-quality softback books, which volunteers could read to children, the charity engages in schools across Oxfordshire.
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